Motorized horizontal docking station having integrated locking mechanism

• US 9,309,698 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Uinta Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Henge Docks LLC (Uinta Products, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vroom, Matthew Leigh, Maskell, Benjamin Edwards
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Jung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/337,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 726/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2035/106 Monitoring of overload
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 35/10 Arrangements or devices for absorbing overload or preventing damage by overload for screw mechanisms F16H25/2021
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0024 Peripheral component interconnect [PCI]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18808 with rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2066 Friction

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for preventing unauthorized removal of an electronic device from a docking station including inserting a first plug into a first port of the electronic device, inserting a second plug into a second port of the electronic device, setting the docking station to a locked state, preventing removal of the first plug from the first port while the docking station is in the locked state, setting the docking station to an unlocked state, removing the first plug from the first port, and removing the second plug from the second port.

Claims

1. A method for preventing unauthorized removal of an electronic device from a docking station, the docking station having a port block configured to slide between an open and closed positions, the method comprising:

sliding the port block to a closed position to insert a first plug of the port block into a first port of the electronic device;

inserting a second plug into a second port of the electronic device;

setting the docking station to a locked state;

preventing removal of the first plug from the first port while the docking station is in the locked state;

setting the docking station to an unlocked state;

sliding the port block to an open position to remove the first plug from the first port; and

removing the second plug from the second port.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sliding of the port block is performed by a motor.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

authorizing the docking station to be set to an unlocked state.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the authorizing comprises entering a password on the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the authorizing comprises detecting the presence of a hardware token.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the authorizing comprises detecting the presence of a nearby wireless device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the wireless device is a mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the setting the docking station to an unlocked state comprises pressing a reset button on the docking station.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

restricting physical access to the reset button.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disabling a button on the docking station when the docking station is in a locked state; and

enabling the button on the docking station when the docking station is in an unlocked state.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the button is an undock button.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first port is on a first side of the electronic device and the second port is on an opposite side of the electronic device.

13. A method for preventing unauthorized removal of an electronic device from a docking station, the docking station having a port block configured to slide between an open and closed positions, the method comprising:

receiving a lock message at the docking station;

setting the docking station to a locked state;

disabling sliding of a port block to an open state while the docking station is in the locked state;

receiving an unlock message at the docking station;

setting the docking station to an unlocked state; and

enabling sliding of the port block to an open state while the docking station is in the unlocked state.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving an eject signal from a button on the docking station;

determining if the docking station is in the locked state;

sending a “

request authorization”

message from the docking station to the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

storing a password in a memory of the docking station.

16. A method for preventing unauthorized removal of an electronic device from a docking station, the docking station having a port block configured to slide between an open and closed positions, the method comprising:

determining whether the electronic device is docked in the docking station;

sending a “

lock”

message from the electronic device to the docking station;

disabling sliding of a port block to an open state while the docking station is in the locked state;

receiving a “

request authorization”

message from the docking station;

authorizing unlocking of the docking station; and

sending an “

unlock”

message from the electronic device to the docking station; and

enabling sliding of a port block to an open state while the docking station is in the locked state.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the sending of a lock message comprises sending a password from the electronic device to the docking station.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the authorizing comprises entering a password on the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the authorizing comprises detecting the presence of a hardware token.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the authorizing comprises detecting the presence of a nearby wireless device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the wireless device is a mobile telephone.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

dismounting data storage devices connected to the docking station.