Movement monitoring security devices and systems

• US 9,955,050 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William J. Warren
• Original Assignee: William J. Warren
• Inventors: Warren, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luo, Kate
• Application Number:
  US15/008,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20160142597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Motion sensing devices for computer security are provided herein. In various embodiments, a security device includes a sensor for detecting movement of a computing device to which the security device is coupled, a transmitter, a processor, a memory, and instructions that are executed to receive from the sensor a message indicative of the movement of the computing device, determine if the computing device has been moved using the sensor message, and activate a camera to obtain image or video of an area proximate the computing device.

Claims

1. A security device, comprising:

a sensor for detecting movement of a computing device to which the security device is coupled or movement of an individual proximate the computing device;

a transmitter;

a camera positioned on the computing device so as to capture an area proximate the computing device,

wherein the camera is mounted on an extension that extends from a housing of the security device, and

wherein the camera comprises a plurality of lenses that are mounted on an end of the extension and angularly offset from one another such that the camera can capture images or video in a plurality of directions relative to the computing device;

a processor; and

a memory for storing executable instructions, the processor executing the instructions to;

receive from the sensor a message indicative of the movement of the computing device or the movement of the individual proximate the computing device,

determine if the computing device has been moved or if the individual is proximate the computing device, using the message from the sensor,

control the camera to obtain the images or video of the area proximate the computing device, and

transmit the images or video through the transmitter to a mobile device of a user.

2. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to output a warning message using the transmitter, if the computing device has been moved or the individual proximate the computing device has moved.

3. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor, transmitter, processor, and memory are disposed within the housing, wherein the security device further comprises a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing, the rechargeable battery in electrical communication with an interface that provides both electrical and communicative connection to a port of the computing device.

4. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the images or video are transmitted to cloud storage.

5. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a passive infrared sensor that detects body heat from the individual proximate the computing device.

6. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor that senses the movement of the computing device relative to other objects adjacent to the computing device.

7. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a microwave sensor that senses the movement of the computing device relative to other objects adjacent to the computing device.

8. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a tomographic sensor or network of tomographic sensors.

9. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to pair the security device with a mobile device over a communications path, wherein a warning message is output by the transmitter to the mobile device over the communications path.

10. The security device according to claim 1, further comprising an audio output device, the audio output device being controlled by the processor to output a warning message as a warning tone.

11. The security device according to claim 1,

wherein the housing encloses the sensor, the processor, and the memory;

and

wherein a clamp couples the housing to the computing device.

12. The security device according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for positioning the sensor proximate an object that is adjacent to the computing device, the means for positioning the sensor extending from the housing.

13. The security device according to claim 1, wherein a warning message is output and comprises at least two or more of an audible warning, a visual warning, a textual warning, or any combinations thereof.

14. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

evaluate the message from the sensor to determine if the computing device has been gyrated rather than moved; and

cause either an audio device to output a warning signal that the computing device has been gyrated or the transmitter to output a signal that is indicative that the computing device has been gyrated.

15. The security device according to claim 1, wherein the security device is integrated into a protective cover that is configured to enclose at least a portion of the computing device.

16. The security device according to claim 1, further comprising a locking interface that is configured to secure the security device to the computing device so as to make removal of the security device from the computing device difficult.

17. A security system, comprising:

a security device comprising;

a sensor for detecting movement of a computing device or movement of an individual proximate the computing device;

means for communicatively coupling the sensor with the computing device; and

a camera configured to capture images or video of an area proximate the computing device,

wherein the camera is mounted on an extension that extends from a housing of the security device, and

wherein the camera comprises a plurality of lenses that are mounted on an end of the extension and angularly offset from one another such that the camera can capture the images or video in a plurality of directions relative to the computing device; and

the computing device comprising;

a processor; and

a memory for storing executable instructions, the processor executing the instructions to;

receive from the sensor a message indicative of the movement of the computing device or the movement of the individual proximate the computing device,

determine if the computing device has been moved or if the individual is proximate the computing device, using the message from the sensor,

control the camera to obtain the images or video of the area proximate the computing device, and

transmit the images or video to a mobile device of a user.

18. The security system according to claim 17, wherein the extension is rotatable, and further wherein the plurality of lenses are rotatable to point in a direction of the movement sensed by the sensor.

19. The security system according to claim 17, wherein the security device is hingedly connected to the housing of the computing device and folds from a stored configuration to a deployed configuration.