Portable electronic device comprising an integrated lock mechanism

• US 8,023,252 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lujan, Carlos Jacobo, Inch, Randy Clark, Dehaan, David Franklin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/235,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20100071423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.57, 70/15, 70/58, 312/223.2, 726/35
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0005 using chains, cables or the like chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/402 Fetters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7062 Electrical type [e.g., solenoid]

Abstract

An article of manufacture, such as a laptop computer, comprising a housing, a processor disposed within the housing, a computer readable medium disposed within the housing and in communication with the processor, a lock mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the lock mechanism can be moved between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and computer readable program code encoded in the computer readable medium and useable with the processor, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect moving the lock mechanism between the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a computer readable medium disposed within said housing and in communication with said processor;

a lock mechanism disposed within said housing, wherein said lock mechanism can be moved between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration;

wherein said lock mechanism comprises;

a first member formed to include a first aperture;

a second member formed to include a second aperture, said second member is moveably disposed within said portable electronic device;

wherein said second member is rotatably disposed within said article of manufacture, and wherein said second member comprises a periphery and a plurality of gear teeth disposed on said periphery;

a motor in communication with said processor;

a rotatable shaft extending outwardly from said motor;

a worm gear disposed around said rotatable shaft, wherein said worm gear intermeshes with one or more of said plurality of gear teeth;

computer readable program code encoded in said computer readable medium and useable with said processor, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect;

energizing said motor;

rotating said second aperture to a locked configuration wherein said first aperture is not aligned with said second aperture.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein said article of manufacture comprises a portable computing device.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

detecting insertion of a fixturing assembly into said lock mechanism;

moving said lock mechanism to a locked configuration, wherein said fixturing assembly cannot be removed from said lock mechanism.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3, wherein said fixturing assembly comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein said proximal end is attached to a furniture object, and wherein said computer readable program code to detect insertion of a fixturing assembly further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect detecting insertion of said distal end of said fixturing assembly.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein said proximal end of said fixturing assembly is attached to a first end of a cable.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein said cable is formed to include a loop at a second end.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 3, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

receiving Threshold Security Information;

saving said Threshold Security Information in said computer readable medium.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

receiving Proffered Security Information;

determining if said Proffered Security Information matches said Threshold Security Information;

operative if said Proffered Security Information matches said Threshold Security Information, placing said lock mechanism in said unlocked configuration.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, further comprising a data input device in communication with said processor, wherein said computer readable program code to receive Proffered Security Information further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect receiving said Proffered Security Information from said data input device.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein said data input device is selected from the group comprising a dialog box to receive a password, a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner, a voiceprint receiver, and a touch pad surface to receive a handwriting exemplar.

11. A computer program product encoded in a computer readable medium disposed within an electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a programmable processor disposed within said housing;

a lock mechanism disposed within said housing, wherein said lock mechanism can be moved between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration;

wherein said lock mechanism comprises;

a first member formed to include a first aperture;

a second member formed to include a second aperture, said second member is moveably disposed within said portable electronic device;

wherein said second member is rotatably disposed within said article of manufacture, and wherein said second member comprises a periphery and a plurality of gear teeth disposed on said periphery;

a motor in communication with said processor;

a rotatable shaft extending outwardly from said motor;

a worm gear disposed around said rotatable shaft, wherein said worm gear intermeshes with one or more of said plurality of gear teeth;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to energize said motor;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to rotate said second aperture to a locked configuration wherein said first aperture is not aligned with said second aperture.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to detect insertion of a fixturing assembly into said lock mechanism;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to move said lock mechanism to a locked configuration, wherein said fixturing assembly cannot be removed from said lock mechanism.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said fixturing assembly comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein said proximal end is attached to a furniture object.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said proximal end is attached to a cable.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to receive Threshold Security Information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to save said Threshold Security Information in said computer readable medium.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to receive Proffered Security Information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to determine if said Proffered Security Information matches said Threshold Security Information;

computer readable program code which, if said Proffered Security Information matches said Threshold Security Information, causes said programmable processor to move said lock mechanism to said unlocked configuration.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code which, if said Proffered Security Information does not match said Threshold Security Information, causes said programmable processor to;

generate an alarm signal; and

log said Proffered Security Information in said computer readable medium.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said electronic device further comprises a data input device in communication with said processor, wherein said computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to receive Proffered Security Information further comprises computer readable program code which causes said programmable processor to receive said Proffered Security Information from said data input device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the input device is selected from the group comprising a dialog box to receive a password, a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner, a voiceprint receiver, and a touch pad surface to receive a handwriting exemplar.