Wireless enable/disable locking system

• US 8,174,837 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tracy, Mark S., Doczy, Paul J., Harris, Jonathan R., Griebenow, L. Joy
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Courtney
• Application Number:
  US11/796,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.23, 361/679.29, 361/679.4, 361/679.55, 361/679.57, 361/679.58, 361/727, 361/579.4, 361/740, 361/747, 361/759, 361/781, 361/814
• US Class Current: 361/747
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A wireless enable/disable locking system comprises a locking element configured to physically cooperate with a switch, the switch for enabling/disabling a wireless communication capability of a device, to lock the wireless communication state of the switch to either enabled or disabled.

Claims

1. A wireless enable/disable locking system, comprising:

a switch moveable between a first position and a second position, the switch in the first position to enable wireless communication of an electronic device and the switch in the second position to disable the wireless communication of the electronic device; and

a locking element moveable between locking element positions to physically cooperate with the switch and to lock the switch to prevent the switch from moving from the second position to the first position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking element comprises a biased locking mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured to be biased into engagement with the switch.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured for slideable movement relative to the switch.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a forwardly-facing portion of the locking element is configured to engage a rearwardly-facing portion of the switch.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the locking element is configured to engage at least a portion of the switch to prevent movement of the switch to the first position.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking element is movable away from engagement with the switch to enable actuation of the switch from the second position to the first position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking element is configured to visually indicate a locked position thereof relative to the switch.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch in the first position causes the switch to engage a wireless module of the electronic device to enable the wireless communication.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is depressible from the second position to the first position, and wherein the locking element when physically engaged with the switch prevents the switch from being depressed from the second position to the first position.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a switch actuatable between a first position and a second position, the switch in the first position providing a first state in which wireless communication of an electronic device is enabled, and the switch in the second position providing a second state in which the wireless communication of the electronic device is disabled; and

a locking element moveable between locking element positions to engage the switch to lock the switch in the second position corresponding to the second state.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the locking element includes a body and an extension; and

the switch includes a body and an extension, the extension of the locking element having a complementary shape to the extension of the switch.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the locking element is to engage the switch to prevent inadvertent changing of the switch from the second position to the first position.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the locking element is to physically contact the switch to prevent the switch from moving.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the locking element is biased against the switch to lock the switch in the second position.

28. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a wireless module to perform the wireless communication, wherein the switch in the first position causes the switch to engage the wireless module to enable the wireless communication, and wherein the switch in the second position causes the switch to be disengaged from the wireless module to disable the wireless communication.

29. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the switch is depressible from the second position to the first position, and wherein the locking element when physically engaged with the switch prevents the switch from being depressed from the second position to the first position.

14. A method for manufacturing a wireless enable/disable locking system, comprising:

providing a switch actuatable between a first position and a second position, the switch in the first position to enable a wireless communication of an electronic device, and the switch in the second position to disable the wireless communication of the electronic device; and

providing a locking element configured to physically cooperate with the switch, the locking element moveable between locking element positions to lock the switch in the second position to disable the wireless communication of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the locking element comprises providing a biased locking mechanism.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the locking element to be in biased engagement with the switch.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring a forwardly-facing portion of the locking element to engage a rearwardly-facing portion of the switch.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring at least a portion of the locking element to engage at least a portion of the switch to prevent movement of the switch from the second position to the first position.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the locking element to be movable away from biased engagement with the switch to enable actuation of the switch from the second position to the first position.

30. The method of claim 14, wherein the switch in the first position causes the switch to engage a wireless module of the electronic device to enable the wireless communication, and wherein the switch in the second position causes the switch to disengage from the wireless module to disable the wireless communication.

20. A wireless enable/disable locking system, comprising:

a switch actuatable to a first position that enables a wireless communication capability of an electronic device and actuatable to a second position that disables the wireless communication capability of the electronic device; and

a locking element moveable between locking element positions to lock the switch to prevent the switch from moving from the second position to the first position.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the locking element is configured to be biased against the switch.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a physically actuatable switch that moves between a first position to enable wireless communication of the electronic device and a second position to disable the wireless communication of the electronic device; and

a locking element disposed adjacent the switch and moveable into a locked position relative to the switch to prevent actuation of the switch.

23. A wireless enable/disable locking system, comprising:

a switch actuatable to a first position to enable wireless communication of an electronic device and to a second position to disable the wireless communication of the electronic device; and

a locking element moveable between locking element positions to lock the switch and to prevent the switch from being moved from the second position to the first position, to maintain the wireless communication disabled.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the locking element is slidably coupled to a housing of the electronic device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the locking element is engageable with a housing of the electronic device.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the switch in the first position causes the switch to engage a wireless module of the electronic device to enable the wireless communication, and wherein the switch in the second position causes the switch to be disengaged from the wireless module to disable the wireless communication.