Use of NFC in conjunction with other range-based sensors to detect theft of other devices

• US 9,171,433 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kliegman, Jonathan, Esfahbod, Behdad
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knox, Kaleria
• Application Number:
  US13/174,491
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/456, 455/413, 340/5.62, 340/568.1, 340/539.32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0216 Alarm cancellation after generation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring devices using near field communications (NFC) techniques is disclosed. A plurality of host devices each incorporates a NFC device. An audio or visual alert device is incorporated into each host device and is coupled to its associated NFC device. A detector has a detector NFC device. A monitor is incorporated in the detector and is coupled to the detector NFC device. An alert activator in each host device is coupled to the associated NFC device and associated alert device and activates the associated alert device when one of the host NFC devices moves out of communication range with another host NFC device. A monitor activator in the detector device coupled to the detector NFC device and the monitor activates the monitor when the one NFC device moves out of communication range with the other NFC device.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring devices using near field communications (NFC) techniques, comprising:

a plurality of host devices each incorporating an NFC device;

an audio or visual alert device incorporated into each host device and operatively coupled to the associated NFC device;

a detector device incorporating a detector NFC device;

a monitor incorporated in the detector device and operatively coupled to the detector NFC device;

an alert activator in each host device coupled to the associated NFC device and associated alert device that activates the associated alert device when at least one of the NFC devices in a host device moves out of communication range with at least one other NFC device in its associated host device or the detector NFC device in its associated detector device;

a monitor activator in the detector device coupled to the detector NFC device and the monitor that activates the monitor when the at least one NFC device moves out of communication range with the at least one other NFC device or the detector NFC device;

a home location device separate from the NFC devices incorporated in the host devices and the detector NFC device; and

a disabler incorporated into each host device and operatively coupled to the associated NFC device that disables the associated NFC device when the associated NFC device is in communication with the home location device.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the home location device is an NFC device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an unlock code activator in each host device coupled to the NFC device in the associated host device that is configured to activate an unlock code in a given host device when that host device and its associated NFC device is moved out of communication range with at least one other NFC device in an associated host device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the unlock code activator is configured to activate the unlock code prior to the expiration of a predetermined period of time after the host device and its associated NFC device has moved out of communication range of the at least one other host device and its associated NFC device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert activator activates the associated alert only upon the expiration of a predetermined period of time after the at least one NFC device moves out of communication with the at least one other NFC device.

6. A monitoring device using near field communications (NFC) techniques, comprising:

a detector device;

a detector NFC device incorporated in the detector device;

a monitor incorporated in the detector device and operatively coupled to the detector NFC device;

an activator in the detector device that activates the monitor when the detector NFC device fails to receive a communication signal from another NFC device with which it has been in continuous communication, wherein the activator in the detector device is configured to suspend activating the monitor when the detector NFC device receives a signal indicating that the another NFC device has been disabled such that the NFC device may safely move out of communication range of the detector NFC device;

a disabler operatively coupled to the activator that disables the activator when the detector device is in communication with a home location device; and

an alarm generator that generates an alarm signal when the activator activates the monitor.

7. The monitoring device of claim 6, wherein the activator further comprises:

a monitor activator that activates the monitor when the detector NFC device fails to receive a communication signal from the another NFC device for a predetermined period of time.

8. A method of monitoring devices using near field communications (NFC) techniques, comprising:

placing a plurality of host devices each incorporating an NFC device in close proximity to each other;

establishing a communication link from one NFC device to another;

monitoring the communication link for each NFC device;

detecting when at least one NFC device moves out of communication range of at least one other NFC devices;

triggering an alert when the at least one NFC device has moved out of communication range of the at least one other NFC devices for a predetermined period of time; and

stopping the detecting when each NFC device is in communication with a home location device.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the home location device is an NFC device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

activating an unlock code in the at least one NFC device to disable the triggering of the alert.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

activating the unlock code prior to the expiration of the predetermined period of time.

12. A system for monitoring devices using near field communications (NFC) techniques, comprising:

a host device incorporating a host NFC device;

an audio or visual alert device incorporated into the host device and operatively coupled to the host NFC device;

a detector device incorporating a detector NFC device;

a monitor incorporated in the detector device and operatively coupled to the detector NFC device;

an alert activator in the host device coupled to the host NFC device and alert device that activates the alert device when the host NFC device moves out of communication range with the detector NFC device;

a monitor activator in the detector device coupled to the detector NFC device and the monitor that activates the monitor when the host NFC device moves out of communication range with the detector NFC device, wherein the monitor activator in the detector device is configured to suspend activating the monitor when the detector NFC device receives a signal indicating that the host NFC device has been disabled such that the host device may safely move out of communication range of the detector device; and

a home location device separate from the host NFC device and the detector NFC device; and

a disabler incorporated into the host device and operatively coupled to the host NFC device that disables the host NFC device when the host NFC device is in communication with the home location device.

13. The system of claim 12,

wherein the home location device is an NFC device.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

an unlock code activator in the host device coupled to the host NFC device that is configured to activate an unlock code in the host device when the host device and the host NFC device is moved out of communication range with the detector NFC device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the unlock code activator is configured to activate the unlock code prior to the expiration of a predetermined period of time after the host NFC device has moved out of communication range with the detector NFC device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the alert activator activates the alert only upon the expiration of a predetermined period of time after the host NFC device moves out of communication with the detector NFC device.