Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-10
2001-09-25
Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S568100, C340S686100, C340S687000, C704S273000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06294995
ABSTRACT:
A software method for causing the speaker of a portable computer to emit an audible alarm when the authorized user has set the alarm and some unauthorized person attempts to move or steal the portable computer and, in so doing, closes the cover of the portable computer.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods of preventing theft of portable computers. While no method or device can prevent all thefts, the present invention, because it is a software method of preventing a particular kind of common theft of personal computers, substantially increases the number of owners of portable computers who can enjoy a greater measure of protection from thefts.
Many thefts of small, valuable devices such as portable computers occur when a dishonest person seizes an opportunity. There is no master plan, no forethought. The thief sees an unguarded item, picks it up, tucks it under a coat or into a shopping bag, and disappears with it. Thieves of this sort depend on acting without being detected. The present invention, by causing an alarm to sound, will convince most thieves to bolt and run, leaving behind the portable computer.
Portable computers, as opposed to desktop computers, provide benefits to their users and owners in direct proportion to their small size. Technology has expanded to allow small laptops and notebooks and even smaller palm-sized or hand-held portable computers. The benefits of small size allow portable computers to be carried from place to place with a minimum of effort while taking up very little room in backpacks or briefcases.
Would-be thieves have not failed to notice the small size of portable computers. A computer small enough to fit into the briefcase, backpack or pocket of its owner can be hidden just as easily in the briefcase, pocket or bag of a thief.
Theft of portable computers is widespread and especially common in libraries at colleges and universities. Opportunity for theft is created when students ignore their portable computers for short time spans while they nap, turn away from their work to talk with friends, gaze over their shoulders to look out windows as they think or daydream, and drop pens or papers and bend down to retrieve them. Any place students spend time between classes studying, working on their portable computers, and talking with friends—for example, campus unions or nearby coffee houses—presents similar opportunities for theft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently available anti-theft devices range from physical devices such as chains and locks to motion detectors and remotely-triggered alarms as well as internal circuitry which causes an alarm to sound when the portable computer is moved. Others rely entirely on additional internal circuitry to cause an alarm to sound when the cover is closed on the portable computer.
Current anti-theft devices include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,271 to Andrews (1998)—a two-part motion detector, with one part internal and one part external; U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,690 to French (1998)—an internal motion detector; U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,762 to Ichimura (1997)—a “docking station” attached to a work surface into which the portable computer can be inserted and literally locked-down. U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,515 to Ha (1997) teaches a hardware means of causing an alarm to sound.
All of these devices are physical, hardware devices requiring either that the device be installed inside the computer case during manufacture or that the device be attached externally. The former method limits the protection to those who buy from particular manufacturers. The latter might prevent theft but also prevents the authorized user from carrying the computer from place to place. Since ease of transport and the ability to use the personal computer in many locations are among the primary reasons for owning a portable computer, anything that prevents the authorized user from transporting the portable computer decreases the usefulness of the portable computer.
A drawback of current internally installed anti-theft devices to manufacturers of portable computers is the extra expense of buying or making the hardware, and warehousing spares for repairs. Since the trend in portable computers is for them to be ever thinner and lighter, finding a place to put hardware without impeding heat-removal airflow is another drawback. A further drawback of the existing internal devices is that computers already manufactured cannot utilize the internal devices.
A major drawback of external chains and locks for portable computers is that the chains and locks must be carried along and attached at each place the portable computer is used. These devices provide no protection at all to the forgetful who leave them home or are in too much of a hurry to use them. Many such devices are not, themselves, portable since they must be screwed down or otherwise permanently fastened to some object not easily moved, such as a table.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches a software method for causing the speaker of a portable computer to emit an audible alarm whenever the authorized user has left the computer in a state with the alarm activated and speaker turned on and some unauthorized person attempts to move or steal the portable computer and, in doing so, closes the cover of the portable computer.
A thief wishes to avoid detection. In achieving this, the thief nearly always tries to conceal the object being stolen. In the case of a portable computer, concealment is enhanced by making the portable computer take up the least possible room. To minimize the size of the computer, the thief will nearly always close the cover on the computer. The invention takes advantage of the thief's closing the cover. When the thief closes that cover, the invention will cause an audible alarm thereby alerting the owner and bringing attention to the act of the thief. Most thieves will leave the computer alone and flee. The authorized user will be notified of the attempt to steal the computer. The theft should be prevented.
One of the advantages of the present invention is that it provides wider availability of protection against theft than do hardware-based alarms by permitting any portable computer user to install the software which is the disclosed invention. This will give a greater measure of anti-theft protection to those authorized users whose portable computers were not built with special, and relatively expensive, internal an circuitry.
Another advantage of the present invention is that an authorized user may select either to allow the speaker to emit an alarm at the maximum volume the speaker is capable of or to emit an alarm at a volume selected by the authorized user.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it permits an authorized user to select a password, a hot-key sequence, or both, whereby said authorized user may deactivate or activate the alarm feature.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides this wider level of protection whether a given portable computer employs an interrupt to initiate an instruction segment whenever the cover of said portable computer is foldably closed against the main body of said portable computer or if said portable computer must rely on a polling scheme for the same purpose.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that software is quite inexpensive to install. Changing the hardware internals can be quite expensive requiring various circuitry plus some quantity of labor to implement the circuitry. Installing new hardware can take substantial time. The present invention can be installed by the authorized user in a few minutes.
Yet another advantage is that the present invention, unlike the locks and chain used in some methods of preventing theft, will continue to permit the authorized user to transport said portable computer which is a major advantage and the reason for having portable computers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4686514 (1987-08-01), Liptak, Jr. et al.
patent: 4812841 (1989-03-01), Chen
patent: 4899368 (1990-02-01), Krohn et al.
patent: 5034723 (
Lee Benjamin C.
McGuireWoods LLP
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