JP2003162774A - Anti-theft system and portable electronic device having the anti-theft system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly reliable theft prevention system capable of preventing an alarm from being erroneously generated even if an owner moves to a place where theft prevention target equipment can not receive a radio wave signal. <P>SOLUTION: An owner side device has a transmitter that always transmits a prescribed radio wave signal. Meanwhile, an equipment side device has a receiver for receiving the prescribed radio wave signal from the owner side device, a temperature sensor and a body temperature detector for detecting a body temperature when a person touches the equipment, a theft signal generator for generating a theft signal if the receiver does not receive the radio wave signal and the body temperature detects a body temperature, and an alarm generator for generating an alarm on the basis of the theft signal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an anti-theft system for preventing the theft of portable electronic equipment and the like, and the theft of data stored inside the electronic equipment, and a portable anti-theft system provided with the anti-theft system. Regarding electronic devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an antitheft system for electronic equipment, there is known an antitheft system which is composed of a set of transmitter and receiver. This conventional anti-theft system will be described with reference to the block diagram of the conventional anti-theft system shown in FIG. In the conventional anti-theft system shown in FIG. 5, the owner-side device 25 carried by the owner has a transmitter 21 for transmitting a predetermined radio wave signal. And the device side device 24 attached to the anti-theft device
Has a receiver 22 that receives a radio signal transmitted from the transmitter 21, and an alarm sound generator 23 that emits an alarm sound based on the output of the receiver 22.

The warning sound generator 23, which emits a warning sound, does not generate a warning sound when the receiver 22 receives a predetermined radio signal from the transmitter 21 of the owner-side device 25, and the transmitter 21 When the receiver 22 cannot receive the radio wave signal from, a warning sound is generated.

[0004]

A method of using the above-mentioned conventional antitheft system will be described below. For example, if the device is attached to the anti-theft device such as a portable PC, if the owner has the device on the owner side and is near the anti-theft device, the device Since the receiver receives the predetermined radio wave signal from the owner-side device, no warning sound is generated. However, if the receiver of the device side device cannot receive the predetermined radio signal from the owner side device, such as when the owner forgets to carry the owner side device and moves away from the anti-theft device. Had the problem of producing an erroneous warning sound even if it was not stolen.

According to the present invention, a warning sound is generated only when a person other than the owner attempts to take away the anti-theft device, and a highly reliable anti-theft system which prevents the warning sound from being erroneously generated. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable electronic device equipped with the anti-theft system.

[0006]

An anti-theft system of the present invention is configured so that it can be isolated from an anti-theft device, and an owner-side device having a transmitter for transmitting a predetermined radio signal, And a temperature sensor attached to the anti-theft device, and a body temperature detection circuit for detecting contact or proximity of a person by an electric output detected by the temperature sensor,
A receiver for receiving a predetermined radio signal from the transmitter,
A device side device having a theft signal generating circuit that outputs a theft signal based on the output of the receiver and the output of the body temperature detection circuit and an alarm generator that issues an alarm based on the output of the theft signal generating circuit is provided. .

According to this structure, the device side device outputs the theft signal based on the output of the receiver which receives the radio wave signal from the owner side device and the output of the body temperature detection circuit, and outputs the alarm sound based on the theft signal. Emit. In other words, the receiver of the device on the device side cannot receive the radio wave signal from the device on the owner side, and is configured to generate a warning sound when the anti-theft device is touched by someone. As a result, it is possible to provide a highly reliable antitheft system that prevents false alarms.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a theft prevention system of the present invention and a portable electronic device having the theft prevention system will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<< First Embodiment >> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an antitheft system according to a first embodiment. In FIG. 1, the owner-side device 18 carried by the owner has a transmitter 13 for transmitting a predetermined radio wave signal. The device 17 installed in the anti-theft device is the temperature sensor 1
1. A body temperature detection circuit 12 that detects the presence or absence of a person touching the device based on the output detected in 1, a receiver 14 that receives the predetermined radio wave signal from the owner-side device 18, and the predetermined radio wave signal is not received. Further, it has a theft signal generating circuit 15 which outputs a theft signal when the temperature is detected, and an alarm sound generator 16 which receives the theft signal output from the theft signal generating circuit 15 and generates an alarm sound. The device-side device 17 is attached to a place where a person is expected to touch the anti-theft device.

In the anti-theft system thus constructed, the transmitter 13 of the owner-side device 18 always transmits a predetermined radio wave signal. The receiver 14 of the device-side device 17 receives a predetermined radio wave signal and outputs the received signal to the theft signal generation circuit 15. On the other hand, the body temperature detection circuit 12 is the temperature sensor 1
When the temperature input from 1 reaches the temperature that indicates body temperature,
The body temperature detection signal is output to the theft signal generation circuit 15. The theft signal generation circuit 15 outputs a theft signal when the predetermined radio signal is not received by the receiver 14 and the body temperature detection signal is input from the body temperature detection circuit 12, and the warning sound generator 16 generates a warning sound. Let Thereby, the warning sound generator 16 generates a warning sound.

When the owner is near the anti-theft device, the receiver 14 always receives a predetermined radio wave signal from the transmitter 13, so that the device side device 17 does not output the theft signal. Moreover, even if the owner separates from the anti-theft device, the theft signal is not output by itself. Since the owner has moved away from the anti-theft device, the receiver 14 cannot receive the predetermined radio wave signal from the transmitter 13, and when someone tries to take out the anti-theft device, the body temperature detection circuit 12 becomes a human error. Outputs the detected temperature. In this case, the theft signal generation circuit 15 outputs a theft signal, and the warning sound generator 16 is activated to generate a warning sound.

According to the antitheft system of the first embodiment,
A warning sound is generated when the receiver of the device side device cannot receive a predetermined radio signal from the owner side device and the device to be stolen is touched by someone. As a result, it is possible to obtain a highly reliable antitheft system that prevents erroneous generation of warning sounds. In the above explanation, an example of using a warning sound generator as a warning generation means has been explained, but for example, the words such as "Please do not take it out by yourself" or vibration with sound should be generated. The other alarm generating means can be similarly implemented.

<Embodiment 2> FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of a portable electronic device 31 having an antitheft system 33 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the portable electronic device 3
1 is a handle 32 and a handle 3 for carrying it.
2 has a device-side device 17 attached to it. A predetermined radio signal is constantly transmitted from the owner-side device 18. When the owner carries the owner-side device 18 and carries the handle 32 of the portable electronic device 31, the stolen signal is not output because the radio wave signal is received, and therefore the warning sound is generated. Does not occur. When somebody holds the handle 32 of the portable electronic device 31 and carries it and moves to a place where a predetermined radio signal from the owner-side device 18 does not reach, the reception of the device-side device 17 shown in FIG. The output from the machine 14 is not given to the theft signal generating circuit 15, and the body temperature detection circuit 12 outputs the output obtained by detecting the body temperature. Therefore, the theft signal generation circuit 15 gives the theft signal to the warning sound generator 16 to generate a warning sound, and the owner can be informed that the portable electronic device 31 is about to be stolen.

<Embodiment 3> FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a portable electronic device 41 equipped with an anti-theft system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the temperature sensor 11 of the device-side device 17 is attached to the upper and lower central portions of the housing of the box-shaped portable electronic device 41. Other equipment side device 1
The configuration of 7 is the same as that shown in FIG. A predetermined radio signal is constantly transmitted from the owner-side device 18. If the owner of the portable electronic device 41 carries the owner-side device 18 while holding the outer casing of the portable electronic device 41, a predetermined radio wave from the owner-side device 18 is transmitted. Signal is being received. Therefore, the theft signal is not output from the theft signal generation circuit 15 of the device-side device 17 of FIG. 1, and the warning sound generator 16 does not generate a warning sound. Someone carries the portable electronic device 41 and the owner-side device 1
When a predetermined radio signal from 8 does not reach, the output from the receiver 14 shown in FIG. 1 of the device side device 17 is not given to the theft signal generation circuit 15, and the body temperature detection circuit 12 outputs the body temperature. Is output. Therefore, the theft signal generation circuit 15 sends the theft signal to the warning sound generator 16
A warning sound is given to the owner to inform the owner that the portable electronic device 31 is about to be stolen.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, two temperature sensors 11 are attached to the upper and lower sides of the casing of the portable electronic device 41, but a place where a human body may touch when carrying the device. The same effect is obtained when at least one temperature sensor is attached to.

<Embodiment 4> FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a notebook type personal computer 51 equipped with an anti-theft system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In FIG. 4, two temperature sensors 11 of the device-side device 17 are attached to a place where a hand is placed when operating the keyboard 53 of the notebook computer 51 having the screen 52 and the keyboard 53. The configuration of the other device-side device 17 is the same as that shown in FIG. A predetermined radio signal is constantly transmitted from the owner-side device 18.
The owner of this notebook computer 51 is the owner device 18
If you operate the keyboard 53 while holding
Since the receiver 14 of the device-side device 17 receives the predetermined radio wave signal, the theft signal generation circuit 15 does not output the theft signal, and the alarm sound generator 16 does not generate the alarm sound. When the owner holds the owner-side device 18 away from the notebook computer 51 to a place where the radio signal does not reach, and somebody operates the keyboard 53 of the notebook computer 51, the device-side device 17 The output from the receiver 14 shown in FIG. 1 is not given to the theft signal generating circuit 15, and the body temperature detecting circuit 12 outputs the output obtained by detecting the body temperature. Therefore, the theft signal generation circuit 15 gives the theft signal to the warning sound generator 16 to generate a warning sound, and informs the owner that the data inside the notebook computer 51 is about to be stolen.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, two temperature sensors 11 of the device side device 17 are attached to the place where the hand is placed when operating the keyboard. However, a device such as a notebook computer is operated. In this case, the same effect can be obtained when the temperature sensor is attached to other places where the human body touches.

[0018]

As described in detail in the above embodiments, according to the antitheft system of the present invention, a radio wave signal is constantly transmitted from the owner's side device to a portion where a person touches the equipment for carrying or operating. A body temperature of a person is detected by attaching a temperature sensor of the device side device. When the radio signal is not received and the body temperature of the person is detected by the device side device, a theft signal is issued and a warning sound is generated.

That is, when the owner of the anti-theft device wears the transmitter of the owner-side device and is near the anti-theft device, a predetermined radio wave signal is received, so the device-side device Does not generate a warning sound. If the owner is away from the anti-theft device, the receiver of the device cannot receive the radio signal, and a person other than the owner tries to take the anti-theft device, the body temperature is detected. Therefore, a warning sound is generated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the owner from moving away from the antitheft device and to generate an erroneous warning sound when the receiver of the device side device cannot receive the radio wave signal. As described above, the advantageous effect that the erroneous generation of the warning sound can be prevented and the reliability of the warning notification can be enhanced can be obtained.

In addition to the theft of the stolen device itself, when the data inside the stolen device is about to be stolen by another person, a temperature sensor is attached to a portion touched by a person to operate the device and a warning sound is emitted. An excellent anti-theft system that can be generated can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a theft prevention system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a portable electronic device equipped with a theft prevention system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable electronic device equipped with a theft prevention system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a laptop computer equipped with an anti-theft system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional antitheft system.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Temperature sensor 12 Body temperature detection circuit 13 transmitter 14 receiver 15 Theft signal generation circuit 16 Warning sound generator 17 Equipment side device 18 Owner side device 31, 41 Portable electronic devices 32 handles 51 laptop 52 screens 53 keyboard

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An owner-side device configured to be isolated from an anti-theft device and having a transmitter for transmitting a predetermined radio wave signal, and a temperature sensor attached to the anti-theft device. A body temperature detecting circuit for detecting contact or proximity of a person by an electric output detected by the temperature sensor; a receiver for receiving a predetermined radio wave signal from the transmitter; and an output of the receiver and the body temperature detecting circuit. Antitheft system including a device side device having a theft signal generation circuit that outputs a theft signal based on the output of the above, and an alarm generator that issues an alarm based on the output of the theft signal generation circuit. 2. The antitheft system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm output by the alarm generator is a warning sound. 3. The antitheft system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm output by the alarm generator is voice. 4. The antitheft system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm output by the alarm generator is vibration. 5. A portable electronic device comprising the device-side device of the anti-theft system according to claim 1. 6. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the device-side device is attached to a grip portion for carrying the electronic device. 7. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein at least one device-side device is attached to an outer casing of a box-shaped portable electronic device. 8. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein at least one device-side device is attached to a portion touched by a user for operation.