# US 11,442,116 B2 · Detection circuit and method of detecting illegal removal thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,442,116 B2 - Document ID: US11442116B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/135,966 - Filed: 2020-12-28 - Published: 2022-05-19 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-13 - Assignees: Wiwynn Corporation - Applicants: Wiwynn Corporation - Inventors: Yu Shu Kao; Hsuan-Chih Kao; Yueh-Chi Lee; Yun-Chih Tsai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442116B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/66: Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints (testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55) - G01R 31/68: Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A detection circuit, including a first connecting terminal, an SPI bus, and a security component, is provided. The first connecting terminal is configured to be detachably connected to the main board. The security component is coupled to the first connecting terminal and the SPI bus. The security component forms a first loop with the main board, and is configured to detect a loop state of the first loop. The security component locks the SPI bus when the first loop is being detected by the security component to be disconnected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A detection circuit, comprising: a first connecting terminal, detachably coupled to a main board; a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus, coupled to the first connecting terminal; a security component, coupled to the SPI bus, forming a first loop with the main board, and configured to detect a loop state of the first loop, wherein the SPI bus is locked when the security component detects that the first loop is disconnected; and an unlocking terminal, configured to be detachably connected to an unlocking component to form a second loop, wherein the SPI bus is conducted when the security component detects that the second loop is conductive. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the security component determines whether the first loop is conductive or disconnected according to a first voltage when the first connecting terminal is electrically connected to the main board to form the first loop. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The detection circuit according to claim 2, wherein the security component further comprises: a latch unit, coupled to the SPI bus, wherein the first loop is disconnected, and the latch unit is triggered to switch from a high level to a low level to lock the SPI bus when the security component detects that the first voltage is a reference voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The detection circuit according to claim 3, wherein the latch unit is triggered to conduct the SPI bus when the security component detects that the second loop is conductive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The detection circuit according to claim 4, wherein the security component detects a second voltage of the unlocking terminal to trigger the latch unit to switch from the low level to the high level to unlock the SPI bus when the unlocking terminal is electrically connected to the unlocking component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The detection circuit according to claim 4, further comprising: a second connecting terminal, detachably coupled to the unlocking component to form a third loop, wherein the security component determines whether a loop state of the third loop is conductive or disconnected according to a second voltage when the second connecting terminal is electrically connected to the unlocking component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The detection circuit according to claim 6, wherein the SPI bus remains unlocked when the first connecting terminal is disconnected from the main board and the loop state of the third loop is conductive. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The detection circuit according to claim 6, wherein the security component locks the SPI bus when the second connecting terminal is disconnected from the unlocking component. ### Claim 9 An electronic system, comprising: a main board; and a detection circuit, further comprising: a first connecting terminal, detachably coupled to the main board; a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus, coupled to the first connecting terminal; a security component, coupled to the SPI bus, forming a first loop with the main board, and configured to detect a loop state of the first loop, wherein the SPI bus is locked when the security component detects that the first loop is disconnected; and an unlocking terminal, configured to be detachably connected to an unlocking component to form a second loop, wherein the SPI bus is conducted when the security component detects that the second loop is conductive. ### Claim 10 A method of detecting an illegal removal, which is applicable to a detection circuit having a first connecting terminal, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus, and a security component, wherein the first connecting terminal is configured to detachably connect to a main board, wherein the SPI bus is coupled to the first connecting terminal and the security component, the method comprising: detecting a loop state of a first loop formed by the first connecting terminal and the main board, wherein the SPI bus is locked when the first loop is detected to be disconnected; and conducting the SPI bus when the security component detects that a second loop is conductive, wherein the detection circuit further comprises an unlocking terminal that is configured to be detachably connected to an unlocking component to form the second loop. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 10, further comprising: determining whether the first loop is conductive or disconnected according to a first voltage when the first connecting terminal is electrically connected to the main board to form the first loop. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 11, wherein the security component further comprises a latch unit that is coupled to the SPI bus, the method further comprising: disconnecting the first loop and triggering the latch unit to switch from a high level to a low level to lock the SPI bus when the first voltage is detected to be a reference voltage. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 12, the method further comprising: triggering the latch unit to conduct the SPI bus when the second loop is detected to be conductive. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 13, further comprising: detecting a second voltage of the unlocking terminal to trigger the latch unit to switch from the low level to the high level to unlock the SPI bus when the unlocking terminal is electrically connected to the unlocking component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 13, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a second connecting terminal that is detachably coupled to the unlocking component to form a third loop, the method further comprising: determining whether a loop state of the third loop is conductive or disconnected according to a second voltage when the second connecting terminal is electrically connected to the unlocking component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 15, further comprising: enabling the SPI bus to remain unlocked when the first connecting terminal is disconnected from the main board and the loop state of the third loop is conductive. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of detecting the illegal removal according to claim 15, further comprising: locking the SPI bus when the second connecting terminal is disconnected from the unlocking component.