Loading patent…
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsChristopher Marshall, Marc Champsaur, Igor Harlashkin, Andrew Rimmington, Pascal Walbrou
Estimating the term…
A security system for consumer equipment has a lock for preventing use of the equipment, and broadcasts a beacon signal indicating stolen status, if the lock does not receive a valid key signal over a wireless link. The beacon signal can help police identify stolen goods, and makes mere possession of stolen goods more risky and so deters theft. The lock serves to make the equipment useless or very expensive to make useful, once stolen. Little or no change of behaviour by users is needed. The beacon can be passive, in snooze state to save power, with periodic listening for an interrogating (police) radio, which causes it to wake up and transmit. The system can securely store, and optionally broadcast, a secure identifier which is traceable to an owner of the equipment, to aid recovery and conviction. Tamper resisting measures can be included.
A security system (40) for consumer equipment (60), the system having:
The security system of any preceding claim, having a tamper detector (360, 550) for detecting tampering with the system, and for preventing use of the equipment if tampering is detected.
The security system of any preceding claim, having an internal battery power supply (500) for the wireless transmitter.
The security system of any preceding claim, arranged to transmit the beacon signal intermittently.
The security system of any preceding claim, the lock being arranged to check for a valid secure key when the equipment is switched on.
The security equipment of any preceding claim, being arranged to check for a valid secure key periodically.
The security equipment of any preceding claim, the wireless transmitter comprising an RF tag.
The security equipment of any preceding claim, the wireless transmitter being arranged to send an SMS message.
The security equipment of any preceding claim, having a theft detector (450) for triggering the broadcasting of the beacon signal.
The security equipment of any preceding claim, having a warning for indicating that the equipment is protected by a beacon signal transmitter or that tampering will result in disabling of the equipment.
A security system (40) for consumer equipment (60), the system having:
A security system (40) for consumer equipment (60), the system having:
Consumer equipment (60) having an equipment controller (475), and having the security system of any preceding claim, the controller being arranged to cooperate with the lock of the security system and to operate depending on the lock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.