1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an alarm device and, more particularly, to a portable electronic device with an alarm device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the size of the portable electronic device, such as a notebook (NB), an ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), a personal digital assistant (PDA) and other mobile phones which can surf the internet is small and light, it is easily stolen.
In order to prevent a portable electronic device from being stolen when it is exhibited or for sale, the portable electronic device is usually matched with a thin steel cable, and the thin steel cable is locked to a fixed object, such as a table's leg, to limit the portable area of the portable electronic device and prevent it from being stolen. Furthermore, an alarm with a buzzer and a battery is connected to the electronic device. When the alarm is at an alarm mode, if a vibration or a shaking is detected, or the thin steel cable is cut, the buzzer is generated, which ensures the devices secured.
However, if a lockset is used to limit a portable area of the electronic device, it needs complicated lock and unlock operations to set or disable the security system, which is rather inconvenient in use.
An alarm device applied to a portable electronic device is provided in this disclosure. The alarm device includes a detection unit and a connecting unit. The detection unit includes a first data transfer pin, the first data transfer pin is preset to a first electric potential. The portable electronic device is electrically connected to detection unit via the connecting unit. When the portable electronic device is electrically connected to the detection unit via the connecting unit, the first data transfer pin is electrically connected to a second electric potential via the connecting unit, and the detection unit is set in a detection mode. In the detection mode, when electric potential of the first data transfer pin is switched from the second electric potential to the first electric potential, the detection unit issues an alarm.
As stated above, the connecting unit of the alarm device is specifically configured that the electric potential of the data transfer pin of the connecting port of the detection unit is different when the connecting port is disconnected or connected to the portable electronic device. Thus, the detection unit determines whether the portable electronic device is removed by detecting the electric potential of the data transfer pin. Since the connecting unit can be connected to the portable electronic device via a connecting port or an additional contact switch, the portability of the portable electronic device is thus improved. When the portable electronic device is exhibited, a high portability brings customers better using experiences.
Additionally, when the alarm device is set in an alarm mode, the alarm continues even the disconnected portable electronic device is connected again. A remote control unit or a key of the detection unit is required to turn off the alarm, and the alarm device is set in the detection mode again. This security process avoids thieves disconnecting and connecting the portable electronic device quickly and stealing it in a very short time.
In the alarm device, a control interface (such as a power key, an alarm sound rotary knob) of the detection unit or a remote control unit can be used to enable, set or disable the alarm function. No complicated locking and unlocking operations are required to set the alarm system. The detection unit can also charge to the portable electronic device to ensure the power supply for the portable electronic device. Furthermore, in order to avoid a power cut and the alarm system is failed; the detection unit further includes a battery module to maintain sufficient power for the operation of the alarm device.
An alarm device is illustrated with embodiments to make illustration clear. Additionally, the same symbols denote the same components.
The alarm device 100 includes a detection unit 110 and a connecting unit 120. The detection unit 110 includes at least one data transfer pin. When the detection unit 110 is not connected to the portable electronic device 10, the electric potential of the data transfer pin of the detection unit 110 is set as a first electric potential (for example, a high electric potential).
The portable electronic device 10 is electrically connected to the detection unit 110 via the connecting unit 120, and the connecting unit 120 is similar with a connecting wire whose length can be changed (as shown in
Additionally, the detection unit 110 further includes a control interface CI. The control interface provides a control function interface for setting the alarm device 100. The user operates the alarm device 100 via the control interface CI, such as enabling an alarm function or adjusting an alarm volume, which is not limited herein.
In the embodiment, when the detection unit 110 is electrically connected to the portable electronic device 10 via the connecting unit 120, the data transfer pin of the detection unit 110 is electrically connected to a grounding terminal of the portable electronic device 10 through configuring the inner circuit of the connecting unit 120 (which is further illustrated hereinafter). Then, the electric potential of the data transfer pin of the detection unit 110 is switched from the first electric potential to the second electric potential (such as a low electric potential or a grounding electric potential). When the detection unit 110 determines the electric potential of the data transfer pin is switched from the first electric potential to the second electric potential, the detection unit 110 is set in a detection mode to detect whether the portable electronic device 10 is disconnected, and determines whether to issue an alarm.
In detail, when the detection unit 110 is in the detection mode, the data transfer pin of the detection unit 110 is connected to the grounding terminal GND of the portable electronic device 10 via the connecting unit 120. Regardless of that the detection unit 110 is disconnected to the connecting unit 120 or the connecting unit 120 is disconnected to the portable electronic device 10, the electric potential of the data transfer pin would be switched from the second electric potential to the first electric potential. Thus, the detection unit 110 can determine whether the portable electronic device 10 is disconnected via determining whether the electric potential of data transfer pin is switched from the second electric potential to the first electric potential. When the detection unit 110 determines the portable electronic device 10 is disconnected, it issues an alarm, such as a sound or a combination of sound and light, so as to configure a security system.
In the embodiment, the connecting unit 120 can be connected to the portable electronic device 10 via a connecting port or an additional contact switch attached to the portable electronic device 10, which does not limit portable area of the portable electronic device 10 while exhibited, and the high portability brings customers better using experiences.
In the alarm device 100, the control interface CI (such as a power key or an alarm sound rotary knob) of the detection unit 110 can be operated to enable, set or disable the alarm function, and no complicated locking and unlocking operations are required.
Additionally, in the embodiment, the alarm device 100 can selectively include a signal receiving unit 130 and a remote control unit 140. The signal receiving unit 130 may be an infrared receiver, a radio frequency transceiver module or a drive-by-wire switch, which is not limited herein. The remote control unit 140 can be controlled to transmit a control signal (such as an infrared signal, a radio frequency signal and other wireless signals, or a wired signal triggered by pressing a drive-by-wire switch). When the signal receiving unit 130 receives a remote control signal from the remote control unit 140, the received remote control signal is transmitted to the detection unit 110, so as to enable, disable the alarm, or adjust the alarm volume, which is not limited herein.
Please refer to
The power supply circuit 112 includes a battery module BM, and it also can receive an external alternating current power ACP. The external alternating current power ACP can be converted to the operation power for each circuit. When the external alternating current power ACP is cut, the battery module BM of the power supply circuit 112 provides power to the detection unit 110. The alarm circuit 114 is coupled to the power supply circuit 112. The alarm circuit 114 may be a buzzer circuit or other circuits which can make a sound or give out a light. The control circuit 160 is coupled to the connecting port TP, the power supply circuit 112 and the alarm circuit 114. The control circuit 116 presets the electric potential of the data transfer pin P_D− or P_D+ of the connecting port TP to the first electric potential (such as a high electric potential 5V of a USB port). Then, the control unit 160 determines whether the portable electronic device 10 is disconnected by detecting an electric potential change of the data transfer pin, and it further controls the alarm circuit 114 to issue an alarm accordingly.
In the detection mode, when the alarm circuit 114 issues an alarm, the alarm must be turned off by the remote control unit or setting the detection unit 110. Thus, if the portable electronic device 10 is electrically connected to the detection unit 110 again via the connecting unit 120, and the electric potential of the data transfer pin P_D− or P_D+ is switched from the first electric potential to the second electric potential, the alarm continues, thus to avoid that a thief operates to disable the alarm, for example, the thief makes the portable electronic device connected to the connecting unit again, or replace the portable electronic device by other products.
For example, when the control circuit 116 presets the electric potential of the data transfer pin to the high electric potential (such as 5V) and the control circuit 116 detects the electric potential of the data transfer pin P_D− is switched from the high electric potential to the grounding electric potential, the control circuit 116 determines the portable electronic device 10 is electrically connected to the detection unit 110 via the connecting unit 120, and is set in a detection mode. In the detection mode, the control circuit 116 continuously detects whether the electric potential of the data transfer pin P_D− changes. If the control circuit 116 detects the electric potential of the data transfer pin P_D− is switched from the grounding electric potential to the high electric potential, it indicates the portable electronic device 10 may be disconnected from the connecting unit 120. The control circuit 16 immediately controls the alarm circuit 114 to issue an alarm.
Additionally, in an embodiment, the alarm can be controlled by the detection unit 110 and generated by the portable electronic device 10 itself. In the embodiment, the alarm issued by the portable electronic device 10 also needs to be turned off via the detection unit 110, and it cannot be turned off by the portable electronic device 10 itself, however, in an embodiment, the alarm can be turned off by the portable electronic device 10, which is not limited herein.
In another embodiment, the detection unit 110 can further adapted with an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) via the switch of the power source of the power supply circuit 112, so as to avoid that the alarm device 100 is disabled when the power cut. In detail, in the embodiment, the power supply circuit 112 determines whether it receives the external alternating current power ACP. When the power supply circuit 112 receives the external alternating current power ACP, the power supply circuit 112 takes the external alternating current power ACP as the power source. On the contrary, when the power supply circuit 112 does not receive the external alternating current power ACP, the power supply circuit 112 switches to the battery module BM as the main power source, and maintains the normal operation of the alarm device 100.
Additionally, in the embodiment, the low voltage detection circuit 118 detects whether a voltage of the battery module is lower than a critical value (defined by the user), and controls the alarm circuit 114 to issue an alarm indicating that the power of the battery module BM is low. The volume adjusting circuit 119 adjusts an alarm volume of the alarm circuit 114. The volume adjusting circuit 119 provides a control interface, such as a rotary knob, and the user can control the volume adjusting circuit 119 to adjust the volume of the alarm circuit 114 via the control interface. The low voltage detection circuit 118 and the volume adjusting circuit 119 can be selectively disposed in the detection unit 110, which is not limited herein.
Please refer to
When the connecting ports which have same transmission interfaces are used to connect the detection unit 310 and the connecting unit 320, the transmission interfaces of each group of the connecting ports may be the same or different, which is not limited herein. In practice, as long as the transmission interfaces of the connecting ports between the detection unit 310 and the connecting unit 320 are the same, and the transmission interfaces of the connecting ports (such as TP1 and TP2) between the connecting unit 320 and the portable electronic device 30 are the same, the alarm device can normally be operated. he connecting ports can be universal serial bus (USB) ports, which is not limited herein, such as the connecting ports between the detection unit 310 and the connecting unit 320, the connecting ports TP1 and TP2.
The connecting ports TP1 and TP2 can be connected via the casing CA1 and CA2. Referring to
In the embodiment, the casing CA1 connecting the connecting ports TP1 and TP2 includes an opening OP, and a grounding pin P_GND of the connecting port TP1 and the casing CA1 are electrically independent (which means the grounding pin P_GND of the connecting port TP1 is not connected to the ground). In other words, when the portable electronic device 30 is not connected to the connecting unit 320, the casing CA1 of the connecting unit 320 is at a floating state, and the floating state is a state without reference electric potential. When the portable electronic device 30 is connected to the connecting unit 320, the grounding pin P_GND of the connecting port TP1 is connected to the ground via the casing CA2. The casing CA1 is preset to be at the floating state by forming an opening at the casing, which is not limited herein.
The contact switch 322 is connected between the data transfer pin P_D− of the detection unit 310 and the casing CA1 in series, and the contact switch 322 may be a metal dome sheet, which is not limited herein. When the contact switch 322 is conducted, the casing CA1 contacts the casing CA2, the grounding pin P_GND of the connecting port TP2 and the data transfer pin P_D− of the detection unit 320 are short-circuited and are at the same electric potential. On the contrary, when the contact switch 322 is cut-off, the electric potential of the casing CA1 is at the preset floating state.
The power pins P_VBUS of the connecting port TP1 and the detection unit 310 are electrically connected with each other to provide a power transmission path, which makes the power of the detection unit 310 provided to the portable electronic device 30 via the power transmission path.
The light emitting module 324 is electrically connected to the power pin P_VBUS of the connecting port TP1. When the connecting unit 320 is connected to the detection unit 310 and the portable electronic device 30 via the connecting ports TP1 and TP2, the light emitting module 324 is conducted and emits light to indicate that the alarm device is in the detection mode. The light emitting module 324 may include a light emitting diode and resistors, which is not limited herein.
The data transfer pins P_D− and P_D+ of the first connecting port TP1 are short-circuited in the embodiment. When the portable electronic device 30 is connected to the connecting unit 320, the portable electronic device 30 is set in a quick charging mode in response to the short-circuited data transfer pins P_D− and P_D+, so as to increase the charging efficiency of the detection unit 310.
Please refer to
On the other hand, referring to
Referring to
In the detection mode (as shown in
Referring to
In detail, the connecting unit 520 can be applied to a tablet mobile phone, which is a portable electronic device 50 including a mobile phone and a tablet computer. Referring to
In the detection mode (as shown in
Referring to
In detail, the connecting unit 720 can be applied to a notebook computer or a transformer tablet computer (whose base can be detached from a touch screen). Referring to
In the detection mode (as shown in
As stated above, the connecting unit of the alarm device is specifically configured, and the electric potential of the data transfer pin of the connecting port of the detection unit is different when the connecting port is disconnected or connected to the portable electronic device. Thus, the detection unit determines whether the portable electronic device is disconnected via detecting the electric potential of the data transfer pin. Since the connecting unit can be connected to the portable electronic device via a connecting port or an additional contact switch, a portable area of the portable electronic device is thus no limited. When the portable electronic device is under exhibited, a high portability brings customers better using experiences. Moreover, in the alarm device, a control interface (such as a power key, an alarm sound rotary knob) of the detection unit or a remote control unit can be used to enable, set or disable the alarm function. No complicated locking and unlocking are required to set the alarm system in the present disclosure.
Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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103118443 A | May 2014 | TW | national |
This application claims the priority benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/843,052, filed on Jul. 5, 2013 and Taiwan application serial no. 103118443, filed on May 27, 2014. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
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