Abstract:
The disclosure provides an electronic device and a tracking method adapted for the apparatus. The device predefines a time period according to the requirement of a user and an alarm or information receiving party with which the device can communicate. If the device remains stationary during the time period, the device acquires a current location thereof and sends the location to the receiving party using another phone number, or an e-mail address. Therefore, the user associated with the receiving party can track and know the location of the device in real time.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electronic devices and, particularly, to an electronic device and a tracking method adapted for the device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    The size of electronic devices has become smaller and smaller. If the user forgets the place where the electronic device was last put aside, it may be difficult for the user to find the electronic device due to the size of the electronic device, and the device may be lost for good. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is necessary to provide an electronic device and a tracking method capable of overcoming the limitations described. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic device, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a control unit of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for tracking the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic device  1 , according to an exemplary embodiment. The electronic device  1  may be a portable device, such as a mobile phone or a PDA. The electronic device  1  includes an input unit  10 , a sensing unit  20 , a positioning unit  30 , a control unit  40 , a storage unit  50 , and a communication unit  60 . The input unit  10  generates signals in response to user inputs. The communication unit  60  communicates with other electronic devices. The storage unit  50  stores information. 
         [0010]    The positioning unit  30  updates a location of the electronic device  1  in real time. In the embodiment, the positioning unit  30  is a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. For example, when the electronic device  1  is positioned on XXX floor, XXX building, XXX road, XXX district, XXX city, the positioning unit  30  updates the location of the electronic device  1  as XXX floor, XXX building, XXX road, XXX district, XXX city. 
         [0011]    The sensing unit  20  senses any movement of the electronic device  1  in real time and generate a signal when the electronic device  1  moves. Because the user carries the electronic device  1  according to habit, the motion of the electronic device  1  indirectly represents the movements of the user. When the motion of the electronic device  1  is not consistent with the movements of the user, it is regarded as the user leaving the electronic device  1  behind, due to forgetting to pick up the electronic device  1 , or losing the electronic device, etc. In the embodiment, the sensing unit  20  is a G-sensor. 
         [0012]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the control unit  40  further includes a motion evaluating module  420 , a location acquiring module  430 , an editing module  440 , and a sending control module  450 . The motion evaluating module  420  determines whether the sensing unit  20  generates a signal within a preset time period. When the sensing unit  20  has generated a signal within the preset time period, that means that a user of the electronic device  1  is carrying the electronic device  1  in the preset time period, and when the sensing unit  20  does not generate a signal within the preset time period, that means that the user may have lost the electronic device  1  or left it in a previous location. 
         [0013]    The location acquiring module  430  acquires a current location of the electronic device  1  from the positioning unit  30  when the sensing unit  20  does not generate a signal within the preset time period. 
         [0014]    The editing module  440  edits and issues an alarm containing the location of the electronic device  1  from the location acquiring module  430 . For example, the alarm may contain “this is an assistant of the electronic device, and the electronic device is now positioned on XXX floor, XXX building, XXX road, XXX district, XXX city”. The editing module  440  may insert actual and factual pieces of information in place of the letters “XXX” which, in the alarm, represent general or particular locations. The sending control module  450  controls the communication unit  60  to send the edited alarm to a preset receiving party in a predetermined sending manner. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, the control unit  40  includes a defining module  410 , the electronic device  1  includes a function interface, and the defining module  410  defines the length of the preset time period and the preset receiving party on the function interface in response to user inputs from the input unit  10 . The preset time period is defined by the user using the electronic device  1 , for example, the preset time period may be set as two hours. The preset receiving party is relative to the user of the electronic device  1 . For example, the preset receiving party may be a phone number of the user, or another phone number of the user, or an email address of the user. The storage unit  20  stores the preset time period and the preset receiving party. 
         [0016]    Furthermore, if the preset receiving party is a phone number, the sending control module  450  sends a text message via SMS containing the alarm to the phone number, and if the preset receiving party is an email address, the sending control module  450  sends an email containing the alarm to the email address. 
         [0017]    Further, the electronic device includes a timer  70 . The timer  70  begins timing after any signal generated by the sensing unit  20  and the timing is continued for as long as another sensed signal is not generated. The motion evaluating module  420  controls the timer  70  to start measuring time and determines whether the sensing unit  20  generates any further signal within the preset time period. 
         [0018]    Furthermore, the electronic device  1  defines a deep sleeping mode, when the electronic device  1  enters the deep sleeping mode in which the electronic device  1  can consume a minimal amount of power while still communicating with other devices. The control unit  40  further includes a mode control module  460  to control the electronic device  1  to enter the deep sleeping mode as the sending control module  450  sends an alarm to the preset receiving party. 
         [0019]    Therefore, the preset time period may be defined in the electronic device  1  according to the habits of a user. When the electronic device  1  is not moved during the preset time period, the electronic device  1  acquires a current location thereof and sends the location to the receiving party, which may be a phone number, or an e-mail address. Therefore, the user can track and know the location of the electronic device  1  in real time by a text message (SMS message) or by email. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for tracking the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to one exemplary embodiment. 
         [0021]    In step S 310 , the defining module  410  defines the preset time period and the preset receiving party on the function interface in response to user inputs. 
         [0022]    In step S 320 , the sensing unit  20  senses a movement of the electronic device  1  in real time and generates a signal when the electronic device  1  moves. 
         [0023]    In step S 330 , the motion evaluating module  420  determines whether the sensing unit  20  has generated a signal within the preset time period. If the sensing unit  20  does generate a signal within the preset time period, the procedure returns to step S 320 . 
         [0024]    In step S 340 , if the sensing unit  20  does not generate any signal within the preset time period, the location acquiring module  430  acquires a current location of the electronic device  1  from the positioning unit  30 . 
         [0025]    In step S 350 , the editing module  440  edits and issues an alarm containing the current location of the electronic device  1  from the location acquiring module  430 . 
         [0026]    In step S 360 , the sending control module  450  controls the communication unit  60  to send the alarm to the preset receiving party in a predetermined sending manner. 
         [0027]    In step S 370 , the mode control module  460  controls the electronic device  1  to enter the deep sleeping mode whenever the sending control module  450  sends an alarm to the preset receiving party. 
         [0028]    Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.