Patent Publication Number: US-2010127856-A1

Title: Flash drive locator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention concerns the field of misplaced object location. In particular, the objects are USB flash drives, variously known as thumb drives, pen drives, pocket drives, memory sticks, etc. 
     2. Background art 
     In recent years Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) flash drives have become a common form of portable data storage. Their compact size, increasing capacity, durability, and decreasing cost make them attractive means of storing personal data. Some of the features of USB flash drives that make them attractive create a vulnerability. Their small size makes them easy to carry but also easy to lose. Their large capacity means that, if lost, a great deal of data may become unavailable or may have its security compromised. 
     A number of methods have been proposed to reduce the likelihood of loss of flash drives. For example, many commercial flash drives have points of attachment for lanyards permitting the flash drive to be worn around the neck or attached to a key chain. 
     Various security systems reduce the risk that data may be compromised. Password access is common. Other methods, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,888 and US patent applications 2006/0036872 A1 and 2003/0005337 A1, seek to disable a flash drive when used by one not authorized. These methods do not help to recover a lost device. 
     If lost, a flash drive may be located by conventional search, but this is time consuming and frequently unsuccessful. 
     U.S. patent application 2007/0271348 describes a method of locating a flash drive when the flash drive is used by another. A software agent loaded on the flash drive causes an unauthorized connected computer to send an email message including the identifying IP address to the owner of the flash drive. 
     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/156,526 filed Jun. 2, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses my invention for an object locator system. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,105 discloses an object locator system with a collection of activation units and a collection of response units, where each response unit may be adhered to an object to be located. Activation units and response units are associated in pairs with each member of the pair sharing an identifying code. The activation unit contains a radio frequency (“RF”) transmitter which communicates with an RF receiver in a response unit. In use, an operator triggers the activation unit to emit an encoded RF signal, and the associated response unit receives the signal and responds by producing a sound. The operator then tracks the sound to locate the misplaced object. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,202 discloses a bidirectional system that differs in some regards from the above, but shares its limitations. Here, the activation unit and receiver unit are substantially identical. They communicate using acoustic transceivers rather than RF, and each unit is capable of performing either the activation or the response unit function. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The below-described embodiments illustrate various adaptations of the invention. From the description of these embodiments, other aspects of the invention can be readily fashioned by making slight adjustments or modifications to the components and steps discussed below. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Where definitions conflict between this document and others in documents incorporated by reference, the definitions in this document shall control. 
     The expression disposed within as used herein with reference to a housing means that at least a portion of the component mentioned is within the housing. It includes components with a portion protruding from the housing and components attached to the housing. 
     One embodiment of the invention is a flash memory drive that includes components permitting its recovery when lost or misplaced. A second embodiment is a locator unit configured to be attached to a flash drive through the flash drive&#39;s USB port to create a flash drive-locator device assembly. When attached to a flash drive, this embodiment permits the recovery of the assembly when lost or misplaced. 
     In some embodiments, the memory locating device includes both flash memory and a locating device in a common housing. The locating device signals its presence in response to an external signal. One embodiment comprises a housing, a USB connector disposed within the housing; a flash memory drive disposed within the housing and electrically coupled to the USB connector; a signal receiver disposed within the housing and capable of generating an output in response to the external signal; a power source disposed within the housing electrically coupled to the USB connector and to the signal receiver; and an annunciator coupled to the signal receiver and capable of signaling the position in response to the output. 
     In some embodiments, the locating memory device further comprises a control disposed within the housing and a transmitter operatively connected to the control and configured to transmit a countersignal in response to user activation of the control. 
     In some embodiments, the locating memory device further comprises a display disposed within the housing, operatively coupled to the signal receiver, and configured to display a message in response to the output. 
     Other embodiments comprise a locating device that responds to an external signal and that attaches to a flash drive through the flash drive&#39;s USB connector, including a housing; a male USB connector disposed within the housing; a female USB connector disposed within the housing and electrically coupled to the male USB connector; a signal receiver disposed within the housing and capable of generating an output in response to the external signal; a power source disposed within the housing electrically coupled to the receiver; and an annunciator coupled to the signal receiver and capable of signaling the presence in response to the output. 
     In some embodiments the female USB connector mates with a standard USB male connector with greater retentive force than does the male USB connector with a standard USB female connector. 
     In some embodiments the locator device comprises a transmitter disposed within the housing, a GPS receiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the transmitter and to the signal receiver, wherein the GPS receiver is configured to receive GPS signals and to calculate the position of the locating device and to encode the position as position information in response to the output and to transfer the position information to the transmitter, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the position information. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a unitized embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a separable embodiment of the invention shown in relationship to a flash drive. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a variety of external sources that may communicate with some embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of a unitized embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a block diagram of a separable embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     In the figures, like items are designated by like numerals. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     A first unitized embodiment  1  of the invention is a flash memory drive that includes components permitting its recovery when lost or misplaced. A second separable embodiment  20  is a locator unit configured to be attached to a flash drive through the flash drive&#39;s USB port to create a flash drive-locator device assembly. When attached to a flash drive, this embodiment permits the recovery of the assembly when lost or misplaced. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , first embodiment  1  includes housing  2 , commonly formed of plastic or metal. Some components of embodiment  1  are entirely contained within housing  2 ; others, such as USB connector  3 , visual annunciator  4 , audio annunciator  5 , control  9 , and display  10  have portions which protrude beyond the confines of the housing or are otherwise accessible to a user. Cap  25  may serve as a protective cover to USB connector  3 . This is shown mated to the flash memory drive in view  1   b.    
     The purpose of annunciators  4  and  5  is to indicate the presence of the device to aid in its recovery. Annunciators produce detectable signals, such as light  7  or sound  8  which alert the user to the presence of the device. Light  7  may be constant but is preferably pulsing or flashing so as to be more readily detectable and to preserve electrical energy. Sound  8  may be of constant intensity but is preferably modulated to be more readily detectable. Visual annunciator  4  is preferably a light source such as a light emitting diode (“LED”). The light is preferably emitted from several sides of the device to enhance visibility as by use of multiple LEDs or by use of a diffusing lens. Audio annunciator  5  is preferably an audio transducer such as a beeper, speaker, or buzzer. 
     Within housing  2  are USB connector  3 , flash memory  39 , power source  37 , signal receiver  30 , and at least one annunciator  4  or  5 . In some embodiments, more than one annunciator, antenna  32 , control  9 , display  10 , transmitter  35 , and GPS receiver  36  may also be present. 
     Flash memory  39  performs the normal functions of a flash memory drive to store and retrieve information. It includes both the memory storage elements as well as any circuitry necessary to control and access the memory storage elements. Flash memory  39  is electrically connected to the conductors of USB connector  3 . 
     Locator components such as the signal receiver and annunciators require electrical power to operate. A flash drive does not normally include a source of power as flash memory is nonvolatile and connection to a USB port (as on a computer) supplies power during use. Electrical power source  37  supplies power for the locator function. Power source  37  includes battery  38  and associated circuitry. Although omitted from  FIGS. 4 and 5  for clarity, each component requiring electrical power for locator operation is electrically connected to power source  37 . 
     Battery  38  may be a primary cell or a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the locating device includes a rechargeable battery that may be charged via power supplied from the USB port. One of the functions of an active USB connection is to supply power to operate USB devices. The locating device may take advantage of this to recharge its battery via the USB port while the flash drive is connected to a USB port such as is the case when a flash drive is in use to transfer files. Alternatively, power may be supplied to recharge the battery from a dedicated charger supplied by mains power or by another source, for example, an automobile electrical system. In some embodiments, a dedicated charger connects to the locator device through the USB port; in others, separate auxiliary power connection  11  may serve this function. Auxiliary power connection  11  may be a miniature USB connector electrically coupled to USB connector  3 . 
     Signal receiver  30  is the heart of the locator device. It is configured to receive external activating signal  6  and, having received such a signal, respond by asserting output  31 . The nature of the signal receiver depends upon the nature of the activating signal. 
     The locator devices of the invention respond to externally generated activation signals. These signals may be generated by a variety of sources under either direct or indirect control of an operator seeking to recover a lost device. Among the modalities of activating signals suitable for use as activation signals with particular embodiments of the invention may be radio frequency electromagnetic waves (“RF”), acoustic waves, optical signals, or some combination of these. Among the activating signals that may be used are those signals, both direct and indirect, that are described in my pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/156,526 filed Jun. 2, 2008 entitled Object Locator System. 
     As used herein, RF refers to energy transmitted as electromagnetic waves generated when an alternating current is input to an antenna. This includes frequencies assigned by regulatory agencies for wireless communication and signaling including those frequencies between about 300 Hz and about 300 GHz. As used herein, acoustic refers to energy transmitted as vibrations propagated through a medium, commonly air. This includes sonic propagation with frequency within the range of human hearing (sound), above that range (ultrasound), and below that range (infrasound). As used herein, optical refers to energy transmitted as electromagnetic waves with frequency within the range of human vision (visible light), above that range (ultraviolet light), and below that range (infrared light). 
     The activating signal may be tailored to the locator device with appropriate transmission modality, frequency, encoding format, and encoded information. Where the activating signal includes an RF signal, the signal receiver comprises an RF receiver. Where the activating signal includes an acoustic signal, the signal receiver comprises an acoustic receiver. Where the activating signal includes an optical signal, the signal receiver comprises an optical receiver. 
     In some embodiments the activating signal encodes identifying information specific to an individual locating device. In such embodiments the locator device includes a stored representation of the specific identifying information. The signal receiver determines whether there is correspondence between the stored representation of locator device identifying information and that encoded within the activating signal. If these match, signal receiver  30  asserts output  31 . In some embodiments, locating device  1  may accept information for storage, such as the stored representation of locator device identifying information, from an external computer via USB port  3 . 
     In some embodiments, activating signal  6  may be an RF signal, and may comprise cellular telephone signals, paging system signals, satellite-based telephone signals, satellite-based paging signals, simplex radio frequency signals, repeater-based duplex radio frequency signals, base station-based duplex radio frequency signals, and combinations thereof. In such embodiments, the locating device includes antenna  32  coupled to signal receiver  30 . Many other choices are possible;  FIG. 3  illustrates, for reference only, and without intention of limitation, some of the variety of sources that may produce activating signals. The selection of appropriate components depends upon the particular signal modality employed. For example, when the activating signal is produced by a cellular telephone system, the signal receiver would include a cellular telephone receiver. The choice of signal receiver, when an RF signal is employed, also dictates the selection of an appropriate antenna and is within the scope of an engineer skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. 
     Signal receiver  30  may also include controller  34  to effectuate device control operations such as comparing the received signal to the stored representation, asserting output  31 , and controlling power source  37 , annunciators  4  and  5 , display  10 , control  9 , transmitter  35 , and GPS receiver  36 . In such embodiments controller  34  comprises a microcomputer, a single chip microcontroller, a Field Programmable Gate Array, or circuitry implementing like function. 
     As discussed above, when signal receiver  30  receives appropriate activating signal  6 , signal receiver  30  asserts output  31 . Output  31  is electrically connected to annunciator  4  or  5 . Receipt of output  31  at audio annunciator  5  causes audio annunciator  5 , if present, to produce sound  8  which alerts the user to the presence of the locator device. Receipt of output  31  at visual annunciator  4  causes visual annunciator  4 , if present, to produce light  7  which alerts the user to the presence of the locator device. Thus the receipt of activating signal  6  causes the locator device to produce sound or light so that a user in proximity to the device may discover its presence and recover the flash drive. 
     Control  9  is a user-activated control present in some embodiments. It acts to deliver user input to the locator device and comprises a switch, a push button, a touch pad, or the like. Control  9  may have several functions depending on the state of the locator device (for example, whether the locator device is idle, has received an activating signal, or is connected to a USB port) and upon how the user activates control  9  (for example, by sustained contact or by intermittent contact). Among the functions of control  9  is to return the locator device to its idle state once the flash drive is recovered. Alternatively, this return to idle function may be accomplished by a timing out operation. 
     A second function of control  9  in some embodiments is to test the locator device by activating the annunciators. 
     A third function of control  9  in some embodiments is to test the charge status of the locator device battery. The locator device can display its battery status either upon display  10  or by modulating optical annunciator  4  or audio annunciator  5 . 
     Yet another function of control  9  in some embodiments is to cause transmitter  35  to transmit a countersignal. Such a countersignal is useful to signal the activating signal source that the device has been located and that no further activation is required. 
     A countersignal may also serve a complementary locating function when the source of the activating signal is a cellular telephone. In embodiments where transmitter  35  comprises a cellular telephone transmitter, user activation of control  9  may trigger the device to produce a cellular telephone transmission that calls a cellular telephone. The cellular telephone number called may be pre-stored within the locating device, and is preferably entered for storage by reception of an activating signal from a cellular telephone that directly or indirectly produces the activating signal. Thus, a user may activate such an embodiment by calling the locating device from the user&#39;s cellular telephone, and at a later time locate the user&#39;s misplaced cellular telephone by activating control  9 . This would cause the locator device to call back to the user&#39;s cellular telephone. The user could then locate the cellular telephone by its ringtone. 
     Display  10 , included in some embodiments may serve to deliver a message, such as the owner&#39;s phone number, to a finder of the locating device. The message may be pre-stored in the locator device or it may be derived from information encoded in the activating signal. Display  10  presents the message upon receipt of activation signal. The activation signal may encode the message; for example, the activation signal may include a phone number that, once displayed, a finder of the device may call so that the owner may recover flash drive. Message may be pre-stored in the locator device with display triggered by receipt of the activation signal. In some embodiments, the message may be a combination of pre-stored information and information encoded in the activation signal. 
     Some embodiments incorporate Global Positioning System (“GPS”) receiver  36 . Such embodiments have the capability of receiving positioning signals from GPS satellites and determining the actual position of the locator device. In such embodiments, upon receipt of activating signal  6 , signal receiver  30  asserts output  31  causing GPS receiver  36  to calculate the actual position of the locator device, to encode the actual position as position information, and to transfer the position information to transmitter  35 . Transmitter  35  then transmits the position information. A remote receiver receiving such information could then inform the user of the actual position of the locator device. 
     In embodiments incorporating transmitter  35  or GPS receiver  36 , these components may be connected to antenna  32 , or may incorporate additional antennas. 
     The electronic components of the invention are interconnected with each other by methods known in the art of electronic engineering. Preferably the components are attached to a printed circuit board whose traces form the electrical interconnection. The controller which forms part of the signal receiver module is preferably a single chip microcontroller, such as one of the Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontroller family. Alternatively, the controller and receiver functions may be integrated into a single device such as one of the Texas Instruments CC2510FX system on a chip devices. Functions of the controller include those stated above and may additionally include such incidental functions as monitoring the charge state of the power source, controlling the display and annunciators, monitoring whether the flash drive is connected to a computer, configuring and enabling of other components, and other functions. The limited interconnections shown between the controller and other modules in the block diagrams of  FIGS. 4 and 5  are meant to merely illustrate the critical channeling of information and signals. Other connections between components, such as would normally appear on detailed schematics, are within the scope of a practitioner of ordinary skill in the art of electronic engineering. 
     In separable embodiments of  FIGS. 2 and 5 , locator device  20  is separate from conventional flash drive  21  but may be coupled to flash drive  21  via the flash drive&#39;s USB connector  22  and locator device female USB connector  23 . This permits transfer of the locator function between flash drives. This is valuable since the capacity of available flash drives frequently increases as manufacturers offer new models, and users find it advantageous to occasionally purchase new flash drives to take advantage of the larger capacity. Partially mated view  2   b  shows mating of locator device  20  and flash drive  21  through flash drive USB connector  22  and mating of protective cap  25  covering locator device male USB connector  24 . The parts are shown fully mated in view  2   c.    
     In such embodiments, locator device  20  incorporates a pair of USB connectors. These are interconnected electrically so that all signals present at the first connector are also present at the second connector. Female USB connector  23  is designed to mate with flash drive male USB connector  22 . Second male USB connector  24  in locator device  20  is designed to resemble flash drive USB connector  22 . In operation, a user would plug the flash drive USB connector  22  into the female USB connector  23  on locator device  20 . Male USB connector  24 , which may be conveniently disposed at the opposite end of elongated housing  2  from female USB connector  23 , is available to plug the combination flash drive and locator assembly into a computer or other female USB port. The feed through of the electrical signals from the second connector to the first ensures that the flash drive receives the same signals when the combination assembly is plugged into computer USB port as a stand alone flash drive would have received had it been plugged directly into the computer USB port. Each of the other features and components of unitized embodiment  1  as described above may also be present in separable embodiment  20  with the exception of flash memory  39 . 
     Since mating USB connectors are designed to be separable from one another, a user might inadvertently separate flash drive  21  from the flash drive-locator device assembly when removing the assembly from a computer USB port. In some embodiments, the locator device is designed so that female USB connector  23  fits more snuggly with standard USB male connector  22  on flash drive  21  than does male USB connector  20  with a computer&#39;s standard USB female connector. This reduces the likelihood of separation of the assembly were a user to grip it by holding only flash drive  21 . This more snug fit may be accomplished through the use of nonstandard USB connectors on locator device  20 . It may also be accomplished through the use of standard USB connectors modified by inclusion of relatively high friction material in the mating region. 
     In the Summary of the Invention and in the Detailed Description, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all appropriate combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent appropriate, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. 
     In describing and claiming the invention below, the term “comprises” (and grammatical variations thereof) in relation to features, components, modalities, things, etc. is used herein to mean that the features, components, modalities, things, etc. can optionally include, in addition to the features, components, modalities, things, etc. explicitly specified after the term “comprises” (and grammatical variations thereof), other features, components, modalities, things, etc. It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are mere illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention and that numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs, and particularly in the art of electronic engineering, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.