Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling the use of a computer ( 60 ). The invention calls for providing a container ( 100, 200  or  300 ) having a locking mechanism ( 122, 222  or  322 ) for holding the peripheral device ( 50 ) of the computer. The container can completely enclose the device which effectively prevents the use of the peripheral device. Alternatively, the device can merely prevent movement of the peripheral device over a surface such as in the case of a mouse.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method for controlling the use of a peripheral device for a computer through use of a lockable container which holds the peripheral device. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for controlling the use of a computer by preventing the use of the mouse to operate the computer. 
     (2) Description of the Related Art 
     Since the explosion of the home computer and the dangers of the Internet, parents have been trying to prevent their children from accessing the computer and particularly, the Internet when the parents are not at home. Since the use of the Windows® operating system has become standard, the need for a mouse or track ball to gain access to and easily navigate through a computer has become essential. The mouse or track ball is also a necessity to allow for navigation through the Internet. Therefore, one way to prevent unauthorized use of the computer is to prevent use of the mouse or track ball needed to access the computer. The present invention achieves that goal in a simple and inexpensive way. 
     The related art has shown various devices to prevent the use of a computer or to prevent tampering with a computer. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,446,708 to Ely; 4,898,009 to Lakoski et al; 4,975,550 to Panchisin and 5,268,809 to Eschenbura. 
     Ely describes a locking cover which is mounted over the keypad to prevent unauthorized use of the keypad. This invention is intended to be used for push-button telephone keyboards. However, the cover could also be used with computer keyboards. 
     Lakoski et al describes a device which mounts over the back panel of a computer to prevent access to the computer through the back panel. The device also prevents tampering with the cables and connection ports at the back of the computer. 
     Panchisin describes a security device which conceals the keyboard actuator of a computer. The device has a key activated switch which activates and deactivates the computer. 
     Eschenburg describes a protection device which mounts in the access opening of a diskette drive of a computer. The device prevents the insertion of a diskette into the drive. 
     Also, of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,635 to Wilson which describes a lock for preventing the removal of a peripheral device from a computer. The lock does not prevent the use of the peripheral device. 
     Only of minimal interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,488,764 to Pfenning et al and 4,584,856 to Petersdorff et al. Pfennina et al shows a security container which mounts around the plug of an electrical cord. The plug can be placed within the container to prevent the plug from being plugged into an electrical outlet. Petersdorff et al describes a cover to prevent unauthorized access to a telephone jack. 
     There remains the need for a lockable container which can be placed around a peripheral device for a computer to prevent use of the peripheral device and the computer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling the use of a computer. The invention calls for providing a lockable container for holding the peripheral device of the computer. The container can completely enclose the device which effectively prevents the use of the device. Alternatively, the container can merely prevent movement of the device over a surface such as in the case of the mouse. Failure of the mouse to move over a surface effectively prevents use of the mouse. The container can have a variety of sizes and shapes as necessary to accommodate different peripheral devices. 
     The present invention relates to a method for controlling the use of a peripheral device for a computer which comprises: providing a lockable and unlockable container having a base and a lid with a sidewall extending therebetween, the lid being configured to be attached to the base; and means for locking the lid on the base wherein in use, the peripheral device is placed between the base and the lid in an inner chamber of the container and the lid is locked to prevent access to and use of the peripheral device; inserting the peripheral device in the unlocked container; locking the container to prevent access to the peripheral device; unlocking the container to provide access to the peripheral device and removing the peripheral device from the container; and accessing the computer through the peripheral device which has been removed from the container, wherein access to the use of the peripheral device and the computer is controlled by the lockable and unlockable container. 
     Further, the present invention relates to a method for preventing the use of a peripheral device for a computer which comprises: providing a container having a base with a lid configured to be connected to the base such that the base and lid form an inner chamber in the container and means for locking the lid in a closed position on the base; positioning the peripheral device in the inner chamber of the container; moving the lid into the closed position such that the peripheral device is in the inner chamber of the container; and locking the lid in the closed position to prevent access to the peripheral device. 
     Still further, the present invention relates to a device for controlling the use of a peripheral device having a cord for connecting to a computer which comprises: a base having opposed ends and a first surface extending therebetween; a lid having opposed ends with a first surface extending therebetween and configured to be attached to the base such that one end of the base is adjacent one end of the lid and the first surface of the base is spaced apart from the first surface of the lid; a sidewall having an opening and extending between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the lid wherein when the lid is in a closed position, the base, lid and sidewall form a container having an inner chamber; and means for locking the lid on the base in the closed position wherein in use, the peripheral device is placed between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the lid in the inner chamber of the container with the cord extending through the opening in the container and the lid is moved into and locked in the closed position to control access to and use of the peripheral device. 
     The substance and advantages of the present invention will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following drawings and the description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container  100  of the first embodiment having the mouse  50  located in the inner chamber  118  of the container  100 . 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the container  100 . 
     FIG. 3 is an end view of the container  200  of the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container  300  of the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the container  300  of the third embodiment. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the container  100  of the first embodiment mounted to a mouse pad  56  adjacent a computer  60 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1,  3  and  4  show three (3) embodiments of the container  100 ,  200  or  300  of the present invention. In all of the embodiments, the container  100 ,  200  or  300  is preferably for use with a standard mouse  50 . However, the container  100 ,  200  or  300  could also be used with an optical tracking mouse (not shown) such as the INTELLIMOUSE® EXPLORER® manufactured by Microsoft Corporation, a wireless mouse (not shown), a gyroscopic mouse (not shown) or a game controller (not shown). It is understood that the container  100 ,  200  and  300  could have a variety of shapes to accommodate different sized mouse  50  and different sizes and types of track balls or other peripheral devices. In the first embodiment, the container  100  preferably has a rectangular shape with an upper portion or lid  110  and a lower portion or base  116 . The lid  110  includes a top wall  110 A with opposed end walls  110 B and  110 C and opposed sidewalls  110 D and  110 E extending downward therefrom. The base  116  includes a bottom wall  116 A with end walls  116 B and  116 C and the sidewalls  116 D and  116 E extending upward therefrom. When the lid  110  is secured on the base  116  in the closed position, the top wall  110 A of the lid  110  is spaced apart from the bottom wall  116 A of the base  116  with opposed end walls  116 B and  116 C and opposed sidewalls  116 D and  116 E of the lid  110  and base  116  extending therebetween forming an inner chamber  118  (FIG.  1 ). 
     In the first embodiment, the lid  110  is preferably completely removable from the base  116 . Alternatively, the lid  110  is pivotably connected to the base  116  along one end wall  110 B or  110 C by a hinge (not shown). Preferably, one end wall of the base  116  is provided with a slot  120  which allows the cord  52  for the mouse  50  to exit the container  100  without being damaged. Alternatively, one end wall  110 B or  110 C of the lid  110  is provided with the slot. In the preferred embodiment, one of the sidewalls  116 D of the base  116  is provided with an indention  116 F and the corresponding sidewall  110 D of the lid  110  is provided with an extension  110 F which mates with the indention  116 F in the sidewall  110 D of the base  116  (FIG.  2 ). The indention  116 F allows for easier access to and removal of the mouse  50  from the container  100  when the lid  110  is removed or in the open position. In the preferred embodiment, the base  116  is provided with a locking mechanism  122  at one end. The locking mechanism  122  is preferably key activated. Rotating the key  54  in the locking mechanism  122  preferably rotates a latch  124  which contacts a protrusion  126  on the lid  110  and acts to lock the lid  110  in the closed position on the base  116  to prevent access to the peripheral device  50  in the inner chamber  118  of the container  100 . Any well known locking mechanism may be used. For example, the lock could be a combination lock. 
     The container  200  of the second embodiment, is similar to the container  100  of the first embodiment having a base  216  and a lid  210  (FIG.  3 ). The base  216  of the second embodiment is similar or identical to the base  116  of the first embodiment. The lid  210  however is divided into a left section  212  and a right section  214 . Each section  212  and  214  preferably includes half of each end wall  212 B or  214 B, one sidewall  212 E or  214 D and half of the top wall  212 A or  214 A of the lid  210 . The sidewall  212 E or  214 D of each section  212  or  214  is preferably pivotably mounted to the sidewall  216 D or  216 E of the base  216  by a hinge (not shown). The left and right sections  212  and  214  of the lid  210  are preferably identical except that one section  214  of the lid  210  is provided with the latch (not shown) of the locking mechanism  222  and the other section  212  of the lid  210  is provided with the protrusion (not shown) which is contacted by the latch to hold the sections  212  and  214  of the lid  210  in the locked, closed position. In this embodiment, the sections  212  and  214  of the lid  210  are preferably not removable from the base  216 . 
     In the third embodiment, the container  300  includes an upper portion or lid  310  and a lower portion or base  316  (FIG.  4 ). The lid  310  preferably includes a top wall  310 A, an end wall  310 B and opposed sidewalls  310 D and  310 E. The base  316  preferably includes only a bottom wall,  316 A having opposed ends  316 B and  316 C and opposed sides  316 D and  316 E. The lid  310  is preferably pivotably mounted at one end  316 B of the base  316 . The lid  310  is preferably mounted to the base  316  by pins  317  which extend through holes  310 F in the sidewalls  310 D and  310 E of the lid  310  adjacent the end wall  310 B and through holes  328 A in brackets  328  which extend upward from the base  316  adjacent the sidewalls  310 D and  310 E of the lid  310 . The brackets  328  are preferably located adjacent the inner surface of the sidewalls  310 D and  310 E of the lid  310  (FIG.  5 ). The container  300  of the third embodiment is preferably used with a mouse  50 . In this embodiment, the lid  310  only extends over a portion of the length of the base  316 . The length of the lid  310  is such that when the mouse  50  is correctly positioned in the container  300 , and the lid  310  is in the closed position, the lid  310  extends over the keys  54  of the mouse  50  and prevents use of the mouse  50 . The container  300  could be used with a track ball; however, the lid  310  would need to be of a length to cover both the keys and the ball. Any access to the ball would allow a user to rotate the ball and thus, use the track ball. A locking mechanism  322  is provided in the sidewall  310 D or  310 E of the lid  310 . The locking mechanism  322  can be of any well known type. The locking mechanism  322  preferably includes a latch (not shown) which is rotated to engage a protrusion  326  mounted to the base  316  to lock the lid  310  in the closed position. In this embodiment, the end wall  310 B of the lid  310  is provided with a slot  320  which allows the cord  52  of the mouse  50  to extend through the end wall  310 B of the lid  310 . The cord  52  of the mouse  50  is preferably provided with a gasket  330  having enlarged ends  330 A with a groove  330 B between the ends  330 A (FIG.  5 ). The cord  52  is preferably mounted in the slot  320  such that the groove  330 B of the gasket  330  is mounted in the slot  320  and the enlarged ends  330 A of the gasket  330  are preferably adjacent each side of the end wall  310 B of the lid  310 . The gasket  330  is preferably in a fixed position on the cord  52 . Thus, the mounting of the gasket  330  in the slot  320  prevents the cord  52  from being pulled through the slot  320 . This prevents the mouse  50  from being removed from the container  300 . In an alternative embodiment (not shown), a gripper is provided in the slot  320  such that when the cord  52  is extended through the gripper and the lid  310  is moved into the closed position, the cord  52  for the mouse  50  is unable to be moved in the slot  320 . Therefore, the mouse  50  is unable to be removed from the container  300  without opening the lid  310 . In an alternative third embodiment, the cord  52  is preferably permanently extended through the slot  320  in the lid  310  of the container  300 . In one (1) alternative embodiment, when the lid  310  is in the open position, the gripper releases the cord  52  such that the cord  52  is able to slide freely in the opening in the container  300 . This enables a user to move the mouse  50  out of the container  310  to use the mouse  50 . The lid  310  of the container  300  could also be removable to allow for complete removal of the mouse  50  and cord  52  from the container  300 . 
     In all embodiments, the container  100 ,  200  or  300  is preferably of a size to easily fit a standard size mouse. A standard size mouse  50  has a length of approximately 4.5 inches (11.4 cm), a width of about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) and a height of about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm). The container  100 ,  200  or  300  preferably has a length of about 5.0 inches (12.7 cm), a width of about 3.0 inches (7.6 cm) and a height of about 2.0 inches (5.1 cm). The container  100 ,  200  or  300  is preferably constructed of a lightweight, inexpensive material. In the preferred embodiment, the container  100 ,  200  or  300  is free standing and able to be placed anywhere. However, the container  100 ,  200  or  300  could also be permanently mounted, for example, on the desk adjacent the computer  60  or mounted on the mouse pad  56  (FIG.  6 ). The container  100 ,  200  or  300  when mounted to the desk could also prevent theft of the mouse  50  particularly with using a wireless mouse. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the container is mounted on a surface and is locked to a surface. In this embodiment, the bottom wall of the base of the container has an opening which mounts over a plug extending upward from the surface. When the lid of the container is moved into the closed position, the plug extends through an opening in the lid. The end of the plug is then provided with a locking mechanism to keep the lid in the closed position. 
     IN USE 
     The device and method of the present invention prevents unauthorized use of a computer  60  by controlling the use of a peripheral device such as any type of mouse  50 , track ball or game controller. To use the container  100 ,  200  or  300  of all the embodiments, the lid  110 ,  210  or  310  of the container  100 ,  200  or  300  is moved into the open position. In the first embodiment, preferably, when the lid  110  is in the open position, the lid  110  is completely removed from the base  116 . In the remaining embodiments, the lid  210  or  310  is preferably pivoted into the open position while remaining attached to the base  216  or  316 . Next, the mouse  50  or track ball is positioned on the base  116 ,  216  or  316  of the container  100 ,  200  or  300  on the bottom wall  116 A,  216 A or  316 A. In the third embodiment, the mouse  50  is positioned on the base  316  such that the front of the mouse  50  having the buttons  54  and the cord  52  is adjacent the end  316 B of the base  316  having the lid  310 . The cord  52  of the mouse  50  or track ball is then placed in the slot  120 ,  220  or  320  in the end wall  116 B,  216 B or  316 B of the base  116  or  216  or lid  310 . The lid  110 ,  210  or  310  is then moved into the closed position. The locking mechanism  122 ,  222  or  322  is then activated to lock the lid  110 ,  210  or  310  in the closed position. When the container  100 ,  200  or  300  is locked, an unauthorized user is unable to gain access to the mouse  50  to use the mouse  50  either by moving the mouse  50  or clicking the buttons on the mouse  50 . In the third embodiment, the position of the keys  54  of the mouse  50  under the lid  310  prevents use of the keys  54  of the mouse  50 . In addition, the gasket  330  or gripper fixes the cord  52  of the mouse  50  in place in the opening preventing the unauthorized user from moving the mouse  50  from beneath the closed lid  310  such that the keys  54  are accessible. In all embodiments, when the container  100 ,  200  or  300  is locked, the unauthorized user is unable to push the buttons  54  on the mouse  50  and is unable to move the mouse  50  along a surface. Thus, an unauthorized user is unable to operate the mouse  50  while it is in the container  100 ,  200  or  300 . Since the unauthorized user is unable to use the mouse  50 , the unauthorized user is unable to access the computer  60  or easily navigate through the computer  60 . 
     It is intended that the foregoing description be only illustrative of the present invention and that the present invention be limited only by the hereinafter appended claims.