Methods and apparatus for securing a portable device

摘要

An apparatus for securing a portable device is described. The portable device includes a housing having a mating feature adapted to mate with a corresponding mating feature of the cradle. The cradle includes a locking mechanism that is capable of locking the portable device to the cradle. A transceiver is positioned in the housing. The transceiver is capable of communicating with a remote server containing data of a registered user. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader is positioned in the housing. The RFID reader controls the locking mechanism such that the locking mechanism releases the portable device from the cradle when a RFID tag storing the data of the registered user is positioned proximate to the RFID reader.

主权项

1. A portable device, comprising:
a housing having a mating feature adapted to mate with a corresponding mating feature of a cradle, the cradle including a locking mechanism capable of locking the portable device to the cradle; a transceiver positioned in the housing, the transceiver capable of communicating with a remote server including a database for storing data of one or more registered users; a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader positioned in the housing, the RFID reader reading a first RFID tag storing the data of a registered user that is positioned proximate to the RFID reader; and a processor coupled to the RFID reader for controlling the locking mechanism such that the locking mechanism releases the portable device from the cradle and puts the portable device in an unlocked state when the data of the registered user stored in the first RFID tag is validated when compared to the data stored in the database and a battery level of a battery of the portable device is highest among a corresponding battery level of each of a plurality of portable devices capable of communicating with the remote server, wherein the locking mechanism is communicatively coupled to locking mechanisms of a plurality of portable devices in the unlocked state and the locking mechanism relocks the portable device to the cradle when a second portable device from the plurality of portable devices in the unlocked state is removed from a cradle associated with the second portable device.