Patent attributes
A monitoring system for a valuable item, such as a digital device, has a base unit affixed to the valuable and a remote unit carried by a person responsible for the valuable. Signals are exchanged between the base and remote units. The base continuously monitors for signals from the remote unit and can arm or disarm automatically in response to such signals. When armed, the base communicates with a program running on the valuable to lock peripherals. The base alerts the owner upon movement of the valuable, allowing the owner to screen for false alarms or be notified of an occurring theft attempt. A digital connection between the base and the valuable may be used to encrypt any data stored on the valuable and charge the internal batteries of the security device. A soft switch enables the base to be powered off by the corresponding remote unit.