Patent attributes
A security system for wireless devices such as mobile phones includes a wireless signal transmitter, and a signal strength detector and microprocessor associated with the wireless device being safeguarded. The microprocessor disables or locks the wireless device if the measurement by the detector of the strength of the signal transmitted by the wireless transmitter is less than a predetermined value, thereby indicating that there is more than a predetermined separation distance between the protected device and the transmitter, i.e., that, e.g., someone has taken the device. The disabled wireless device stays disabled until the measured signal strength is again greater than the predetermined value. Once this value is reached the device is automatically unlocked or enabled.