Patent attributes
Reminding of the owner of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port connectible device that the same has been left connected to a USB port of a powered computer is provided by an alarm disposed on a portable base for the device activated by cessation of reception of a limited range radio frequency (RF) signal. Transmission is powered by the computer through the USB port. The portable base has an independent power source for reception/alarm circuitry preferably switched on by separation of a USB port connectible device and/or signalling attachment from the portable base and switched off by physical reunion of the same. Alarm activation while retrieving the USB port connectible device from the USB port of a computer is avoided with an alarm activation delay exceeding in duration a transmission interval minimizing the likelihood of RF signal interference between multiple proximate reminders or other signals of the same RF. An identification (ID) number carried by the RF signal and recognized by a portable base thereby associated with a particular USB port connectible device and/or signalling attachment avoids defeat of alarm activation by reception of another signal of the same RF.