SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ITEM SELF-ASSESSMENT AS BEING EXTANT OR DISPLACED

摘要

A method to assess a state of a portable item (100) as being extant (503.1) or being displaced (503.0); the method performed by a hardware processor (204) configured for use when the hardware processor (204) is at least one of collocated with and attached to, or embedded within, the portable item (100); the processor (204) coupled with a non-volatile memory (206.M.N) and with one or more environmental sensors (210) which are also collocated with and attached to or embedded within the portable item (100) including at least a motion sensor (210.M) and at least one of a location sensor (210.L) and a clock (208); the method comprising storing in the non-volatile memory (206.M.N.) an item usage expectation (600) comprising a detection context (123) for monitoring the portable item (100), the detection context (123) comprising at least one of a specified date (105, 144.T), a specified time interval (105, 144.T), and a specified location (104.L) for use or storage of the portable item (100), and an associated expected personal motion (144.M) for the portable item (100), wherein the motion of the item is to be assessed locally at the item via the motion sensor (210.M), said motion sensor (210.M) configured to detect locally at the portable item (100) at least one of: a personal motion indicative of local movement of the portable item (100) by a person who possesses said item (100) and a lack of any motion of said portable item (100) wherein the item (100) is stationary; receiving from the at least one of the location sensor (210.L) and the clock (208) data indicative that the portable item (100) is within the detection context (123) of the usage expectation (600); comparing locally via the hardware processor (204) the current motion (104.M) with the expected personal motion (144.M) for the portable item (100) defined in the usage expectation (600); and assessing locally by the hardware processor (204), based on the comparison, whether within the detection context the portable item (100) has a motion which conforms to the expected personal motion (144.m); making a determination via the hardware processor (204), based on the assessment, as to whether the portable item (100) is extant (503.1) or displaced (503.0); and in response to an assessment that the portable item (100) is displaced, signalling, via the hardware processor, an alert (372, 374) that the portable item (100) is displaced (503.0).