Method and apparatus for location-based recovery of stolen mobile devices
First Claim
1. A mobile computing device at least partially built at a factory, the mobile computing device to communicate with a central monitor, comprising:
- a firmware;
a hard drive for storing an operating system;
a networking hardware to facilitate network communication with the central monitor;
a location aware technology pre-installed in the firmware during the build of the mobile computing device and operable to provide a location information, the location aware technology able to communicate with at least one of a geolocation positioning system, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) receiver, or a cellular receiver; and
a location reporting module to at least send the location information over the Internet, by way of the networking hardware, to the central monitor;
wherein the location aware technology, being embedded in the firmware, remains able to communicate with the central monitor after a selected one or more of;
a reformatting of an operating system of the mobile computing device,an installation of a new operating system on the mobile computing device, ora removal of the hard drive from the mobile computing device.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and system for locating mobile devices. The system includes a location-aware mobile device. The location-aware mobile device includes a location-aware mechanism embedded in a platform firmware layer of the location-aware mobile device. The system also includes a central database to receive location information from the location-aware mobile device over a network. If the location-aware mobile device has been stolen, lost, or misplaced, the central database reports the stolen, lost, or misplaced location-aware mobile device and its location to appropriate persons to enable the location-aware mobile device to be recovered.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A mobile computing device at least partially built at a factory, the mobile computing device to communicate with a central monitor, comprising:
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a firmware; a hard drive for storing an operating system; a networking hardware to facilitate network communication with the central monitor; a location aware technology pre-installed in the firmware during the build of the mobile computing device and operable to provide a location information, the location aware technology able to communicate with at least one of a geolocation positioning system, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) receiver, or a cellular receiver; and a location reporting module to at least send the location information over the Internet, by way of the networking hardware, to the central monitor; wherein the location aware technology, being embedded in the firmware, remains able to communicate with the central monitor after a selected one or more of; a reformatting of an operating system of the mobile computing device, an installation of a new operating system on the mobile computing device, or a removal of the hard drive from the mobile computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for locating a mobile computing device at least partially assembled at a factory to include a location aware technology in its firmware that remains operable to communicate a location information after a selected one or more of a reformatting of an operating system of the mobile computing device, an installation of a new operating system on the mobile computing device, or a removal of a hard drive from the mobile computing device, the method comprising:
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receiving a network packet from the mobile computing device that includes the location information, via a network, from a location reporting module in the mobile computing device, the location information from the location aware technology in the firmware of the mobile computing device including data associated with at least one of a global positioning system, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) receiver, or a cellular receiver; and sending a first notification indicating notifying one or more appropriate persons of the location information for the mobile computing device to enable the mobile computing device to be recovered if stolen, lost, or misplaced. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media disposed at least in part within a firmware, the firmware associated with a networking hardware for communicating with at least a central monitor and a location hardware, the one or more media having instructions to provide for:
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contacting the central monitor to obtain a status; accessing, at least based on the status, the location hardware to determine a location; and accessing the networking hardware to communicate with the central monitor over a network at least intermittently communicatively coupling the networking hardware with the central monitor; wherein the firmware remains able to communicate with the central monitor after a selected one or more of; a reformatting of an operating system of a mobile computing device, an installation of a new operating system on the mobile computing device, or a removal of a hard drive from the mobile computing device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A mobile computing device able to communicate with a central monitor, comprising:
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a firmware; a location aware technology installed in the firmware and operable to provide a location information corresponding to the mobile computing device; wherein the location aware technology, being embedded in the firmware, remains able to communicate with the central monitor after a selected one or more of a reformatting of an operating system of the mobile computing device, an installation of a new operating system on the mobile computing device, or a removal of a hard drive from the mobile computing device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification