Location defined power charger management authorization for a user equipment

• US 10,127,407 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goldberg, Itzhack, McGregor, Harry R., Mesika, Yossi, Moore, Christopher B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Henry
• Application Number:
  US15/793,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20180121685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

Embodiments for authorizing power charging of a user equipment (UE) based on a location. A power charging session is authorized by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is currently located and validated within an authorized geographic location. Either an unauthorized charging session is permitted to charge the UE up to a pre-authorized charging limit upon the UE being located in an unauthorized geographic location, or the power charging session is permitted to continue to charge the UE upon detecting the UE relocated from the authorized geographic location to an unauthorized geographic location.

Claims

1. A method for authorizing power charging of a user equipment (UE) based on a location, comprising:

authorizing a power charging session by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is currently located and validated within an authorized geographic location; and

performing at least one of;

permitting an unauthorized charging session to charge the UE up to a pre-authorized charging limit upon the UE being located in an unauthorized geographic location; and

permitting the power charging session to continue to charge the UE upon detecting the UE relocated from the authorized geographic location to an unauthorized geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, further including defining the authorized geographic location by an authorized user of the UE.

3. The method of claim 1, further including restricting the authorization of the power charging session for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is outside the authorized geographic location.

4. The method of claim 1, further including authorizing a geographic location as one of a plurality of authorized geographic locations by the UE, wherein the authorized geographic location is stored in an approved list of authorized geographic locations stored in a database associated with the UE.

5. The method of claim 4, further including validating the authorized geographic location as one of a plurality of authorized geographic locations listed on the approved list of authorized geographic locations for authorizing the power charging session.

6. The method of claim 1, further including requiring a re-authorization of a subsequent power charging session by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting a termination or disconnection of the power charging session.

7. A system for authorizing power charging of a user equipment (UE) based on a location, comprising:

a hardware processor that;

authorizes a power charging session by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is currently located and validated within an authorized geographic location; and

performs at least one of;

permitting an unauthorized charging session to charge the UE up to a pre-authorized charging limit upon the UE being located in an unauthorized geographic location; and

permitting the power charging session to continue to charge the UE upon detecting the UE relocated from the authorized geographic location to an unauthorized geographic location.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the hardware processor defines the authorized geographic location by an authorized user of the UE.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the hardware processor restricts the authorization of the power charging session for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is outside the authorized geographic location.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the hardware processor authorizes a geographic location as one of a plurality of authorized geographic locations by the UE, wherein the authorized geographic location is stored in an approved list of authorized geographic locations stored in a database associated with the UE.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor validates the authorized geographic location as one of a plurality of authorized geographic locations listed on the approved list of authorized geographic locations for authorizing the power charging session.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the hardware processor requires a re-authorization of a subsequent power charging session by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting a termination or disconnection of the power charging session.

13. A computer program product for authorizing power charging of a user equipment (UE) based on a location, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion that authorizes a power charging session by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is currently located and validated within an authorized geographic location; and

an executable portion that performs at least one of;

permitting an unauthorized charging session to charge the UE up to a pre-authorized charging limit upon the UE being located in an unauthorized geographic location; and

permitting the power charging session to continue to charge the UE upon detecting the UE relocated from the authorized geographic location to an unauthorized geographic location.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further including an executable portion that defines the authorized geographic location by an authorized user of the UE.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further including an executable portion that restricts the authorization of the power charging session for charging the UE upon detecting the UE is outside the authorized geographic location.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further including an executable portion that authorizes a geographic location as one of a plurality of authorized geographic locations by the UE, wherein the authorized geographic location is stored in an approved list of authorized geographic locations stored in a database associated with the UE.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further including an executable portion that validates the authorized geographic location as one of a plurality of authorized geographic locations listed on an approved list of authorized geographic locations for authorizing the power charging session.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further including an executable portion that requires a re-authorization of a subsequent power charging session by firmware of the UE for charging the UE upon detecting a termination or disconnection of the power charging session.