Tracing a location of a mobile device

• US 20020045437A1
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alexander Kesler
• Original Assignee: Alexander Kesler
• Inventors: Kesler, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/931,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045437A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means

Abstract

A server on the Internet detects that a mobile device communicating with the server may have been stolen, and a telephone call is made to a call center to initiate action in response to the alert.

Claims

1. A method comprising

detecting at a server on a publicly accessible communication network that a mobile device communicating with the server may have been stolen, and

making a telephone call to a call center to initiate action in response to detecting that the mobile device may have been stolen.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the publicly accessible communication network comprises the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the detecting comprises analyzing a message sent from the mobile device to the server, the message containing information identifying the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the message is sent from the mobile device to the server without indicating the sending of the message to a user of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 3 in which a periodic series of messages is sent from the mobile device to the server, at least one of the messages containing information identifying the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 3 in which the message includes a time, an address of the mobile device, a registration number, and an identification value of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the mobile device comprises a computer.

8. The method of claim 1 also including

causing the mobile device to disconnect from the network in response to detecting that the mobile device may have been stolen, and

causing a graphical user interface on the mobile device to continue to appear as if the device is connected to the network.

9. The method of claim 1 also including

recording a caller ID associated with the telephone call.

10. Apparatus comprising a media on which is stored software capable of configuring a device to

receive a message from a server indicating a possibility that the device has been stolen, and

in response to the message, initiating a telephone call to a service location.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the software is also configured to cause the device to send a message to the server through a network, the message identifying the device to the server.