Security apparatus and method

• US 20030172306A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christian Cotichini, Fraser Cain, Thanh Cam Nguyen
• Original Assignee: Christian Cotichini, Fraser Cain, Thanh Cam Nguyen
• Inventors: Cotichini, Christian, Nguyen, Thanh Cam, Cain, Fraser
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/126 and has means for transferring I/O instructions and statuses between control unit and main processor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/313 using a call-back technique via a telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A system for locating and monitoring electronic devices utilizing a security system that is secretly and transparently embedded within the computer. This security system causes the client computer to periodically and conditionally call a host system to report its serial number via an encoded series of dialed numbers. A host monitoring system receives calls from various clients and determines which calls to accept and which to reject by comparing the decoded client serial numbers with a predefined and updated list of numbers corresponding to reported stolen computers. The host also concurrently obtains the caller ID of the calling client to determine the physical location of the client computer. The caller ID and the serial number are subsequently transmitted to a notifying station in order to facilitate the recovery of the stolen device. The security system remains hidden from the user, and actively resists attempts to disable it.

Claims

1. An apparatus with an integral computer tracing and security monitoring system comprising a transparent agent controlling means for sending signals to a host monitoring system via a telecommunication link, at spaced-apart intervals of time, said signals including identifying indicia for said device.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for sending signals includes a telecommunication interface connectable to a communication link.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means sends signals at regular periodic intervals.

4. A computer tracing and security monitoring system, comprising:

a computer;

a telecommunication interface operatively connected to the computer, and

means controlled by the computer for sending signals to the telecommunication interface including signals for contacting a host monitoring system, and for providing the host monitoring system with identification indicia.

5. A systems as claimed in claim 4, wherein the computer has addressable memory (such as read-only memory or random-access memory, and the means includes software.

6. A method for providing a computer with a Agent security system, comprising the steps of preparing software for the computer with instructions for dialing a host monitoring system number without visual or audible signals and transmitting identification indicia, and programming the software into addressable memory of the computer at a location not normally accessible to operating software for the computer.