PROTECTION METHOD FOR USE IN PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20080022418A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Wei, Jr-Rung
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A protection method is used in a portable communication device. The protection method comprises the steps of generating a specific command, and storing the specific command into the portable communication device; the portable communication device waiting and receiving a message; determining whether the message received by the portable communication device comprises the specific command; and performing a protection mechanism for protecting the important information contained in the portable communication device when the message comprises the specific command.

Claims

1. A protection method used in a portable communication device, comprising the following steps:

generating a specific command to store into said portable communication device;

waiting for receiving a message;

determining whether said received message comprises said specific command; and

performing a protection mechanism for protecting the information stored in said portable communication device when said message comprises said specific command.

2. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein the generating step further comprises the sub-steps:

providing a first phone number and a first hardware identification serial number for said portable communication device;

providing a designated communication device including a second phone number and a second hardware identification serial number;

building a connection between said designated communication device and said portable communication device;

generating said specific command according to said first phone number, said first hardware identification serial number, said second phone number and said second hardware identification serial number; and

storing said specific command into said portable communication device and said designated communication device.

3. The protection method according to claim 2 wherein the generating step further comprises the sub-steps:

encoding said first phone number and said first hardware identification serial number as a first command by Message-Digest algorithm 5 (MD5);

encoding said second phone number and said second hardware identification serial number as a second command by Message-Digest algorithm 5 (MD5); and

combining said first command with said second command into said specific command.

4. The protection method according to claim 2 wherein said designated communication device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a notebook computer with a wireless communication module and a desktop computer capable of accessing to a network.

5. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein said message is selected from a group consisting of a short message and an email message.

6. The protection method according to claim 5 wherein said short message is selected from a group consisting of a short message service (SMS) and a multimedia messaging service (MMS).

7. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein the waiting step further comprises the sub-steps:

providing a designated communication device;

generating and sending said message comprising said specific command from said designated communication device to a message transmission system; and

receiving said message from said message transmission system when said portable communication device is powered on and connects to said message transmission system.

8. The protection method according to claim 7 wherein said designated communication device further includes a user interface for receiving an instruction, and said message comprising said specific command is sent in response to said instruction.

9. The protection method according to claim 7 wherein said message transmission system is one selected from a group consisting of a mail server and a base station.

10. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein the generating step further comprises the sub-steps:

providing an email account for said portable communication device;

providing a predefined keyword;

generating said specific command according to said mail account and said predefined keyword; and

storing said specific command into said portable communication device.

11. The protection method according to claim 10 wherein the mail account comprises an email address and a password.

12. The protection method according to claim 10 wherein the determining step further comprises the sub-steps:

determining whether the subject of said message matches with the specific command.

13. The protection method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of displaying the contents of said message on a display unit of said portable communication device when said message does not comprise said specific command.

14. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of deleting the information stored in said portable communication device.

15. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of locking said portable communication device.

16. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of displaying a warning text on a display unit of said portable communication device.

17. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of transmitting the information stored in said portable communication device to a designated communication device.

18. The protection method according to claim 1 wherein said portable communication device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a notebook computer with a wireless communication module.

19. A portable communication device with data protection function comprising:

a storing device for storing a specific command;

a transceiver unit for receiving a message; and

a control unit for determining whether said message received by said portable communication device comprises said specific command, and performing a protection mechanism for protecting the information stored in said portable communication device when said message comprises said specific command.

20. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said portable communication device comprises a first phone number and a first hardware identification serial number, and said specific command is generated by building a connection between said portable communication device and a designated communication device comprising a second phone number and a second hardware identification serial number.

21. The portable communication device according to claim 20 wherein said specific command is generated according to said first phone number, said first hardware identification serial number, said second phone number and said second hardware identification serial number.

22. The portable communication device according to claim 21 wherein said specific command is a combination of a first command and a second command, wherein said first command is encoded by said first phone number and said first hardware identification serial number by Message-Digest algorithm 5 (MD5), and said second command is encoded by said second phone number and said second hardware identification serial number by Message-Digest algorithm 5 (MD5).

23. The portable communication device according to claim 21 wherein a message comprising said specific command is sent from said designated communication device to a message transmission system, and said portable communication device receives said message when said portable communication device is powered on and connects to said message transmission system.

24. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said portable communication device comprises a mail account and a predefine keyword, and said specific command is generated according to said mail account and said predefined keyword.

25. The portable communication device according to claim 19 further comprising a display unit for displaying the contents of said message when said message does not comprise said specific command.

26. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of deleting the information stored in said portable communication device.

27. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of locking said portable communication device.

28. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of displaying a warning text on a display unit of said portable communication device.

29. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said protection mechanism comprises of transmitting the information stored in said portable communication device to a designated communication device.

30. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said message is selected from a group consisting of a short message and an email message.

31. The portable communication device according to claim 30 wherein said short message is selected from a group consisting of a short message service (SMS) and a multimedia messaging service (MMS).

32. The portable communication device according to claim 19 wherein said portable communication device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a notebook computer with a wireless communication module.

33. The portable communication device according to claim 19, further comprising an input unit for receiving an input password,

wherein a predetermined password has been recorded in said storage unit, and said control unit compares the input password with said predetermined password,

wherein said protection mechanism is performed when said input password is inconsistent with said predetermined password.