MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080172746A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eAgency, Inc.
• Original Assignee: eAgency, Inc.
• Inventors: Allard, Timothy S., Lotter, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are directed to monitoring the communications to and from a mobile communication device in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. For example in accordance with an embodiment, each of the data services on a mobile communication device may be monitored against rules stored in a central data center repository. The data services may include all forms of communications between the mobile communication device and a third party along with changes to application or data within the mobile communication device. An alert may be provided to an administrator when unauthorized data service activity and/or a message may be sent to the mobile communication device to prevent the unauthorized data service activity.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

memory configured to store programs and database information;

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to access the database information and run the programs;

a communication gateway, coupled to the processor and the memory, configured to receive information on data service use from a mobile, wireless, communication device being monitored by the system;

wherein the database information comprises;

an activity log database configured to store an entry for each data service use received from the mobile, wireless, communication device; and

a permissions database configured to store rules as to whether the data service use is allowed for the mobile, wireless, communication device; and

wherein the programs comprise;

an alert monitor program configured to compare the entry for each of the data service uses stored in the activity log database to the rules stored in the permissions database and to provide an alert if the data service use of the mobile, wireless, communication device is not allowed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory, the processor, and the communication gateway form a data center for monitoring the data services uses of a plurality of the mobile, wireless, communication devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data service uses for the mobile, wireless, communication device comprise a phone application, and a short message service text application.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the data service uses for the mobile, wireless, communication device further comprise a web browser application, an email application, an address book application, a calendar application, a tasks application, an installation application, an instant messaging application, or a multimedia application.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the database information further comprises:

an address book database configured to store address book information of the mobile, wireless, communication device; and

a calendar database configured to store calendar information of the mobile, wireless, communication device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the database information further comprises a task database configured to store task information of the mobile, wireless, communication device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile, wireless, communication device comprises a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, or a Smartphone, and wherein the data service use for the mobile, wireless communication device comprises a location determination application.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the programs further comprise a data gateway program tool configured to route the information on the data service use received from the mobile, wireless, communication device being monitored to the memory and to route the alert from the alert monitor program to a designated external device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system monitors communications to and from the mobile, wireless, communication device by monitoring the data service uses to detect unauthorized activity, and wherein the system further provides web-based access to the database information for an administrator to review the data service uses of the mobile, wireless, communication device and modify the corresponding rules.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the data service uses comprise inbound and outbound telephone information, or inbound and outbound short message service text information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the data service use further comprises a web browser request, a change to an address book, a change to a calendar, a change to a task, inbound and outbound email information, inbound and outbound instant messaging information, inbound and outbound multimedia information, or an application installation.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the alert is provided to the mobile, wireless, communication device to prevent the data service use that is not allowed based on the rules stored in the permissions database.

13. A mobile communications device comprising:

a memory configured to store programs and data;

a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to run the programs stored in the memory;

a communications port configured to wirelessly communicate with a data center; and

wherein the programs comprise a data monitor program configured to monitor data service uses of the mobile communications device and compile information of the data service uses for transmission to the data center via the communications port, wherein the data service uses comprise inbound and outbound activity between the mobile communications device and a third party and changes to the data stored in the memory.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein the data service uses comprise a phone application use, and/or a short message service text application use.

15. The mobile communications device of claim 14, wherein the data service uses further comprise a web browser application use, an email application use, an instant messaging application use, an address book application use, a calendar application use, a tasks application use, an installation application use, and/or a multimedia application use.

16. The mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, or a Smartphone, and wherein the data service use for the mobile, wireless communication device comprises a location determination application.

17. The mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein the data monitor program is further configured to prevent an unauthorized data service use based on information received from the data center via the communications port.

18. A method of monitoring a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

storing rules associated with data service uses for the mobile communication device;

receiving information for one of the data service uses from the mobile communication device;

storing the information for the data service use;

checking the data service use to the corresponding rule associated with the data service use; and

providing an alert if the data service use is unauthorized based on the corresponding rule.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the alert to the mobile communication device to prevent the data service use that is unauthorized.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the alert to an administrator to notify of the data service use that is unauthorized.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the data service use comprises a phone application use, or a short message service text application use.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the data service use further comprises a web browser application use, an email application use, an instant messaging application use, an address book application use, a calendar application use, a tasks application use, an installation application use, or a multimedia application use.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, or a Smartphone, and wherein the data service use for the mobile, wireless communication device comprises a location determination application.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing for an administrator web-based access to the rules and the data service uses stored and permitting the administrator to modify the rules.

25. A method of monitoring a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

monitoring data service uses of the mobile communication device;

compiling information of one of the data service uses; and

transmitting the information of the data service use to a data center, wherein the data service uses comprise inbound and outbound activity between the mobile communications device and a third party and changes to data stored in the mobile communication device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the data service uses comprise a phone application use, and/or a short message service text application use.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the data service uses further comprise a web browser application use, an email application use, an instant messaging application use, an address book application use, a calendar application use, a tasks application use, an installation application use, and/or a multimedia application use.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, or a Smartphone, and wherein the data service use for the mobile, wireless communication device comprises a location determination application.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving from the data center authorization information regarding the data service use; and

preventing the data service use if the authorization information indicates that the data service use is unauthorized.

30. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program for performing a method of monitoring a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

storing rules associated with data service uses for the mobile communication device;

receiving information for one of the data service uses from the mobile communication device;

storing the information for the data service use;

checking the data service use to the corresponding rule associated with the data service use; and

providing an alert if the data service use is unauthorized based on the corresponding rule.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing the alert to the mobile communication device to prevent the data service use that is unauthorized.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising providing the alert to an administrator to notify of the data service use that is unauthorized.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the data service use comprises a phone application use, or a short message service text application use.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the data service use further comprises a web browser application use, an email application use, an instant messaging application use, an address book application use, a calendar application use, a tasks application use, an installation application use, or a multimedia application use.

35. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program for performing a method of monitoring a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

monitoring data service uses of the mobile communication device;

compiling information of one of the data service uses; and

transmitting the information of the data service use to a data center, wherein the data service uses comprise inbound and outbound activity between the mobile communications device and a third party and changes to data stored in the mobile communication device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data service uses comprise a phone application use, and/or a short message service text application use.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the data service uses further comprise a web browser application use, an email application use, an instant messaging application use, an address book application use, a calendar application use, a tasks application use, an installation application use, and/or a multimedia application use.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving from the data center authorization information regarding the data service use; and

preventing the data service use if the authorization information indicates that the data service use is unauthorized.