Electronic Device Protection System and Method

• US 20080189792A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Softex LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Softex Incorporated
• Inventors: Dube, Shradha, Raikar, Rayesh Kashinath, Kapila, Ranjit, Bhansali, Apurva Mahendrakumar, Jain, Manoj Kumar, Rangarajan, Gayathri, Tucker, Thomas David, Dhanani, Kamal Mansukhlal, Patel, Mehul Ramjibhai, Varghese, Elza Abraham
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A system and method for electronic device protection. A method includes activating the electronic device; transferring control to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) component after activation; transferring control to a non-viewable component from the BIOS component; verifying that an application component operated correctly during a previous device activation; and continuing with activation of the electronic device if the application component operated correctly during the previous device activation.

Claims

1. A method for tracking, locating and disabling an electronic device, comprising:

activating the electronic device;

transferring control to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) component after activation;

transferring control to a non-viewable component from the BIOS component;

verifying that an application component operated correctly during a previous device activation; and

continuing with activation of the electronic device if the application component operated correctly during the previous device activation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the electronic device comprises activating a power on self test of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transferring control to a BIOS component comprises transferring control to a BIOS component during power on self test.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining if the electronic device has been disabled;

displaying system information and unlock key if the electronic device is disabled;

prompting a user of the electronic device to enter activation password to re-enable electronic device if the electronic device is disabled;

determining if a bootable operating system partition exists;

rebooting the electronic device to restart power on self test; and

proceeding with booting the electronic device until it stops booting if no bootable operating system partition exists.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining if a hidden partition exists if the electronic device is not disabled;

transferring control to a non-viewable component if the hidden partition exists; and

creating a hidden partition if the hidden partition does not exist.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising rebuilding the hidden partition from a recovery media if the bootable operating system partition exists.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein transferring control to a non-viewable component if the hidden partition exists, comprises:

checking the communication area to determine if an application component operated correctly during last device boot; and

returning control to power on self test to proceed with booting the electronic device if the application component operated correctly during last device boot.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transferring control to a non-viewable component if the hidden partition exists, further comprises:

prompting that the electronic device will be disabled within a number of device boots unless corrective action is taken if the application component did not operate correctly during last device boot;

disabling the electronic device if the number of device boots has been reached; and

prompting for an activation password if the number of device boots has been reached.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein transferring control to a non-viewable component if the hidden partition exists, further comprises restoring the application component from a backup fileset if the application component did not operate correctly during last device boot.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the number of device boots is five.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein power on self test proceeds with booting the electronic device by transferring control to the application component, comprising:

executing system processes and an application program contained in the application component;

checking if the application component is operating correctly; and

communicating to the BIOS component if the application component is operating correctly.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein power on self test proceeds with booting the electronic device by transferring control to the application component, further comprising:

detecting an Internet connection on the electronic device;

attempting to contact a primary server; and

sending an encrypted message to the primary server if successful in contacting the primary server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein power on self test proceeds with booting the electronic device by transferring control to the application component, further comprising:

receiving a response from the primary server, wherein the response indicates status of whether or not the electronic device is reported stolen;

waiting a random interval before sending another encrypted message to the primary server if the electronic device is not reported stolen; and

performing actions based on user selected service options if the electronic device is reported stolen.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the actions include disabling the electronic device or erasing hard disk drive.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein power on self test proceeds with booting the electronic device by transferring control to the application component, further comprising:

informing the communication area that the electronic device has been disabled if the user had selected the disable electronic device service;

sending an encrypted message to the secondary server if not successful in contacting the primary server;

warning the user that the primary server and secondary server can not be accessed if not successful in contacting the primary server or secondary server; and

disabling the electronic device after five device boots if an override code is not entered.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein specialized hardware on the electronic device checks if the application component is operating correctly.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the message is encrypted by security hardware and includes the electronic device serial number or model number.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the encrypted message to the secondary server requests the status of the primary server.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein warning the user that the primary server and secondary server cannot be accessed comprises requesting the user correct the problem within five device boots or enter an override code to continue operation of the device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the override code is obtained from a website, call center or automated response system.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein continuing with activation of the electronic device comprises returning control to power on self test to proceed with booting the electronic device if the application component operated correctly during a previous device boot.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying that the application component operated correctly comprises checking a communication area to determine if the application component operated correctly during a previous device boot.

23. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine, cause said machine to perform operations comprising:

activating an electronic device;

transferring control to a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) component after activation;

transferring control to a non-viewable component from the BIOS component;

verifying that an application component operated correctly during a previous device activation; and

continuing with activation of the electronic device if the application component operated correctly during the previous device activation.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein activating the electronic device comprises activating a power on self test of the electronic device.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein verifying that the application component operated correctly comprises checking a communication area to determine if the application component operated correctly during a previous device boot.