Security module having a secondary agent in coordination with a host agent
First Claim
1. A system for remotely monitoring a device, comprising:
- at least one network;
at least one network interface in the device associated with said at least one network;
a host agent running on a host operating system provided in the device, said host agent capable of accessing said at least one network via said at least one network interface;
a monitoring center connected to said at least one network, configured to communicate with at least one of the host agent and secondary agent via said at least one network interface; and
a secondary agent provided in the device, wherein the secondary agent is capable of accessing said at least one network via said at least one network interface independently of the host operating system, and wherein the secondary agent and the host agent coordinate as to which should access said at least one network via said at least one network interface to communicate attributes of the device and/or host operating system to the monitoring center.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a security module deployed in a host device, which provides a secondary agent that operates in coordination with the host agent in the host device, but operates independent of the host operating system of the host device to independently access an existing communication network interface in the host device or a separate dedicated network interface, if available. In one aspect, the present invention enables robust theft recovery and asset tracking services. The system comprises a monitoring center; one or more monitored devices; a security module in the monitored devices; and one or more active communications networks. Monitored devices may be stand alone devices, such as computers (e.g., portable or desktop computers), or a device or a subsystem included in a system. A monitored device comprises a security module, a host agent and software to support the host agent that runs in the monitored device'"'"'s OS.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for remotely monitoring a device, comprising:
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at least one network; at least one network interface in the device associated with said at least one network; a host agent running on a host operating system provided in the device, said host agent capable of accessing said at least one network via said at least one network interface; a monitoring center connected to said at least one network, configured to communicate with at least one of the host agent and secondary agent via said at least one network interface; and a secondary agent provided in the device, wherein the secondary agent is capable of accessing said at least one network via said at least one network interface independently of the host operating system, and wherein the secondary agent and the host agent coordinate as to which should access said at least one network via said at least one network interface to communicate attributes of the device and/or host operating system to the monitoring center. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of tracking a device, comprising:
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providing at least one network interface in the device associated with at least one network; providing a host agent running on a host operating system in the device, said host agent capable of accessing said at least one network via said at least one network interface; connecting a monitoring center to said at least one network, configured to communicate with at least one of the host agent and secondary agent via said at least one network interface; providing a secondary agent in the device, capable of accessing said at least one network via said at least one network interface independently of the host operating system; and coordinating between the secondary agent and the host agent to determine which should access said at least one network via said at least one network interface to communicate attributes of the device and/or host operating system to the monitoring center.
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Specification