DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL LOSS PROTECTION FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20080250510A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Absolute Software Corporation
• Original Assignee: Absolute Software Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Jon
• Granted Patent: US 8,062,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/70 Protecting specific internal or peripheral components, in which the protection of a component leads to protection of the entire computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector

Abstract

An electronic device prior to entering a distribution channel is equipped with a Loss Prevention Client which permits limited use of the device until correct authentication is provided by a legitimate purchaser. By permitting limited use before authentication, the device remains both useful to a legitimate purchaser and valuable to a thief. While allowing operation in the possession of a thief, options can be provided to permit tracking of the device or to allow proper purchase of the device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising an output interface, a data entry interface and a loss protection client, the loss protection client configured to:

a. cause said device to signal via said output interface an unlock code prompt after said device is switched on;

b. accept via said data entry interface the input of one or more input codes responsive to said prompt during a first period of time;

c. disable itself if at least one of said input codes is identical to an unlock code; and

,

d. permit normal operation of said device for a second period of time starting after said first period of time if said input codes are all different to said unlock code, or if no input code is entered during said first period of time.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, the loss protection client further configured to:

e. if said input codes entered during said first period of time are all different to said unlock code, or if no input code is entered during said first period of time, periodically signal via said output interface said unlock code prompt and periodically accept via said data entry interface the input of one or more further input codes; and

,

f. disable itself if one of said further input codes is identical to said unlock code.

3. An electronic device according to claim 2, the loss protection client further configured to:

g. perform steps (a) through (f) of claims 1 and 2 repeatedly during a grace period commencing when said device is switched on for the first time; and

,

h. if at least one input code or further input code identical to said unlock code is not entered before said grace period has elapsed, selectively switch off, reboot or log off said device, or display a message via said output interface.

4. An electronic device according to claim 2, the loss protection client further configured to:

if said device is switched on after a grace period commencing when said device is switched on for the first time has elapsed and said loss protection client has not previously been disabled, cause said device to signal via said output interface an unlock code prompt;

accept via said data entry interface the input of one or more input codes responsive to said prompt during a further first period of time;

disable itself if at least one of said input codes is identical to an unlock code; and

if at least one input code identical to said unlock code is not entered before said further first period of time has elapsed, selectively switch off, reboot or log off said device, or display a message via said output interface.

5. An electronic device according to one of claims 3 and 4, wherein said message instructs a user of said device to return said device to the retailer thereof or to contact the police, or provides said user of said device an option to purchase said device or to claim a reward.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said device is a computer.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said loss protection client is operative within an operating system.

8. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a persistence module installed in firmware or hardware of said device, said persistence module configured to restore said loss protection client on said device if said loss protection client is damaged or missing from said device.

9. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a tracking agent configured to communicate to a monitoring center information specific to the location of said device.

10. An electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a tracking agent configured to communicate with a monitoring center to determine whether said device has been reported lost or stolen.

11. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first period of time is ended by the user by inputting via said data entry interface a bypass instruction.

12. An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said device is a computer running a graphic user interface operating system and said bypass instruction is a command closing the window in which the unlock code prompt is displayed.

13. A method for protecting an electronic device by way of a loss protection client installed on said electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

a. signaling via an output interface an unlock code prompt on said device after said device is switched on;

b. accepting in said device an input via a data entry interface of one or more input codes during a first period of time;

c. disabling said loss protection client if at least one of said input codes is identical to an unlock code; and

d. permitting normal operation of said device for a second period of time starting after said first period of time if said input codes are all different to said unlock code or if no input code is input during said first period of time.

14. A method for protecting an electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

e. if said input codes are all different to said unlock code or if no input code is entered during said first period of time, periodically signaling via said output interface said unlock code prompt and periodically accepting input of one or more further input codes; and

f. disabling said loss protection client if at least one of said further input codes is identical to said unlock code.

15. A method for protecting an electronic device according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

g. performing steps (a) through (f) of claims 13 and 14 repeatedly during a grace period commencing when said device is switched on for the first time; and

,

h. if at least one input code or further input code identical to said unlock code is not entered before said grace period has elapsed, selectively switching off, rebooting or logging off said device, or displaying a message via said output interface.

16. A method for protecting an electronic device according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

if said device is switched on after a grace period commencing when said device is switched on for the first time has elapsed and said loss protection client has not previously been disabled, causing said device to signal via said output interface an unlock code prompt;

accepting via said data entry interface the input of one or more input codes responsive to said prompt during a further first period of time;

disabling said loss protection client if at least one of said input codes is identical to an unlock code; and

,

if at least one input code identical to said unlock code is not entered before said further first period of time has elapsed, selectively switching off, rebooting or logging off said device, or displaying a message via said output interface.

17. An electronic device according to one of claims 15 and 16, wherein said message instructs a user of said device to return said device to the retailer thereof or to contact the police, or provides said user of said device an option to purchase said device or to claim a reward.

18. A method for protecting an electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising the step of installing a persistence module in firmware or hardware in said device, said persistence module configured to restore said loss protection client on said device if said loss protection client is damaged or missing from said device.

19. A method for protecting an electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising the step of installing in said device a tracking agent configured to communicate to a monitoring center information specific to the location of said device.

20. A method for protecting an electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising the step of installing in said device a tracking agent configured to communicate with a monitoring center to determine whether said device has been reported lost or stolen.

21. A computer readable medium carrying computer readable instructions, said instructions configured to:

a. cause an electronic device to signal via an output interface an unlock code prompt after said device is switched on;

b. accept the input of one or more input codes responsive to said prompt during a first period of time;

c. permit normal operation of said device for an indefinite period of time if at least one of said input codes is identical to an unlock code; and

,

d. permit normal operation of said device for a second period of time starting after said first period of time if said input codes are all different to said unlock code, or if no input code is entered during said first period of time.

22. A computer readable medium according to claim 21, said instructions further configured to:

e. if said input codes entered during said first period of time are all different to said unlock code or if no input code is entered during said first period of time, periodically cause said device to signal via said output interface said unlock code prompt and periodically accept the input of one or more further input codes; and

f. permit normal operation of said device for an indefinite period of time if at least one of said further input codes is identical to said unlock code.

23. A computer readable medium according to claim 21, said instructions further configured to:

g. perform the steps (a) through (f) of claims 21 and 22 repeatedly during a grace period commencing when said device is switched on for the first time; and

,

h. if at least one input code or further input code identical to said unlock code is not entered before said grace period has elapsed, selectively switch off, reboot or log off said device, or display a message via said output interface.

24. A computer readable medium according to claim 21, said instructions further configured to:

if said device is switched on after a grace period commencing when said device is switched on for the first time has elapsed and said loss protection client has not previously been disabled, cause said device to signal via said output interface an unlock code prompt;

accept via said data entry interface the input of one or more input codes responsive to said prompt during a further first period of time;

permit normal operation of said device for an indefinite period of time if at least one of said input codes is identical to an unlock code; and

,

if at least one input code identical to said unlock code is not entered before said further first period of time has elapsed, selectively switch off, reboot or log off said device, or display a message via said output interface.