Device Activation and Access

• US 20080318550A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: DeAtley, Dallas
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Remote access management for a mobile device includes an activation process where a digitally signed activation record is created by a remote activation service and provided to the mobile device. The activation record is used to determine an activation state for the mobile device. Upon activation, a security process running on the mobile device enforces a security policy regarding remote access to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a mobile device;

generating an activation record specific to the mobile device, the activation record including information for determining an activation state for the mobile device;

digitally signing the activation record; and

sending the digitally signed activation record to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the detection, creating an account associated with the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, where creating an account further comprises:

presenting an activation dialog requesting information;

receiving input responsive to the request; and

creating an account using the input.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

authenticating at least some of the input.

5. The method of claim 1, where the information identifies the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, where the information identifies a user associated with the mobile device.

7. A method comprising:

detecting an activation record on a mobile device;

responsive to the detection, authenticating the activation record;

responsive to a successful authentication, determining an activation state based on the activation record; and

activating the mobile device based on the activation state.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

activating the device using a default activation state, if authentication is not successful.

9. The method of claim 7, where the mobile device includes a telephony application.

10. The method of claim 7, where the mobile device includes a multi-touch-sensitive display.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

managing remote access through a secure communications channel.

12. The method of claim 7, where the communications channel is a secure socket layer.

13. A system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and including instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting a mobile device;

generating an activation record specific to the mobile device, the activation record including information for determining an activation state for the mobile device;

digitally signing the activation record; and

sending the digitally signed activation record to the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, where the processor performs an operation comprising:

responsive to the detection, creating an account associated with the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 14, where creating an account further comprises:

presenting an activation dialog requesting information;

receiving input responsive to the request; and

creating an account using the input.

16. The system of claim 15, where the processor performs an operation comprising:

authenticating at least some of the input.

17. The system of claim 13, where the information identifies the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 13, where the information identifies a user associated with the mobile device.

19. A system comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and including instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting an activation record on a mobile device;

responsive to the detection, authenticating the activation record;

responsive to a successful authentication, determining an activation state based on the activation record; and

activating the mobile device based on the activation state.

20. The system of claim 19, where the processor performs an operation comprising:

activating the device using a default activation state, if authentication is not successful.

21. The system of claim 19, where the mobile device includes a telephony application.

22. The system of claim 19, where the mobile device includes a multi-touch-sensitive display.

23. The system of claim 19, where the processor performs an operation comprising:

managing remote access through a secure communications channel.

24. The system of claim 19, where the communications channel is a secure socket layer.

25. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a mobile device;

generating an activation record specific to the mobile device, the activation record including information for determining an activation state for the mobile device;

digitally signing the activation record; and

sending the digitally signed activation record to the mobile device.

26. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting an activation record on a mobile device;

responsive to the detection, authenticating the activation record;

responsive to a successful authentication, determining an activation state based on the activation record; and

activating the mobile device based on the activation state.

27. A system comprising:

means for detecting a mobile device;

means for generating an activation record specific to the mobile device, the activation record including information for determining an activation state for the mobile device;

means for digitally signing the activation record; and

means for sending the digitally signed activation record to the mobile device.

28. A method comprising:

establishing a serial communications channel with an access device;

receiving on the serial communications channel an access request from the access device;

responsive to the access request, establishing a secure communications session with the access device; and

receiving on the serial communications channel multiplexed information from the access device.

29. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to run a mobile services process, where the mobile services process is configurable to detect the presence of a mobile device, and to provide multiplexed information to the mobile device.

30. A method for execution on a mobile device, comprising:

receiving an activation record from an activation service over a communications channel, the activation record including first information for identifying the mobile device and second information for identifying a user of the mobile device.

31. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting an activation record stored on a mobile device, the activation record including first information for identifying the mobile device and second information for identifying a user of the mobile device.