Enabling Remote And Anonymous Control Of Mobile And Portable Multimedia Devices For Security, Tracking And Recovery

• US 20100130178A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

Aspects of the invention comprise a remote tracking and control server operable to transparently activate control of resources and to monitor operations on a target handheld communication device utilizing code installed on the handheld device. The resources may comprise a camera, microphone, GPS receiver, input device, display, speaker, wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver. The monitoring and/or controlling activity is protected from interruption. The handheld device may be accessed by a securely stored unique identifier. Access to the controlling function and/or the resources by a user of the handheld device may be restricted. Monitored information is stored on the handheld device and communicated to the tracking server. The control server may receive monitored information from the handheld device whenever the device is coupled to a communication network. Monitoring may be initiated based on detected motion, sound, user input, video and/or touch.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

activating by a first communication device, control of one or more resources on a handheld communication device to monitor one or more operations of said handheld communication device, wherein;

said monitoring occurs without knowledge of a user of said handheld communication device; and

an owner of said first communication device installs secure executable code on said handheld communication device, without knowledge of said user of said handheld communication device, to enable said monitoring; and

in response to said activating, receiving by said first communication device, monitored information from said handheld communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising accessing said handheld communication device by a unique identifier of said handheld communication device that is securely stored within said handheld communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising restricting from said first communication device, access to said activating of said control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising restricting from said first communication device, control of said one or more resources by a user of said handheld communication device, during said monitoring.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising preventing unauthorized interruption of said monitoring utilizing said executable code that is installed on said handheld communication device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more resources on said handheld communication device comprise a camera, a microphone, a GPS receiver, input device, a display, a speaker, a wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating by said first communication device, control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device comprise controlling one or more resources on said handheld communication device based on one or more profiles.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said one or more profiles comprise a user profile and/or a device profile.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said received monitored information from said handheld communication device comprises an identity of said handheld communication device.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving said monitored information from said handheld communication device whenever said handheld communication device is communicatively coupled to a communication network.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating by said first communication device comprise remotely configuring one or more devices on said handheld communication device to communicate information related to a detected activity to said first communication device during said monitoring.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said detected activity comprise motion, sound, user input, video, touch and audio.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first communication device comprises one or both of a server and another handheld communication device.

14. The method according to claim 1, comprising causing secure storing of said monitored information on said handheld communication device by said first communication device.

15. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving by said first communication device, said stored monitored information.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating by said first communication device is communicated via an SMS message sent from a handheld device and/or via a message sent by a service provider.

17. The system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a first communication device, said one or more circuits are operable to activate control of one or more resources on a handheld communication device to monitor one or more operations of said handheld communication device, wherein;

said monitoring occurs without knowledge of a user of said handheld communication device; and

an owner of said first communication device installs secure executable code on said handheld communication device, without knowledge of said user of said handheld communication device, to enable said monitoring; and

said one or more circuits are operable to receive by said first communication device, monitored information from said handheld communication device, in response to said activation.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to access said handheld communication device by a unique identifier of said handheld communication device that is securely stored within said handheld communication device.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to restrict from said first communication device, access to said activating of said control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to restrict from said first communication device, control of said one or more interface resources by a user of said handheld communication device, during said monitoring.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to prevent unauthorized interruption of said monitoring utilizing said executable code that is installed on said handheld communication device.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more resources on said handheld communication device comprise a camera, a microphone, a GPS receiver, input device, a display, a speaker, a wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to remotely activate control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device is based on one or more profiles.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said one or more profiles comprise a user profile and/or a device profile.

25. The system according to claim 17, wherein said received monitored information from said handheld communication device comprises an identity of said handheld communication device.

26. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive said monitored information from said handheld communication device whenever said handheld communication device is communicatively coupled to a communication network.

27. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to remotely configure one or more devices on said handheld communication device to communicate information related to a detected activity to said first communication device during said monitoring.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said detected activity comprise motion, sound, user input, video, touch and audio.

29. The system according to claim 17, wherein said first communication device comprises one or both of a server and another handheld communication device.

30. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to cause secure storage of said monitored information on said handheld communication device by said first communication device.

31. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive by said first communication device, said stored monitored information.

32. The system according to claim 17, wherein said activating by said first communication device is communicated via an SMS message sent from a handheld device and/or via a message sent by a service provider.