SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING AND LOCATING WIRELESS DEVICES THAT ARE BEING OPERATED BY UNAUTHORIZED USERS

• US 20100167753A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Kumar, Chitra, Das, Indrajitkumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method of locating a wireless device being operated by an unauthorized user is provided. The method comprises examining biometric information of an operator of the wireless device, determining if the operator is authorized based on the biometric information, and transmitting a message to a remote recipient in response to determining the operator is not authorized. In certain embodiments, the message can include the location of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of locating a wireless device being used by an unauthorized operator, the method comprising:

examining biometric information of the operator of the wireless device;

determining if the operator is authorized based on the biometric information; and

transmitting a message to a remote recipient in response to determining the operator is not authorized.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the biometric information of the operator with a biometric reading device of the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message comprises the biometric information of the operator obtained with the biometric reading device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the wireless device determining a location of itself in response to determining the operator is not authorized; and

the wireless device transmitting the location of itself from the wireless device to the remote recipient.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising periodically repeating transmission of the message.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the wireless device comprises using a Global Positioning System signal to determine the location.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the wireless device comprises receiving location information from a cellular communication antenna.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing authenticated biometric information to the wireless device; and

associating the authenticated biometric information with an authorized operator of the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the operator is authorized comprises comparing the biometric information to the authenticated biometric information.

10. A method of providing a location of a wireless device, the method comprising:

the wireless device determining that an operator of the wireless device is an unauthorized user;

the wireless device determining its initial location in response to the determining step; and

the wireless device transmitting information indicating its initial location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording the initial location of the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining an updated location of the wireless device after recording the initial location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the updated location to the initial location;

comparing a distance between the updated location and the initial location to a predetermined distance.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting information indicating the updated location in response to detecting the distance is greater than the predetermined distance.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting information indicating the initial location in response to detecting the distance is less than or equal to the predetermined distance.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising recording the updated location of the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the operator of the wireless device is an unauthorized user comprises:

receiving a biometric scan with a biometric sensor of the wireless device; and

comparing the biometric scan to a collection of authorized biometric scans; and

determining the operator of the wireless device is an unauthorized user when the biometric scan is not contained in the collection of authorized biometric scans.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the location of the wireless device comprises using a Global Positioning System signal to determine the location.

19. A wireless device comprising:

a first wireless antenna adapted to communicate with a remote recipient;

a biometric sensor adapted to inspect an operator to create a first biometric reading;

a memory device containing information indicative of a second biometric reading; and

a system controller coupled to and adapted to control the first wireless antenna and the biometric sensor, the system controller further adapted to receive information from the memory device, to compare the first biometric reading to the second biometric reading, and to transmit information indicating unauthorized use of the wireless device using the first wireless antenna when the first and second biometric readings are not substantially the same.

20. The wireless device of claim 19, further comprising a second wireless antenna, the system controller further adapted to determine a location of the wireless device with the second wireless antenna in response to determining the first and second biometric readings are incompatible and to transmit information indicating the location using the first wireless antenna.