METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RECOVERING LOST OR STOLEN MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100216429A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: MAHAJAN, Manish
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

To facilitate recovering lost or stolen mobile devices, methods and systems are provided that enable mobile devices to report information that can be used to locate the device and/or identify an unauthorized user. Owners can report the loss or theft of their mobile devices to a server which can transmit an anti-theft activation message. Reception of the anti-theft activation message prompts activation of a anti-theft software module may limit access to programs and data on the mobile device while allowing the normal use of the mobile device through a secondary user interface. Unbeknownst to unauthorized users, data related to the user and the device are collected and transmitted to a server. Collected data may include user biometric data and non-biometric data. User biometric data may be matched against biometric databases to identify the user. Non-biometric data may be used to help locate the mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method for recovering a mobile device, comprising:

activating an anti-theft software module;

collecting data; and

transmitting the collected data to a server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of activating an anti-theft software module is performed in response to receiving instructions to activate the anti-theft software module.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a secondary user interface on the mobile device when the anti-theft software module is activated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the secondary user interface allows limited use of the mobile device while preventing access to selected programs or data of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes biometric data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes fingerprint data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes sound recording data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes retinal scan data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes non-biometric data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes photographs.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the collected sound data includes a recording of a user'"'"'s voice.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes location parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of collecting data and transmitting the collected data to a server are performed without visible indication that might alert a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected data is transmitted to the server via a cellular wireless data network.

15. A method for recovering a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a report at a first server that the mobile device is lost or stolen; and

sending instructions to the mobile device to activate a anti-theft software module.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving collected data from the mobile device at the first server; and

sending the collected data to a second server.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the received collected data includes fingerprint data, further comprising comparing the fingerprint data to a database of fingerprint data to determine if there is a match.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the received collected data includes a voice recording, further comprising:

generating a voice print from the voice recording; and

comparing the voice recording to a database of voiceprints to determine if there is a match.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the received collected data includes retinal scan data, further comprising comparing the retinal scan data to a database of retinal scan data to determine if there is a match.

20. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform steps comprising;

activating a anti-theft software module;

collecting data; and

transmitting the collected data to a server.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a biometric access module.

22. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a sensor configured to collect non-biometric data.

23. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising:

receiving instructions to activate the anti-theft software module; and

activating the anti-theft software module is performed in response to receiving instructions to activate the anti-theft software module.

24. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising presenting a secondary user interface on the mobile device when the anti-theft software module is activated.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions such that the secondary user interface allows limited use of the mobile device while preventing access to selected programs or data of the mobile device.

26. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the collected data includes biometric data.

27. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a fingerprint scanner coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting fingerprint data and transmitting the collected fingerprint data to the server.

28. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a microphone coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting sound recording data and transmitting the collected sound recording data to the server.

29. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a retinal scanner coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting retinal scan data and transmitting the collected retinal scan data to the server.

30. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the collected data includes non-biometric data.

31. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a camera coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising taking photographs and transmitting the photographs to the server.

32. The mobile device of claim 20, further comprising a GPS receiver coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting GPS location data and transmitting the collected GPS location data to the server.

33. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform steps such that the steps of collecting data and transmitting the collected data to a server are performed without visible indication that might alert a user.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising a cellular wireless network transceiver coupled to the processor, the wireless network transceiver being configured to establish a communication link with a cellular wireless network,

wherein the collected data is transmitted to the server via the communication link to the cellular wireless data network.

35. A server configured to transmit to and receive data from a mobile device via a network, comprising:

a server memory;

a server processor coupled to the server memory; and

a network connection coupled to the server processor,

wherein the server processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising;

receiving a report at a first server that the mobile device is lost or stolen;

sending instructions to the mobile device to activate a anti-theft software module; and

receiving collected data from the mobile device.

36. The server of claim 35, wherein the server processor is configured with software instructions to further perform steps comprising sending the collected data to a second server.

37. The server of claim 36, wherein the received collected data includes fingerprint data.

38. The server of claim 36, wherein:

the received collected data includes a voice recording data; and

the server processor is configured with software instructions to further perform steps comprising;

generating a voiceprint from the voice recording data; and

transmitting the voiceprint to the second server.

39. The server of claim 36, wherein the received collected data includes retinal scan data.

40. The server of claim 35, wherein:

the received collected data includes photographs; and

the server processor is configured with software instructions to further perform steps comprising displaying the photographs.

41. The server of claim 35, wherein:

the received collected data includes ambient noise; and

the server processor is configured with software instructions to further perform steps comprising playing the ambient noise.

42. The server of claim 35, wherein:

the received collected data includes GPS location data; and

the server processor is configured with software instructions to further perform steps comprising determining a location of the mobile device based on the GPS location data.

43. A mobile device, comprising:

means for activating a anti-theft software module;

means for collecting data; and

means for transmitting the collected data to a server.

44. The mobile device of claim 43, further comprising means for receiving instructions to activate the anti-theft software module.

45. The mobile device of claim 43, further comprising means for presenting a secondary user interface on the mobile device when the anti-theft software module is activated.

46. The mobile device of claim 43, further comprising means for presenting a secondary user interface on the mobile device that allows limited use of the mobile device while preventing access to selected programs or data of the mobile device when the anti-theft software module is activated.

47. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein the means for collecting data comprises means for collecting biometric data.

48. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein the means for collecting data comprises means for collecting non-biometric data.

49. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein:

means for collecting data comprises means for collecting fingerprint data; and

means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting fingerprint data to the server.

50. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein:

means for collecting data comprises means for recording sound; and

means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting recorded sound to the server.

51. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein:

means for collecting data comprises means for obtaining retinal scan data; and

means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting retinal scan data to the server.

52. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein:

means for collecting data comprises means for taking photographs; and

means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting photographs to the server.

53. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein:

means for collecting data comprises means for collecting location data; and

means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting location data to the server.

54. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein:

means for collecting data comprises means for collecting data without a visible indication that might alert a user; and

means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting collected data to the server without a visible indication that might alert a user.

55. The mobile device of claim 43, wherein means for transmitting the collected data to the server comprises means for transmitting the collected data via a cellular wireless data network.

56. A server, comprising:

means for receiving a report at a first server that the mobile device is lost or stolen;

means for sending instructions to activate a anti-theft software module; and

means for receiving collected data from the mobile device.

57. The server of claim 56, further comprising means for sending the collected data to a second server.

58. The server of claim 56,

wherein means for receiving collected data from the mobile device further comprises means for receiving voice recording data from the mobile device,

further comprising:

means for generating a voiceprint from the voice recording data; and

means for transmitting the voiceprint to a second server.

59. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions that would cause a processor of a mobile device to perform steps comprising:

activating a anti-theft software module;

collecting data; and

transmitting the collected data to a first server.

60. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising:

receiving instructions to activate the anti-theft software module; and

activating the anti-theft software module is performed in response to receiving instructions to activate the anti-theft software module.

61. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising presenting a secondary user interface on the mobile device when the anti-theft software module is activated.

62. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising presenting a secondary user interface on the mobile device that allows limited use of the mobile device while preventing access to selected programs or data of the mobile device when the anti-theft software module is activated.

63. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting fingerprint data and transmitting the collected fingerprint data to the server.

64. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting sound recording data and transmitting the collected sound recording data to the server.

65. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting retinal scan data and transmitting the collected retinal scan data to the server.

66. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising taking photographs and transmitting the photographs to the server.

67. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising collecting GPS location data and transmitting the collected GPS location data to the server.

68. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps such that the steps of collecting data and transmitting the collected data to a server are performed without visible indication that might alert a user.

69. The tangible storage medium of claim 59, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps such that the step of transmitting the collected data to a first server transmits the collected data to the server via a cellular wireless data network.

70. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions that would cause a processor of a server to perform steps comprising:

receiving a report at a first server that the mobile device is lost or stolen; and

sending instructions to activate a anti-theft software module; and

receiving collected data from the mobile device.

71. The tangible storage medium of claim 70, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising sending the received collected data to a second server.

72. The tangible storage medium of claim 70, further having stored thereon processor-executable instructions to perform steps further comprising:

receiving a voice recording in the received collected data;

generating a voiceprint from the voice recording data; and

transmitting the voiceprint to a second server.