METHOD AND SYSTEM OF RECOVERING LOST MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20110070898A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kamath, Ashwin, Sanjeev, Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

An approach is provided for remotely controlling and/or tracking mobile devices. A request is received to track a mobile device. A control signal is generated, in response to the request, to remotely activate an application on the mobile device for controlling an audio interface or an imaging interface of the mobile device to capture a signal from the audio interface or the imaging interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to track a mobile device; and

generating, in response to the request, a control signal to remotely activate an application on the mobile device for controlling an audio interface or an imaging interface of the mobile device to capture a signal from the audio interface or the imaging interface.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the control signal to the mobile device over a wireless network as part of a short messaging service message.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the application, spatial positioning information corresponding to a location of the mobile device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the audio interface corresponds to a microphone, the imaging interface corresponds to a camera, and the signal relates to acoustics or one or more images of an environment of the mobile device.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the signal over a wireless network; and

presenting the signal or information corresponding to the signal via a networked interface.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving another request to deactivate the mobile device; and

generating another control signal,

wherein the another control signal at least causes a memory of the mobile device to be erased.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an image of the memory before the memory is erased; and

storing the image to a networked repository.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring transmissions associated with the mobile device; and

storing information corresponding to the transmissions to a networked repository.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving another request to transmit the signal or information corresponding to the signal to an administrative agency;

generating a report including the signal or the information; and

transmitting the report to the administrative agency.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive a request to track a mobile device; and

a processor configured to generate, in response to the request, a control signal to remotely activate an application on the mobile device for controlling an audio interface or an imaging interface of the mobile device to capture a signal from the audio interface or the imaging interface.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication interface is further configured to transmit the control signal to the mobile device over a wireless network as part of a short messaging service message.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive, from the application, spatial positioning information corresponding to a location of the mobile device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive the signal over a wireless network and the processor is further configured to present the signal or information corresponding to the signal via a networked interface.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive another request to deactivate the mobile device and the processor is further configured to generate another control signal, the another control signal being configured to at least cause a memory of the mobile device to be erased.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive an image of the memory before the memory is erased and store the image to a networked repository.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a module configured to monitor transmissions associated with the mobile device and to store information corresponding to the transmissions to a networked repository.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a report including the signal or information corresponding to the signal based on a request, received via the communication interface, to transmit the report to an administrative agency, and the communication interface is further configured to transmit the report to the administrative agency.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, a control signal configured to remotely activate an application stored to the mobile device, wherein the application is configured to control an audio interface or an imaging interface of the mobile device; and

executing the application based on the control signal to capture a signal from the audio interface or the imaging interface.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the control signal is received over a wireless network as part of a short messaging service message.

20. A method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting, over a wireless network, the signal captured from the audio interface or the imaging interface to a tracking platform.