Method and Apparatus for Providing a Regional Theft Guard

• US 20110212706A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Uusilehto, Janne Mika
• Application Number:
  US12/875,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20110212706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for providing a regional theft guard may include comparing, at a mobile electronic device, current device location to a set of enabled regions defined for the mobile electronic device, enabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is within an enabled region, and requesting entry of a security code in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is not within the enabled region. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing, at a mobile electronic device, current device location to a set of enabled regions defined for the mobile electronic device;

enabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is within an enabled region; and

requesting entry of a security code in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is not within the enabled region.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to define enabled regions for the mobile electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling the user to define enabled regions comprises enabling the user to select enabled regions from a map.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling the user to define enabled regions comprises enabling the user to select regions from a listing of regions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein enabling the user to select regions from the listing of regions comprises enabling the user to select regions from regions that are hierarchically organized based on geographical relationships between respective regions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting an identity of the mobile electronic device to a registry of stolen devices in response to failure to enter the security code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein disabling operation of the mobile electronic device comprises disabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code within a predetermined delay period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein disabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code within the predetermined delay period comprises disabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code within the predetermined delay period defined by a user entered value.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

compare, at a mobile electronic device, current device location to a set of enabled regions defined for the mobile electronic device;

enable operation of the mobile electronic device in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is within an enabled region; and

request entry of a security code in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is not within the enabled region.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to enable the user to define enabled regions for the mobile electronic device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to enable the user to define enabled regions by enabling the user to select enabled regions from a map.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to enable the user to define enabled regions by enabling the user to select regions from a listing of regions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to enable the user to select regions from the listing of regions by enabling the user to select regions from regions that are hierarchically organized based on geographical relationships between respective regions.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to disable operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to report an identity of the mobile electronic device to a registry of stolen devices in response to failure to enter the security code.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to disable operation of the mobile electronic device by disabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code within a predetermined delay period.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to disable operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code within the predetermined delay period by disabling operation of the mobile electronic device in response to failure to enter the security code within the predetermined delay period defined by a user entered value.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is a mobile terminal and further comprises user interface circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal.

20. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions including program code instructions to:

compare, at a mobile electronic device, current device location to a set of enabled regions defined for the mobile electronic device;

enable operation of the mobile electronic device in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is within an enabled region; and

request entry of a security code in response to a determination that the mobile electronic device is not within the enabled region.