MOBILE DEVICE TO DETECT UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOUR

• US 20130196649A1
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Flanagan, Jessica M., Paddon, Michael William, Duggan, Matthew C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• 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: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/122 Counter-measures against attacks; Protection against rogue devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for a mobile device to detect unexpected behavior associated with the mobile device. The mobile device may include a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to monitor at least one of physical conditions and/or device actions associated with the mobile device. If a call or a data transmission is requested, the processor may be configured to compare the monitored physical conditions and/or device actions to an anomaly threshold value and may execute an anomaly exception routine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor to;

monitor at least one of physical conditions and/or device actions associated with the mobile device; and

if a call or a data transmission is requested, to compare the monitored physical conditions and/or device actions to an anomaly threshold value, and to execute an anomaly exception routine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein, the data transmission is a text message.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein, the processor is configured to execute the anomaly exception routine including requiring a user to enter a confirmation of the requested call or data transmission through a user interface.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein, the processor is configured to execute the anomaly exception routine including alerting a user of the requested call or data transmission by a visual display on the display device or an audio sound.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein, the processor is configured to execute the anomaly exception routine including disabling the mobile device.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein a monitored physical condition is use of a user interface by a user.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon movement of the mobile device measured by the accelerometer.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon pressure sensor readings of the pressure sensor of the mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the pressure sensor is located on at least one of a backside, a frontside, or a side of the mobile device.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a camera, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon external environmental light presence or light from a display device measured by the camera.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein device actions include voice calls, text messages, application usage, or Internet usage.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein time factors are utilized in the measurement of the monitored physical condition and device actions for implementation in an anomaly handling process to determine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

13. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein weighting factors are selected for the monitored physical conditions and the monitored device actions in an anomaly handling process to determine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein prior approvals of calls or data transmissions by a user after the anomaly threshold has been met and the anomaly exception routine has been implemented increases the weighting factors for the monitored physical conditions and the monitored device actions in the anomaly handling process.

15. A method for a mobile device comprising:

performing a monitoring process to monitor at least one of physical conditions and/or device actions associated with the mobile device; and

if a call or a data transmission is requested, performing an anomaly handling process to compare the monitored physical conditions and/or device actions to an anomaly threshold value, and performing an anomaly exception routine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, the data transmission is a text message.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein, performing the anomaly exception routine comprises requiring a user to enter a confirmation of the requested call or data transmission.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein, performing the anomaly exception routine includes alerting a user of the requested call or data transmission by a visual display or an audio sound.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein, performing the anomaly exception routine includes disabling the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon use of a user interface by a user.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon movement of the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon pressure sensor readings of a pressure sensor of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon external environmental light presence.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein device actions include voice calls, text messages, application usage, or Internet usage.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein time factors are utilized in the measurement of the monitored physical condition and device actions for implementation in the anomaly handling process to determine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting weighting factors for the monitored physical conditions and the monitored device actions in the anomaly handling process to determine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein prior approvals of calls or data transmissions by a user after the anomaly threshold has been met and the anomaly exception routine has been implemented increases the weighting factors for the monitored physical conditions and the monitored device actions in the anomaly handling process.

28. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising code for;

performing a monitoring process to monitor at least one of physical conditions and/or device actions associated with the mobile device; and

if a call or a data transmission is requested, performing an anomaly handling process to compare the monitored physical conditions and/or device actions to an anomaly threshold value, and performing an anomaly exception routine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein, the data transmission is a text message.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein, the anomaly exception routine further comprises code for requiring a user to enter a confirmation of the requested call or data transmission.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein, the anomaly exception routine further comprises code for alerting a user of the requested call or data transmission by a visual display or an audio sound.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein, the anomaly exception routine further comprises code for disabling the mobile device.

33. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon use of a user interface by a user.

34. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon movement of the mobile device.

35. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon pressure sensor readings of a pressure sensor of the mobile device.

36. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon external environmental light presence.

37. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein device actions include voice calls, text messages, application usage, or Internet usage.

38. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising code for selecting time factors for utilization in the measurement of the monitored physical condition and device actions for implementation in the anomaly handling process to determine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

39. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising code for selecting weighting factors for the monitored physical conditions and the monitored device actions in the anomaly handling process to determine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein prior approvals of calls or data transmissions by a user after the anomaly threshold has been met and the anomaly exception routine has been implemented increases the weighting factors for the monitored physical conditions and the monitored device actions in the anomaly handling process.

41. A mobile device comprising:

means for performing a monitoring process to monitor at least one of physical conditions and/or device actions associated with the mobile device;

means for performing an anomaly handling process to compare the monitored physical conditions and/or device actions of the monitoring process to an anomaly threshold value; and

means for performing an anomaly exception routine if the anomaly threshold value is exceeded.

42. The mobile device of claim 41, wherein, the data transmission is a text message.

43. The mobile device of claim 41, wherein, the anomaly exception routine includes means for requiring a user to enter a confirmation of the requested call or data transmission.

44. The mobile device of claim 41, wherein, the anomaly exception routine includes means for alerting a user of the requested call or data transmission by a visual display or an audio sound.

45. The mobile device of claim 41, wherein, the anomaly exception routine includes means for disabling the mobile device.

46. The mobile device of claim 41, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon use of a user interface by a user.

47. The mobile device of claim 41, further comprising means for measuring movement of the mobile device, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon movement of the mobile device.

48. The mobile device of claim 41, further comprising means for reading pressure against the mobile device, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon reading pressure against the mobile device.

49. The mobile device of claim 41, further comprising means for determining external light presence, wherein a monitored physical condition is based upon external environmental light presence.

50. The mobile device of claim 41, wherein device actions include voice calls, text messages, application usage, or Internet usage.