Unauthorized Location Detection and Countermeasures
First Claim
1. A mobile device operable to communicate with a wireless network and configured to detect unauthorized location attempts, comprising:
- a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions that upon execution cause the processor to execute an operational procedure, the memory comprising;
instructions for identifying a sequence of events that includes an event indicating that a location subsystem of the mobile device was activated;
instructions for determining that the sequence of events is indicative of an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device; and
instructions for logging the sequence of events as an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A location sentry system is provided for use within a mobile device. The sentry system can be configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate mobile devices by monitoring messages passed between the mobile device and the wireless network and/or messages passed between components of the mobile device, and determining that one or more of the messages is/are indicative of an attempt to locate the mobile device. In response to a determination that an unauthorized attempt has been detected, the location sentry can be configured to take one or more actions. For example, the location sentry system could prevent location information from being sent back to the wireless network and/or the location sentry system could cause incorrect information to be sent to the wireless network.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A mobile device operable to communicate with a wireless network and configured to detect unauthorized location attempts, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions that upon execution cause the processor to execute an operational procedure, the memory comprising; instructions for identifying a sequence of events that includes an event indicating that a location subsystem of the mobile device was activated; instructions for determining that the sequence of events is indicative of an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device; and instructions for logging the sequence of events as an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a location sentry system for use in a mobile device, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
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instructions for logging a group of events in a database of the mobile device; instructions for detecting, in the group of events, an event indicating that location information was placed in an outgoing message queue for transmission to a base station; instructions for determining that the sequence of events is indicative of an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device; and instructions for logging the group of events as an attempt to locate the mobile device; wherein the instructions for determining that the group of events is indicative of an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device further comprise at least one of;
(a) instructions for determining that an event is present within the group of events that indicates that a location subsystem was accessed;
(b) instructions for determining that an event is present within the group of events that indicates that a global positioning system receiver of the mobile device was activated; and
(c) instructions for determining that an event is present within the group of events that indicates that the mobile device entered into a scanning mode for receiving beacon timing information from a plurality of base stations. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A location sentry method for use in a mobile device, comprising:
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analyzing, by a first location sentry module encapsulating a wireless receiver application program interface, message traffic for messages indicative of requests for location information; and displaying an alert on a user interface of the mobile device indicating that an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device was detected in response to detecting a message indicative of a request for location information.
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48. A location sentry method for use in a mobile device, comprising:
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analyzing, by a first location sentry module encapsulating a wireless receiver application program interface, message traffic for messages indicative of requests for location information; and displaying an alert on a user interface of the mobile device indicating that an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device was detected in response to detecting a message indicative of a request for location information; and
further comprising;analyzing, by a second location sentry module encapsulating an application program interface that interfaces a location subsystem with the operating system, attempts to access the location subsystem for unauthorized attempts to access the location subsystem; and displaying the alert on a user interface of the mobile device indicating that an attempt to locate the mobile device was detected in response to detecting that an unauthorized program accessed the location subsystem.
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49. A location sentry method for use in a mobile device, comprising:
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analyzing, by a first location sentry module encapsulating a wireless receiver application program interface, message traffic for messages indicative of requests for location information; and displaying an alert on a user interface of the mobile device indicating that an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device was detected in response to detecting a message indicative of a request for location information; and
further comprising;analyzing, by a third location sentry module encapsulating a wireless transmitter application program interface, messages placed within an outgoing message queue for the wireless transmitter for unauthorized attempts to transmit location information; and displaying the alert on a user interface of the mobile device indicating that an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device was detected in response to detecting a message within the outgoing message queue that includes location information that was sent by an unauthorized program.
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50. A mobile device configured to detect unauthorized location attempts, comprising:
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means for emulating a wireless radio transmitter subsystem for a wireless receiver configured to receive messages from a wireless radio transmitter subsystem for transmission to a wireless network and analyze the messages for attempts to transmit location information to a wireless network; and means for causing an alert to be displayed on a user interface responsive to a determination that an attempt to transmit location information was detected. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A computer-readable medium for use in a mobile device including a location sentry configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate the mobile device, comprising:
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instructions for a location subsystem application program interface configured to receive requests to access the location subsystem and monitor the requests for unauthorized attempts to access the location subsystem; and instructions for displaying an alert on a user interface in response to detecting an unauthorized attempt to access the location subsystem.
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54. A computer-readable medium for use in a mobile device including a location sentry configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate the mobile device, comprising:
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instructions for a location subsystem application program interface configured to receive requests to access the location subsystem and monitor the requests for unauthorized attempts to access the location subsystem; and instructions for displaying an alert on a user interface in response to detecting an unauthorized attempt to access the location subsystem; and
further comprising;instructions for a wireless receiver subsystem application program interface configured to receive messages from the wireless receiver subsystem and monitor the messages for location information requests; and wherein the instructions for the wireless receiver subsystem application program interface are further configured to determine that location information requests are indicative of attempts to locate the mobile device.
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55. A computer-readable medium for use in a mobile device including a location sentry configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate the mobile device, comprising:
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instructions for a location subsystem application program interface configured to receive requests to access the location subsystem and monitor the requests for unauthorized attempts to access the location subsystem; and instructions for displaying an alert on a user interface in response to detecting an unauthorized attempt to access the location subsystem;
further comprising;instructions for a wireless transmitter subsystem application program interface configured to monitor messages from applications for messages including location information; and wherein the instructions for the wireless transmitter subsystem application program interface are further configured to determine that messages including location information are indicative of attempts to locate the mobile device.
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56. A mobile device configured to operate within a wireless network and configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate the mobile device, comprising:
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a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions that upon execution cause the processor to; detect an unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device; and send incorrect information to the wireless network in response to the detection of the unauthorized attempt to locate the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification