BYPASSING SECURITY AUTHENTICATION SCHEME ON A LOST DEVICE TO RETURN THE DEVICE TO THE OWNER

• US 20140199966A1
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schushan, Asaf
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method for bypassing device security protections to communicate with a contact of a secure device. The method displays a selectable user interface object on the device enabling a user to bypass the security protections of the device. Upon receiving a selection of the user interface object, the method initiates a communication to a contact that is preselected from a list of contacts.

Claims

1. A method for bypassing device security protections to communicate with a contact of a secure device, the method comprising:

displaying a selectable user interface (UI) object on the device enabling a user to bypass the security protections of the device; and

upon receiving a selection of the UI object, initiating a communication to a contact that is preselected from a list of contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of contacts is preselected from a contact list stored on the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact is associated with a set of contact modes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the contact modes are one of a phone call, a text message, an email, and a videoconference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a limit is assigned to each contact mode, wherein the method further comprises, when the limit is reached for a particular mode, disabling a communication via the particular mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a cellular phone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is Wi-Fi enabled device that requires a network connection for communicating with the contact.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the Wi-Fi device connects to the network using a router.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the router is a security encrypted router capable of providing limited connectivity to the device without requiring authentication.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of contacts comprises a plurality of privileged contacts, wherein each of the privileged contacts is associated with a set of contact modes, wherein at least two of the privileged contacts are associated with different contact modes.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the secure device is a Wi-Fi enabled device, wherein sending the communication comprises calling the contact using a third party application.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the device is a Wi-Fi enabled device, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for receiving a data message broadcast from a security enabled routing device indicating that the routing device is enabled for limited connectivity in an unsecure mode.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:

sending a connection request to connect to the router in unsecure mode; and

receiving acknowledgment from the router that a limited connection is established.

11. A machine readable medium storing a program for execution by at least one processing unit, the program for bypassing device security protections to communicate with a contact of a secure device, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

displaying a selectable user interface (UI) item on the device for enabling a user to bypass the security protections of the device;

upon receiving a selection of the UI item, initiating a communication to a contact that is preselected from a list of contacts.

12. The machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for receiving a selection of the contact before initiating the communication

13. The machine readable medium of claim 12, wherein upon receiving the selection of the contact, the program further comprises a set of instructions for displaying a list of selectable contact modes for selection by a user.

14. The machine readable medium of claim 13, where in the program further comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving a selection of another contact in the set of contacts; and

displaying a different list of selectable contact modes for selection by a user.

18. A device comprising:

a set of processing units; and

a memory storing program for execution by at least one of the processing units, the program for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for bypassing device security protections to communicate with a contact of the device, the GUI comprising;

a display area for displaying UI objects; and

a selectable UI object for enabling a user to initiate a communication with a contact of the device by bypassing the security protections of the device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein a selection of the UI object causes a display of a set of selectable contacts for sending a communication.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the set of selectable contacts are enabled through the device'"'"'s stored contact list.