MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF

• US 20150072726A1
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stern, Allon Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,064,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile communication device is provided. The mobile communication device includes a housing and an input device operable with the housing. Actuating the input device enables a user to at least one of change and verify an operational status of the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device also includes an indicator coupled in communication with said input device and configured to provide feedback to the user based on the operational status of the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device having a plurality of operational statuses, said device comprising:

a housing;

an input device coupled to said housing, wherein actuating said input device enables a user to at least one of change and verify the operational status; and

an indicator coupled in communication with said input device and configured to provide feedback to the user based on the operational status of the mobile communication device.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input device is configured to transition a focus of the mobile communication device between personas running on the mobile communication device.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input device is configured to display root of trust information to confirm that the mobile communication device is in a trusted state.

4. The device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the root of trust information comprises root of trust information for at least one of the mobile communication device and a persona running on the mobile communication device.

5. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises at least one visual indicator coupled to said housing, said at least one visual indicator configured to be activated in a predetermined configuration to indicate the operational status of the mobile communication device.

6. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said indicator comprises a first visual indicator associated with a first persona running on the mobile communication device and a second visual indicator associated with a second persona running on the mobile communication device.

7. The device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first visual indicator is active when the first persona is in focus and the second visual indicator is active when the second persona is in focus.

8. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input device and said indicator are isolated in hardware such that said input device and said indicator are inaccessible from untrusted code running on the mobile communication device.

9. A method of operating a mobile communication device having a plurality of operational statuses and that includes a housing and an input device coupled to the housing, said method comprising:

receiving an indication of actuation of the input device by a user;

at least one of changing and verifying the operational status of the mobile communication device upon receiving the indication of actuation; and

providing, by the mobile communication device, feedback indicating the operational status of the mobile communication device.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein at least one of changing and verifying an operational status comprises transitioning a focus of the mobile communication device from a first persona to a second persona running on the mobile communication device.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising attesting to a physical presence of the user relative to the mobile communication device upon receiving the indication of actuation.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein providing feedback to the user comprises activating a first visual indicator when a first persona is in focus and activating a second visual indicator when a second persona is in focus.

13. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising:

requesting the user to input credentials into the mobile communication device, wherein the indication of actuation is received after prompting the user; and

displaying root of trust information upon receiving the indication of actuation.

14. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising:

requesting the user to input credentials into the mobile communication device, wherein the indication of actuation is received after prompting the user; and

activating at least one visual indicator in a predetermined configuration upon receiving the indication of actuation.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions thereon for operating a mobile communication device having a plurality of operational statuses and that includes a processor, a housing, and an input device coupled to the housing, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

at least one of change and verify the operational status of the mobile communication device when the input device is actuated; and

activate an indicator to provide feedback to a user based on the operational status of the mobile communication device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to:

transition a focus of the mobile communication device between personas running on the mobile communication device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to:

activate a first visual indicator when a first persona is in focus; and

activate a second visual indicator when a second persona is in focus.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to:

display root of trust information while requesting a response to input user credentials into the mobile communication device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to:

attest to a physical presence of the user relative to the mobile communication device when the input device is actuated.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to:

isolate the input device and the indicator such that the input device and the indicator are inaccessible from untrusted code running on the mobile communication device.