APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN ANTITHEFT SECURE OPERATING SYSTEM MODULE

• US 20150242644A1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: SONASATH, Moiz Kaizar
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2127 Bluffing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/45 using multiple identity modules

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a secure operating system module are provided. The method includes receiving an activation signal to enable a secure OS module, in response to the activation signal, securing user data and disabling user control to deactivate a communication module of the portable terminal, and transmitting acquired data related to the operation of the portable terminal via the communication module.

Claims

1. A method for securing user data via an antitheft Operating System (OS) module in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

receiving an activation signal to enable a secure OS module;

in response to the activation signal, securing user data and disabling user control to deactivate a communication module of the portable terminal; and

transmitting acquired data related to the operation of the portable terminal via the communication module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving a user command to deactivate the communication module, displaying an indication that the communication module is deactivated, wherein the communication module remains enabled in response to the user command.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, if a user application being executed on the portable terminal requests to send or receive data, providing an indication that the communication module is deactivated to the user application.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to the activation signal, disabling user control to deactivate a sensor of the portable terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to receiving a user command to deactivate the sensor, displaying an indication that the communication module is deactivated, wherein the communication module remains enabled in response to the user command.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, if a user application being executed on the portable terminal requests to send data from the sensor, providing an indication that the sensor is deactivated to the user application.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to a command to power down the portable terminal, displaying a power down operation, wherein the portable terminal continues the transmitting of the acquired data after the displaying of the power down operation.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to a command to update a firmware of the portable terminal, displaying a flashing operation of the firmware, wherein the portable terminal is not updated with the firmware.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the acquired data comprises at least one of a captured image from a camera of the portable terminal, a captured moving image from a camera of the portable terminal, audio from a microphone of the portable terminal, sensor data from a sensor of the portable terminal, and usage information of the portable terminal.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising detecting if a primary battery of the portable terminal is removed and, in response, booting into a tracking mode using a secondary battery of the portable terminal.

11. An apparatus for securing user data via an antitheft Operating System (OS) module in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a display configured to display information to a user;

a communication module configured to receive an activation signal to enable a secure OS module via a communication service; and

a controller configured to, in response to the activation signal, secure user data and disable user control to deactivate the communication module,

wherein the controller is configured to acquire data related to the operation of the portable terminal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, in response to receiving a user command to deactivate the communication module, the controller is configured to enable the display to display an indication that the communication module is deactivated, wherein the communication module remains enabled in response to the user command.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to provide an indication that the communication module is deactivated to a user application being executed.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein in response to the activation signal, the controller is configured to disable user control to deactivate a sensor of the portable terminal.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, in response to receiving a user command to deactivate a sensor, the controller is configured to enable the display to display an indication that the sensor is deactivated, wherein the sensor remains enabled in response to the user command.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to provide an indication that the sensor is deactivated to a user application being executed.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, in response to a command to power down the device, the controller is configured to enable the display to display a power down operation, wherein the apparatus continues the transmitting of the acquired data after the displaying of the power down operation.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, in response to a command to update a firmware of the apparatus, the controller is configured to enable the display to display a flashing operation of the firmware, wherein the apparatus is not updated with the firmware.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the acquired data comprises at least one of a captured image from a camera of the apparatus, a captured moving image from a camera of the portable terminal, audio from a microphone of the apparatus, sensor data from a sensor of the apparatus, and usage information of the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a detachable primary battery; and

an integral secondary battery,

wherein the controller is configured to boot into a tracking mode when the primary battery is detached.