MOBILE-DEVICE SECURITY
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for affording security to a mobile phone (1) or other mobile device that involves checks by the device (1) on reception of a code transmitted repeatedly to it from a transmitter unit (8) of a transponder (7) that is interrogated by the device (1) and carried nearby the device-user. The absence of reception of the code by the device (1) resulting from theft or other loss separating it out of range from the transponder (7), together with detection of device-movement results in an alarm which if, not acted on causes, the device (91) to enter a lock-down mode in which it cannot be turned off without entry of a correct password or other person-identifier. In this mode, operation of the device is restricted to transponder-interrogation, GPS or other tracking, and server communication via the internet (3) enabling its location to be determined.
17 Citations
54 Claims
-
1-32. -32. (canceled)
-
33. A method of affording security to a mobile device, wherein a code-transmitting unit and the mobile device are independently movable relative to one another, and the code-transmitting unit is operative to transmit a code repeatedly for reception by the mobile device subject to limitation of transmission range from the code-transmitting unit to the mobile device, and functioning of the mobile device is modified in the event that the transmitted code is not being received by the mobile device,
wherein one or more operations of the mobile device are inhibited, initiated or supported in response to whether or not movement of the mobile device is detected in conjunction with detection that the transmitted code is not being received by the mobile device.
- 48. A security system comprising a mobile device and a code-transmitting unit that are movable independently of one another, in which the code-transmitting unit is operable to transmit a code repeatedly for reception by the mobile device subject to limitation of transmission range from the code-transmitting unit to the mobile device, and in which functioning of the mobile device is modified in the event that the transmitted code is not being received by the mobile device, wherein selectively one or more operations of the mobile device are inhibited, initiated or supported in response to whether or not movement of the mobile device is detected in conjunction with detection that the transmitted code is not being received by the mobile device.
Specification