Apparatus and method for monitoring electronic devices via a global network
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for tracing an electronic device having an agent, said agent used for providing identifying indicia and location information for said electronic device to a host system, said electronic device connectable to said host system through a global network, said method comprising the steps of:
- loading said agent within said electronic device for initiating communication with said host system such that said agent evades detection;
automatically providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said global network for determining the identity of said electronic device; and
providing said host system with one or more of the global network communication links used to enable transmission between said electronic device and said host system, said communication links used for determining the location of said electronic device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for locating and monitoring electronic devices utilizing a security system that is secretly and transparently embedded within the software, firmware, or hardware of a computer. This security system initiates the client computer to periodically and conditionally call a host system to provide unique identifying indicia and location information. In one embodiment, the security system calls the host through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and transmits the indicia in encoded form. In an alternative embodiment, which may be incorporated concurrently with the PSTN application, the security system calls the host system through the Internet and provides the host with indicia encoded within the DNS query sent. The host system is able to identify the calling computer from the indicia and is able to physically locate the computer through either caller identification or by referencing the Internet links which were used to connect the calling computer with the host system.
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. A method for tracing an electronic device having an agent, said agent used for providing identifying indicia and location information for said electronic device to a host system, said electronic device connectable to said host system through a global network, said method comprising the steps of:
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loading said agent within said electronic device for initiating communication with said host system such that said agent evades detection;
automatically providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said global network for determining the identity of said electronic device; and
providing said host system with one or more of the global network communication links used to enable transmission between said electronic device and said host system, said communication links used for determining the location of said electronic 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, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for monitoring an electronic device connectable to a host system through a global network, said electronic device having an agent, said agent providing identifying indicia for determining the identity of said electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:
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loading said agent within said device such that said agent evades detection; and
automatically providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said network without causing audible or visual signals to be emitted from said electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An apparatus for tracing an electronic device connectable to a host system through a global network, said electronic device having an agent, said agent providing identifying indicia and location information for said electronic device to said host system, said apparatus comprising:
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means for loading said agent within said electronic device such that said agent evades detection;
means for automatically providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said global network; and
means for providing said host system with one or more of the global network communication links used to enable transmission between said electronic device and said host system, said communication links used for determining the location of said electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. An apparatus for monitoring an electronic device connectable to a host system through a global network, said electronic device having an agent for providing identifying indicia for said electronic device to determine the identity of said electronic device, said apparatus comprising:
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means for loading said agent within said electronic device such that said agent evades detection; and
means for automatically providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said global network without causing audible or visual signals to be emitted from said electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A method for tracing an electronic device having an agent, said agent used for providing identifying indicia and location information to a host system, said electronic device connectable to said host system through the Internet, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said Internet for determining the identity of said electronic device; and
providing said host system with one or more of the Internet communication links used to enable transmission between said electronic device and said host system, said communication links used for determining the location of said electronic device.
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73. An apparatus for tracing an electronic device connectable to a host system through the Internet, said electronic device having an agent, said agent providing identifying indicia and location information for said electronic device to said host system, said apparatus comprising:
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means for providing said host system with said identifying indicia through said Internet; and
means for providing said host system with one or more of the Internet communication links used to enable transmission between said electronic device and said host system, said communication links used for determining the location of said electronic device.
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74. An agent for use in an electronic device, said electronic device connectable to a telecommunications interface connected to a telecommunications system, a remote host system also connected to said telecommunications system, said agent comprising:
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means for periodically initiating and communicating with said host system without human intervention; and
means for preparing said electronic device to transmit unique location information to said host system. - View Dependent Claims (75)
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Specification