Method and apparatus to monitor and locate an electronic device using a secured intelligent agent
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for tracing an electronic device comprising the steps of:
- providing an Agent within the electron device, the Agent configured to transmit identifying indicia for the electronic device and/or its device components to a host system at a predetermined schedule without further intervention by the electronic device or user upon activation;
activating the Agent;
at the predetermined schedule, the Agent establishing a communication link between the electronic device and the host system and transmitting the identifying indicia to the host system without intervention by the electronic device or user;
enabling the host system to determine the location of the electronic device based on tracing of the communication link.
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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 the electronic device. The security system may be embodied in internal memory devices such as ROM BIOS, ROM, Flash ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, electronic components such as modem, CPU, or hardwired circuits or integrated circuits of a computer. This security system initiates the 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
47 Claims
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1. A method for tracing an electronic device comprising the steps of:
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providing an Agent within the electron device, the Agent configured to transmit identifying indicia for the electronic device and/or its device components to a host system at a predetermined schedule without further intervention by the electronic device or user upon activation;
activating the Agent;
at the predetermined schedule, the Agent establishing a communication link between the electronic device and the host system and transmitting the identifying indicia to the host system without intervention by the electronic device or user;
enabling the host system to determine the location of the electronic device based on tracing of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for tracing a computer comprising the steps of:
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providing an Agent within the computer, the Agent configured to transmit identifying indicia for the computer or its device components to a host system at a predetermined time without further intervention by the computer or user upon activation;
activating the Agent;
at the predetermined time, the Agent establishing a communication link between the computer and the host system and transmitting the identifying indicia to the host system without intervention by the computer or user;
enabling the host system to determine the location of the computer based on tracing of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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- 23. The method of claim 23 wherein said device components further include ROM BIOS, central processing unit and modem.
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26. An apparatus for tracing an electronic device comprising:
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an agent imbedded within the electronic device, the Agent configured to establish a communication link between the electronic device and a host system and transmit identifying indicia for the electronic device and/or its device components to the host system at a predetermined schedule without further intervention by the electronic device or user upon activation;
means for activating the Agent;
means for enabling the host system to determine the location of the electronic device based on tracing of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus for tracing a computer comprising:
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an Agent imbedded within the computer, the Agent configured to establish a communication link between the computer and a host system and transmit identifying indicia for the computer and/or its device components to a host system at a predetermined time without further intervention by the computer or user upon activation;
means for activating the Agent;
means for enabling the host system to determine the location of the computer based on tracing of the communication link. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An electronic device comprising:
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an agent imbedded within the electronic device, the Agent configured to establish a communication link between the electronic device and a host system and transmit identifying indicia for the electronic device and/or its device components to the host system at a predetermined schedule without further intervention by the electronic device or user upon activation;
means for activating the Agent;
means for enabling the host system to determine the location of the electronic device based on tracing the communication link.
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47. A computer comprising:
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processing means operable with an operating system;
a storage device storing application programs and data;
an input and output interface;
means for communicating with a host computer;
an Agent imbedded within the computer, the Agent configured to establish a communication link between the computer and a host system via said communicating means and transmit identifying indicia for the computer and/or its device components to the host system at a predetermined time without further intervention by the electronic device or user upon activation;
means for activating the Agent;
means for enabling the host system to determine the location of the computer based on tracing of the communication link.
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Specification