Method and apparatus for rendering stolen computing devices inoperable

• US 6,643,781 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriam, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): HUA, LY
• Application Number:
  US09/311,786
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/168, 713/169, 713/172, 380/211, 380/255, 380/233, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

The present invention requires a computing device to interact with an authorized host computer on a fairly regular basis in order to maintain operability. In one embodiment, there is stored within the computing device an authorization parameter. This parameter is checked upon the occurrence of certain events to determine whether it has expired. If the authorization parameter has expired, then the present invention renders the computing device inoperable. The only way to update this parameter, and hence to maintain operability, is for the computing device to interact with an authorized host computer. Unless a thief knows which host computer to contact, and how to properly interact with that host computer (both of which are unlikely), the authorization parameter of a stolen device will not be updated. As a result, the stolen device will become inoperable within a relatively short time after the theft. By rendering a stolen device inoperable in this manner, the present invention significantly reduces the resale value of the device. This in turn removes the incentive for stealing the device in the first place. In this manner, the present invention deters the theft of computing devices.

Claims

1. A method for operating a computing device, comprising:

determining whether the computing device has been re-authorized by an authorized host computer prior to expiration of an authorization parameter; and

in response to a determination that the computing device has not been re-authorized by the authorized host computer prior to the expiration of said authorization parameter, preventing further operation of the computing device,

wherein the expiration of said authorization parameter is determined based upon a use-based expiration policy, such that said authorization parameter expires after a certain functionality has been invoked a certain number of times.

2. A method for operating a computing device, comprising:

determining whether the computing device has been re-authorized by an authorized host computer prior to expiration of an authorization parameter; and

in response to a determination that the computing device has not been re-authorized by the authorized host computer prior to the expiration of said authorization parameter, preventing further operation of the computing device,

wherein determining and preventing are performed during a boot-up process prior to loading of an operating system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein preventing comprises:

preventing an operating system from loading.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein preventing comprises:

preventing a boot-up process from proceeding.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein preventing comprises:

displaying a challenge to a user;

receiving a response from the user to said challenge;

determining whether said response is correct for said challenge; and

in response to a determination that said response is not correct, preventing further operation of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein determining and preventing are carried out by one or more processors executing at least a subset of a set of management instructions, and wherein said management instructions cannot be reprogrammed by an end user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said management instructions reside in firmware.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said authorization parameter cannot be altered by a program created by an end user.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

communicating with a host computer;

determining whether the computing device should be re-authorized; and

in response to a determination that the computing device should be re-authorized, updating said authorization parameter to re-authorize the computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the computing device should be reauthorized comprises:

determining whether the host computer is an authorized host computer.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the computing device should be re-authorized comprises:

determining whether the host computer has indicated that the computing device is to be re-authorized.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein updating is carried out by one or more processors executing at least a subset of a set of management instructions, and wherein said management instructions cannot be reprogrammed by an end user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said management instructions reside in firmware.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said authorization parameter cannot be updated by a program created by an end user.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said updating is carried out by one or more processors executing a set of re-authorization instructions, and wherein said authorization parameter can be updated only by said one or more processors while executing said set of re-authorization instructions.

30. The method of claim 2, wherein the expiration of said authorization parameter is determined based upon a time-based expiration policy such that said authorization parameter expires after a period of time.

16. A computing device, comprising:

a storage having stored therein an authorization parameter;

a mechanism for determining whether said computing device has been re-authorized by an authorized host computer prior to expiration of said authorization parameter; and

a mechanism for preventing, in response to a determination that the computing device has not been re-authorized by the authorized host computer prior to the expiration of said authorization parameter, further operation of said computing device,

wherein said mechanism for determining and said mechanism for preventing are invoked during a boot up process for said computing device prior to loading of an operating system.

17. The computing device of claim 16, where said mechanism for preventing prevents further operation of said computing device by preventing an operating system from loading.

18. The computing device of claim 16, where said mechanism for preventing prevents further operation of said computing device by preventing a boot up process from proceeding.

19. The computing device of claim 16, wherein said mechanism for determining and said mechanism for preventing comprise one or more processors executing at least a subset of a set of management instructions, and wherein said management instructions cannot be reprogrammed by an end user.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein said management instructions reside in firmware.

21. The computing device of claim 16, wherein said authorization parameter cannot be altered by a program created by an end user.

22. The computing device of claim 21, wherein said storage is implemented in firmware.

23. The computing device of claim 16, wherein said mechanism for preventing comprises:

a mechanism for displaying a challenge to a user;

a mechanism for receiving a response from the user to said challenge;

a mechanism for determining whether said response is correct for said challenge; and

a mechanism for preventing, in response to a determination that said response is not correct, further operation of said computing device.

24. The computing device of claim 16, further comprising:

a mechanism for communicating with a host computer;

a mechanism for determining whether said computing device should be re-authorized; and

a mechanism for updating, in response to a determination that said computing device should be re-authorized, said authorization parameter to re-authorize said computing device.

25. The computing device of claim 24, wherein said mechanism for updating comprises one or more processors executing at least a subset of a set of management instructions, and wherein said management instructions cannot be reprogrammed by an end user.

26. The computing device of claim 25, wherein said management instructions reside in firmware.

27. The computing device of claim 24, wherein said authorization parameter cannot be altered by a program created by an end user.

28. The computing device of claim 24, wherein said mechanism for updating comprises one or more processors executing a set of re-authorization instructions, and wherein said authorization parameter can only be altered by said one or more processors while executing said re-authorization instructions.

29. A computing device, comprising:

a storage having stored therein an authorization parameter;

a mechanism for determining whether said computing device has been re-authorized by an authorized host computer prior to expiration of said authorization parameter; and

a mechanism for preventing, in response to a determination that the computing device has not been re-authorized by the authorized host computer prior to the expiration of said authorization parameter, further operation of said computing device;

wherein the expiration of said authorization parameter is determined based upon whether a certain functionality has been invoked a certain number of times.