Method for protecting data stored in lost mobile terminal and recording medium therefor

• US 6,741,851 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Tae-seung, Lee, Sang-seo
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J
• Application Number:
  US09/653,209
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/418-420, 455/466, 455/414.1, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

A method for protecting data stored in a lost mobile terminal and a recording medium for storing the data are provided. In the method, a user who has lost the mobile terminal transmits protection control information to the lost mobile terminal, using a communication apparatus. The lost mobile terminal receives and discriminates the protection control information. User identifying information, which is included in the protection control information, is compared with information which is previously stored in the lost mobile terminal. When the user identifying information is identical to the information previously stored in the lost mobile terminal, the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal is processed according to the user'"'"'s data protection request which is included in the protection control information.

Claims

1. A method for protecting data which is stored in a lost mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting protection control information, which is provided by a user who has lost the lost mobile terminal, to the lost mobile terminal using a communication apparatus;

(b) receiving the protection control information at the lost mobile terminal;

(c) comparing user identifying information which is included in the protection control information with information which is previously stored in the lost mobile terminal; and

(d) processing the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal according to a data protection request of the user which is included in the protection control information, when the user identifying information is identical to the information previously stored in the lost mobile terminal,

wherein the data protection request comprises at least one of an unreadable data request for altering the data stored in the lost mobile terminal into an unreadable form and a data removal request for removing the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (a) comprises calling the lost mobile terminal for a short message service and transmitting the protection control information to the lost mobile terminal using the short message service, and the step (b) further comprises identifying at the lost mobile terminal the protection control information in a received short message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) further comprises determining whether the protection control information is encrypted text and decrypting the protection control information if it is determined that the protection control information is encrypted text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the step (c), the user identifying information included in the protection control information is a password which is entered by the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the step (c), the user identifying information included in the protection control information includes as least one of a user fingerprint and a user voice.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of types of user identifying information used to authenticate the identity of the user varies between a plurality of predetermined security levels.

5. A method for protecting data which is stored in a lost mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) requesting data protection service of a base station via a communication apparatus by a user who has lost the lost mobile terminal;

(b) authenticating an identity of the user at the base station;

(c) transmitting protection control information, which is provided by the user, via the base station to the lost mobile terminal if the identity of the user is authenticated;

(d) receiving the protection control information at the lost mobile terminal;

(e) comparing user identifying information which is included in the protection control information with information which is previously stored in the lost mobile terminal; and

(f) processing the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal according to a data protection request of the user which is included in the protection control information, when the user identifying information is identical to the information previously stored in the lost mobile terminal,

wherein the data protection request comprises at least one of an unreadable data request for altering the data stored in the lost mobile terminal into an unreadable form and a data removal request for removing the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) determining at the base station whether the protection control information provided by the user is encrypted text, if the identity of the user is authenticated; and

(c2) adding additional protection control information, which is provided by the base station, to the protection control information which is provided by the user; and

transmitting the protection control information and the additional protection control information to the lost mobile terminal, if the protection control information which is provided by the user is encrypted text, and transmitting the protection control information, if the protection control information which is provided by the user is not encrypted text.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) determining at the base station whether the protection control information provided by the user is encrypted text, if the identity of the user is authenticated;

(c2) adding additional protection control information, which is provided by the base station, to the protection control information which is provided by the user, if the protection control information which is provided by the user is encrypted text;

(c3) calling the lost mobile terminal for short message service; and

(c4) transmitting the protection control information and the additional protection control information from the base station to the lost mobile terminal using the short message service if the protection control information which is provided by the user is encrypted text, and transmitting the protection control information from the base station to the lost mobile terminal using the short message service if the protection control information which is provided by the user is not encrypted text, and

the step (d) further comprises identifying the protection control information in a short message which is received by the lost mobile terminal.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein, in the step (e), the user identifying information which is included in the protection control information is a password which is entered by the user.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein, in the step (e), the user identifying information which is included in the protection control information includes at least one a user fingerprint and a user voice.

17. The method of claim 5, wherein a number of types of user identifying information used to authenticate the identity of the user varies between a plurality of predetermined security levels.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the security levels requires the user to send a digital certificate to the base station, and

wherein the digital certificate is used to authenticate the identity of the user.

9. A recording medium for storing a data protection method, which is performed on data, which is stored in a lost mobile terminal, by the lost mobile terminal, in the form of program codes which can be executed in a computer, wherein the program codes are made to execute the steps of:

discriminating protection control information, which is provided by a user for data protection, from a received short message;

comparing user identifying information, which is included in the protection control information with information which is previously stored in the lost mobile terminal; and

processing the data stored in the lost mobile terminal according to a user data protection request which is included in the protection control information when the protection control information is identical to the previously stored information, wherein the data protection request comprises at least one of an unreadable data request for altering the data stored in the lost mobile terminal into an unreadable form and a data removal request for removing the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a message format of the protection control information comprises a protection control information identifier, an area for discriminating plain text from encrypted text, a protection service index which defines a type of the user data protection request, and the user identifying information which is compared with the information which is previously stored in the recording medium in the lost mobile terminal.

11. A recording medium for storing a data protection method, which is performed on data, which is stored in a lost mobile terminal, by the mobile terminal, in the form of program codes which can be executed in a computer, wherein the program codes are made to execute the steps:

discriminating protection control information, which is provided by a user and a base station for data protection, from a received short message;

comparing at least one user identifying information and network identifying information, which are included in the protection control information with information which is previously stored in the recording medium to correspond to the protection control information; and

processing the data stored in the mobile terminal according to a data protection request of the user which is included in the protection control information when the protection control information is identical to the previously stored information, wherein the data protection request comprises at least one of an unreadable data request for altering the data stored in the lost mobile terminal into an unreadable form and a data removal request for removing the data which is stored in the lost mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the message format of the protection control information comprises a protection control information identifier, an area for discriminating plain text from encrypted text, a protection service index which defines a type of the user data protection request, and the user identifying information which is to be compared with the information which is previously stored in the recording medium in the lost mobile terminal.

13. A recording medium for storing a data protection method, which is supported by a base station to be performed on data, which is stored in a lost mobile terminal, in the form of program codes which can be executed in a computer, wherein the program codes are made to execute the steps of:

authenticating an identity of a user when the user requests data protection service;

receiving protection control information which is provided by the user for protecting the data, which is stored in the lost mobile terminal, if the identity of the user is authenticated;

adding additional protection control information provided by a base station, if the protection control information received from the user is encrypted text; and

transmitting the protection control information and the additional protection control information to the lost mobile terminal using short message service.