Apparatus, method and system for detection and recovery of missing wireless devices in communication systems

• US 6,813,498 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Durga, Visweswararao, Sharifian, Saeid
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/698,577
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/426.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/447, 455/517, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/574, 455/343, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/7.21, 340/7.22, 340/7.26, 340/5.39, 340/825.49, 342/357.01, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

Apparatus, method and system embodiments are illustrated which provide for detection and recovery of missing wireless devices in communication systems. The preferred system embodiment includes a mobile switching center, an adjunct network entity, a base station, and a mobile unit, such as a cellular telephone or a wireless personal digital assistant. The adjunct network entity, such as an intelligent network server, has a detection and recovery application for determining, when a mobile unit is missing, a recovery identification and a recovery channel for the missing mobile unit. The mobile switching center then transmits a recovery page to the mobile unit via the base station, in which the recovery page includes information specifying the recovery identification and the recovery channel. The mobile unit, upon reception of a recovery page, enters a recovery mode and transmits a recovery signal on the recovery channel, with the recovery signal including the recovery identification. In the preferred embodiment, the recovery signal also includes global positioning system information. In addition, the recovery signal may be utilized to track, locate and recover the missing mobile unit. In the preferred embodiment, the mobile unit in the recovery mode also disables access to or deletes any stored data within the mobile unit.

Claims

1. A method of detecting and recovering a mobile unit, the method comprising:

(a) determining a recovery identification and a recovery channel;

(b) transmitting a recovery page to the mobile unit, the recovery page including information specifying the recovery identification and the recovery channel;

(c) in response to the recovery page, entering a recovery mode and transmitting a recovery signal from the mobile unit on the recovery channel, the recovery signal including the recovery identification; and

(d) utilizing the recovery signal, locating the mobile unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) recovering the mobile unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:

disabling access to data stored in the mobile unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:

deleting data stored in the mobile unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:

transmitting data stored in the mobile unit for back up storage in a predetermined location; and

disabling access to the data stored in the mobile unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:

transmitting global positioning system information of the mobile unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:

disabling non-recovery mode functionality of the mobile unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises:

transmitting the recovery page from a plurality of mobile switching centers through a plurality of base stations to the mobile unit having a recovery sleep mode.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises:

transmitting the recovery page from a serving mobile switching center, through a base station, to the mobile unit which has registered within a geographic region served by the base station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further, comprises:

transmitting information specifying the recovery identification and the recovery channel to an enforcement authority for detection and tracking of the recovery signal.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an independent source of power for the recovery mode of the mobile unit.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the recovery page is distinctive from any other signal of a first plurality of signals transmitted to the mobile unit and wherein the recovery signal is distinctive from any other signal of a second plurality of signals transmitted from the mobile unit.

13. A system for detecting and recovering a mobile unit, the system comprising:

an adjunct network entity having a detection and recovery application for determining a recovery identification and a recovery channel;

a base station for wireless communication with the mobile unit;

a mobile switching center coupled to the adjunct network entity and to the base station, the mobile switching center operative to transmit a recovery page to the mobile unit via the base station, the recovery page including information, specifying the recovery identification and the recovery channel;

the mobile unit responsive to a recovery page to enter a recovery mode and transmit a recovery signal on the recovery channel, the recovery signal including the recovery identification; and

means to locate the mobile unit utilizing the recovery signal.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means to recover the mobile unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the means to recover the mobile unit include a mobile enforcement authority.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the means to locate the mobile unit include a mobile receiver for reception and tracking of the recovery signal.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit is further responsive in the recovery mode to disable access to data stored in the mobile unit.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit is further responsive in the recovery mode to delete data stored in the mobile unit.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit is further responsive in the recovery mode to transmit data stored in the mobile unit to the mobile switching center for back up storage in a predetermined location and to disable access to the data stored in the mobile unit.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit is further responsive in the recovery mode to transmit global positioning system information to the mobile switching center.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit is further responsive in the recovery mode to disable non-recovery mode functionality.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit has a recovery sleep mode when powered off and wherein the system further comprises a plurality of mobile switching centers to transmit a plurality of recovery pages through a plurality of base stations.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile switching center is further operative to transmit information specifying the recovery identification and the recovery channel to an enforcement authority for detection and tracking of the recovery signal.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile unit has an independent source of power for the recovery mode of the mobile unit.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the recovery page is distinctive from any other signal of a first plurality of signals transmitted to the mobile unit and wherein the recovery signal is distinctive from any other signal of a second plurality of signals transmitted from the mobile unit.

26. An apparatus for detecting and recovering a mobile unit, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for communication with the mobile unit;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the network interface and to the memory, the processor, when operative, configured to transmit a recovery page to the mobile unit via the network interface, the recovery page including information specifying a recovery identification and a recovery channel;

the processor further configured to detect via the network interface a recovery signal transmitted from the mobile unit on the recovery channel, the recovery signal including the recovery identification, and the processor further configured to locate the mobile unit utilizing the recovery signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to locate the mobile unit through global positioning system information included within the recovery signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to locate the mobile unit within a geographic region served by a base station receiving the recovery signal.

29. An apparatus for providing detection and recovery of a mobile unit, the mobile unit operative for wireless communication with a switching center via a base station, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for reception of a recovery page and for transmission of a recovery signal;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the network interface and to the memory, the processor, when operative, configured, in response to reception of the recovery page, the recovery page including specification of a recovery identification and a recovery channel, to enter a recovery mode and transmit a recovery signal on the recovery channel, the recovery signal including the recovery identification.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured in the recovery mode to disable access to data stored in the memory.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured in the recovery mode to delete data stored in the memory.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured in the recovery mode to transmit data stored in the memory to the mobile switching center for back up storage in a predetermined location and to disable access to the data stored in the memory.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured in the recovery mode to determine global positioning system information and to transmit the global positioning system information in the recovery signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured in the recovery mode to disable non-recovery mode functionality.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a power supply coupled to the processor, the memory and the network interface, the power supply independent from any source of power to the mobile unit, wherein the processor has a recovery sleep mode for reception of the recovery page and transmission of the recovery signal when the mobile unit is powered off.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the apparatus is embodied within a mobile telephone.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the apparatus is embodied within a personal digital assistant.

38. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the apparatus is embodied within a computer.