Portable computing device communication system and method
First Claim
1. A method of communicating between a portable computing device and a host computer, the method comprising:
- storing a plurality of possible responsive actions that may be taken by the portable computing device in the event that the portable computing device is reported missing, the responsive actions being stored at a location accessible by the host computer and remote from the portable computing device;
at the host computer, receiving from an interest holder in the portable computing device, a report indicating that the portable computing device is missing;
at the host computer, in response to the report, registering the portable computing device as having a missing status;
at the host computer, designating at least one responsive action, from the plurality of responsive actions, to be taken by the portable computing device upon registration of the missing status, wherein the designated responsive action includes retrieving data from the portable computing device;
establishing contact between the portable computing device and the host computer via a communication network; and
sending an instruction from the host computer to the portable computing device, instructing the portable computing device to take the responsive action;
at the portable computing device, executing at least a portion of the designated responsive action.
21 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of communicating between a portable computing device and a host computer is provided. The method typically includes storing a responsive action to be taken in the event that the portable computing device becomes missing. Typically, the responsive action is stored at a location accessible by the host computer, such as on an associated database. The method also includes registering the portable computing device as having a missing status, establishing contact between the portable computing device and the host computer via a communication network, and instructing the portable computing device to take the responsive action. The method may include before registering the portable computing device as having a missing status, receiving a report from an interest holder in the portable computing device that the portable computing device is missing, and storing the missing status in a database associated with the host computer. The responsive action may be retrieving or deleting data from the portable computing device, restricting user access to the portable computing device, and/or tracking the location of the portable computing device.
112 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method of communicating between a portable computing device and a host computer, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of possible responsive actions that may be taken by the portable computing device in the event that the portable computing device is reported missing, the responsive actions being stored at a location accessible by the host computer and remote from the portable computing device;
at the host computer, receiving from an interest holder in the portable computing device, a report indicating that the portable computing device is missing;
at the host computer, in response to the report, registering the portable computing device as having a missing status;
at the host computer, designating at least one responsive action, from the plurality of responsive actions, to be taken by the portable computing device upon registration of the missing status, wherein the designated responsive action includes retrieving data from the portable computing device;
establishing contact between the portable computing device and the host computer via a communication network; and
sending an instruction from the host computer to the portable computing device, instructing the portable computing device to take the responsive action;
at the portable computing device, executing at least a portion of the designated responsive action. - 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, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of communicating between a portable computing device and a host computer, the method comprising:
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determining a contact schedule;
configuring the portable computing device and host computer to establish contact via a communication network periodically according to the contact schedule;
receiving from an interest holder in the portable computing device an indication of a responsive action to be taken in the event that the portable computing device has a missing status;
storing the responsive action in a location accessible by host computer and remote from the portable computing device;
receiving from the interest holder a report that the portable computing device has the missing status;
registering the portable computing device as having the missing status in a database associated with the host computer;
establishing contact between the portable computing device and the host computer via a communication network according to the contact schedule; and
sending instructions from the host computer to the portable computing device instructing the portable computing device to take the responsive action, wherein the portable computing device at least partially executes the responsive action, and wherein the responsive action includes retrieving data from the portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification