Limiting device function
First Claim
1. A method for external control over operation of an electronic device having a wireless receiver, comprising:
- broadcasting a wireless control message within a broadcast range established by a controlling system, wherein the control message includes an instruction to limit operation of one or more components within the electronic device;
receiving the instruction in the wireless receiver while the device is located within the broadcast range; and
responsive to the instruction, setting one or more electronic gates implemented as hardware in the device that control operation of the one or more components.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and computer program product that send wireless control messages to electronic devices, such as audio and video recorders, cameras, radios, televisions, mobile phones, portable or handheld computers and personal digital assistants, that have come within an environment or that are in an environment that changes. In such an environment, a wireless receiver in the mobile electronic device receives the control messages. In a hardware implementation, electronic gates are set to disable the one or more features of the device. In a software implementation, current power status flags are set in a memory device within the mobile electronic device to a reduced power setting. Outside the environment, the electronic gates or power status flags revert to full power. The device driver for each feature of the mobile electronic device will reject I/O operations inconsistent with the current power status flags for that feature.
31 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for external control over operation of an electronic device having a wireless receiver, comprising:
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broadcasting a wireless control message within a broadcast range established by a controlling system, wherein the control message includes an instruction to limit operation of one or more components within the electronic device; receiving the instruction in the wireless receiver while the device is located within the broadcast range; and responsive to the instruction, setting one or more electronic gates implemented as hardware in the device that control operation of the one or more components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for external control over operation of an electronic device having a wireless receiver, comprising:
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broadcasting a wireless control message within a broadcast range established by a controlling system without identifying the electronic device, wherein the control message includes an instruction to limit operation of one or more components within the electronic device; receiving the instruction in the wireless receiver when the device is located within the broadcast range; communicating the instruction from the wireless receiver to one or more device drivers that operate the one or more components; and refusing commands delivered to the one or more device drivers that violate the instruction. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product that includes instructions embodied on a computer readable medium for external control over operation of an electronic device having a wireless receiver, the instructions comprising:
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broadcasting instructions for broadcasting a wireless control message within a broadcast range established by a controlling system, wherein the control message includes a limiting instruction to limit operation of one or more components within the electronic device; receiving instructions for receiving the limiting instruction in the wireless receiver while the device is located within the broadcast range; and setting instructions, responsive to the limiting instructions, for setting one or more electronic gates implemented as hardware in the electronic device that control operation of the one or more device components. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product that includes instructions embodied on a computer readable medium for external control over operation of an electronic device having a wireless receiver, the instructions comprising:
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receiving instructions for receiving a wireless control message not specifically addressed to the electronic device, wherein the message includes operating limits for one or more components within the electronic device; communicating instructions for communicating the operating limits from the wireless receiver to one or more device drivers that operate the one or more components; and refusing commands delivered to the one or more device drivers that violate the operating limits. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification