Remote control over mobile communication terminals

• US 7,299,037 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hospes, Gerd-Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson; Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/804,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20050208933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/420, 455/418, 455/558, 455/550.1, 455/410, 455/411, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/557, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/466, 455/500, 455/517, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/456.2, 455/445, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 379/433.01, 379/433.09
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Mobile communication terminals in a wireless communication network with identical (DUAL) SIM cards are provided with means for remotely switching of either of the terminals.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a memory containing a first switch-off code of the mobile communication terminal,

a processor unit controlling the status of the mobile terminal,

said mobile terminal being adapted for receiving a remote switch-off signal containing a second switch-off code via the communication network, and

the processor unit being adapted for switching off the terminal when the first switch-off code stored in the memory and the second switch-off code contained in the switch-off signal are identical.

2. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is provided with a control module comprising a remote switch-off module that receives the remote switch-off signal in the form of a remote message signal via the communication network from an owner of the mobile communication terminal.

3. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the control module comprises a terminal switch-off module, which runs a switch-off process.

4. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the response address module provides a switch-off confirmation message signal to the owner before the terminal switches completely off or a non-switch-off confirmation message signal to the owner if an error occurs.

5. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the switch-off confirmation message signal comprises a terminal EOTD location.

6. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the remote switch-off signal comprises:

a parameter for identifying it as a remote switch-off signal, and

the second switch-off code.

7. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the remote switch-off signal further comprises a response telephone number.

8. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the remote switch-off signal further comprises a response email address.

9. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the parameter for identifying the remote switch-off signal additionally comprises a password.

10. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the control module comprises a remote message signal verification module for determining if a remote message signal is a switch-off signal or a normal message signal by using the parameter for identifying the remote switch-off signal.

11. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the remote message signal verification module compares the first switch-off code stored in the memory and the second switch-off code contained in the switch-off signal.

12. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the control module comprises a response address module for detecting a response address, such as a response telephone number or a response email address, in the switch-off signal.

13. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein the remote message signal verification module deletes the first switch-off code stored in the memory of the terminal after a predetermined number of consecutive remote switch-off signals having a second switch-off code different from the first switch-off code.

14. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a menu structure for changing the switch-off code stored in the memory of the terminal.

15. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a display module for displaying a terminal switch-off message.

16. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the remote switch-off signal is a message in Short Messaging System (SMS) format.

17. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a SIM card containing a subscriber identity.

18. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 17, wherein the subscriber identity contained in the SIM card is the same subscriber identity contained in at least another SIM card.

19. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 18, wherein the processor switches off the terminal only if the remote switch-off signal is triggered by a second mobile communication terminal having a SIM card with the same subscriber identity.

20. A mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is a mobile telephone.

21. A method comprising:

sending a remote switch-off signal via a wireless communication network to a first mobile communication terminal having a given subscriber identity associated therewith,

receiving the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile communication terminal,

verifying the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile communication terminal, and

if the verifying the remote switch-off signal is positive then switching off the first mobile communication terminal.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising, before sending the remote switch-off signal, switching off a second mobile communication terminal having associated therewith the same subscriber identity as the first mobile communication terminal, and after switching off the first terminal, comprising switching on the second mobile communication terminal, and wherein in sending the remote switch-off signal the remote switch-off signal is sent from a third mobile communication terminal having associated therewith a subscriber identity different from that of the first and the second mobile communication terminals.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising before sending the remote switch-off signal switching off a second mobile communication terminal having associated therewith the same subscriber identity as the first mobile communication terminal, and after switching off the first mobile terminal switching on the second mobile communication terminal, and wherein when sending the remote switch-off signal, the remote switch-off signal is sent from a computer through an internet gateway.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the remote switch-off signal comprises:

a parameter for identifying it as a remote switch-off signal, and

a second switch-off code.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein verifying the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile terminal comprises:

recognizing said parameter for identifying a remote switch-off signal, and

comparing a first switch-off code stored in a memory of the first mobile communication terminal and the second switch-off code contained in the remote switch-off signal.

26. A method according to claim 21, further comprising, if verifying the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile terminal is positive, sending a switch off confirmation message signal before the terminal switches completely off.

27. A method according to claim 21, further comprising, if verifying the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile terminal is negative, sending a non-switch-off confirmation message signal.

28. A method according to claim 21, wherein the remote switch-off signal comprises a response telephone number and wherein verifying the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile terminal further comprises a sub-step (C.3;

C.4) comprising detecting the response telephone number.

29. A method according to claim 21, wherein the remote switch-off signal comprises a response email address and wherein verifying the remote switch-off signal on the first mobile terminal further comprises detecting the response email address.

30. A method comprising:

calling a predetermined telephone number of a wireless communication network provider from a second mobile communication terminal if the network provider verifies that a first mobile communication terminal with a given subscriber identity is switched on, the subscriber identity of the first mobile communication terminal is the same as a subscriber identity of the second terminal,

cause said network provider to verify if the first mobile communication terminal is switched on,

causing said network provider to send a remote switch-off signal to the first mobile communication terminal, and

remotely switching off the first mobile communication terminal upon receipt of the remote switch-off signal.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising between calling the predetermined telephone number and causing said network provider to verify if the first mobile communication terminal is switched on, switching off the second mobile communication terminal for a period of time.

32. A method according to claim 30, further comprising between calling the predetermined telephone number and causing said network provider to verify if the first mobile communication terminal is switched on, storing a unique code associated with the second mobile communication terminal and wherein the step of causing said network provider to verify if the first mobile communication terminal is switched on comprises:

updating the first mobile communication terminal in the wireless communication terminal,

obtaining the subscriber identity and a unique code of the first mobile communication terminal, and

recognizing that the first mobile communication terminal has the same subscriber identity but different unique code that the second mobile communication terminal.

33. A method according to claim 30, wherein the unique code is the IMEI.