Security systems for providing mobile device feature access control

• US 7,783,307 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive GmbH
• Inventors: Hovestadt, Guido
• Primary Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US11/389,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.4
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A mobile communication unit having at least one operating mode comprising a security unit for enabling/disabling at least one operating mode, whereas the security unit is designed in such a way that at least one operating mode is temporarily disabled for the user of the mobile communication system. A checkpoint communicating unit may be used to control the operating mode of the mobile communication unit. The checkpoint communicating unit may include a status extracting unit for generating a request for a security status of the operating mode or operating modes of the mobile communication unit. The checkpoint may also include a lookup table containing at least the operating mode or operating modes to be disabled in the mobile communication unit. A comparison unit may be provided for comparing the security status received from the mobile communication unit to the disabling status stored in the lookup table.

Claims

1. A mobile communication unit having at least one operating mode, the mobile communication unit comprising:

a security unit for enabling or disabling the at least one operating mode, where the security unit temporarily disables the at least one operating mode for the user of the mobile communication system;

a communication interface for receiving an enabling code from a checkpoint, a first part of the enabling code being communicated to the mobile communication unit in one communication and a second part of the enabling code being communicated in another communication; and

a mobile device storage unit for storing the second part of an enabling code when the at least one operating mode is disabled;

the security unit being configured to combine the first part and the second part of the enabling code to permit re-enabling of the at least one operating mode when the mobile communication unit receives the first part of the enabling code.

2. The mobile communication unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a command receiving unit for receiving a security command from an external communication unit, where when the mobile communication unit receives a disabling command from the external communication unit, the security unit disables the operating mode in such a way that the operating mode cannot be enabled by the user of the mobile communication unit.

3. The mobile communication unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a disabling confirmation unit which confirms a disabling status of at least one operating mode of the communication unit, the security unit being configured to store the second part of the enabling code when the disabling confirmation unit has confirmed the disabling status.

4. The mobile communication unit of claim 1 further comprising:

an operating mode status acquiring unit for acquiring the security status of said at least one operating mode.

5. The mobile communication unit of claim 1 where the operating mode of the communication unit comprises at least one of the following operating modes:

a photo operating mode, a video operating mode, a data recording operating mode, a media data reproducing mode, a noise generating mode.

6. The mobile communication of claim 1 further comprising:

an encrypting/decrypting unit for encrypting/decrypting data received from the outside or data sent to the outside.

7. A checkpoint communication unit for controlling the operating mode of a mobile communication unit, the checkpoint communication unit comprising:

a status extracting unit for generating a request for a security status of at least one operating mode of the mobile communication unit;

a look up table containing at least one operating mode to be disabled and a disabling status for the at least one operating mode to be disabled;

a checkpoint storage unit for storing a first part of an enabling code when the at least one operating mode is disabled, the checkpoint communication unit being configured to send the second part of the enabling code to the mobile communication unit when the at least one operating mode is disabled and to send the first part of the enabling code when the at least one operating mode is re-enabled;

a comparison unit for comparing the security status received from the mobile communication unit to the disabling status stored in the look up table; and

a command generating unit for generating a disabling command for the mobile communication unit when the security status of the communication unit comprises the information that one operating mode to be disabled is enabled at the mobile communication unit.

8. The checkpoint communication unit of claim 7 further comprising an interface for exchanging data with a mobile communication unit.

9. The checkpoint communication unit of claim 7 further comprising an encrypting/decrypting unit for encrypting/decrypting data received from the outside or sent to the outside.

10. A method for controlling an operating mode of a mobile communication unit, the mobile communication unit comprising at least one operating mode, the method:

detecting the mobile communication unit in a restricted area;

receiving a disabling/enabling status of the operating mode from the mobile communication unit;

generating a disabling command indicating the operating mode to be disabled and an enabling code having a first part and a second part if the disabling/enabling status of the operating mode indicates that the operating mode is to be disabled in the restricted area;

storing the first part of the enabling code in a storage unit;

sending the disabling command and the second part of the enabling code to the mobile communication unit; and

sending the first part of the enabling code to the mobile communication unit when the mobile communication unit has exited the restricted area.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether the mobile communication unit is located within a predetermined geographical area;

determining if the mobile communication unit has left said predetermined geographical area; and

permitting a re-enabling of the operating modes of the mobile communication unit, which have been previously disabled by sending the first part of the enabling code to the mobile communication unit.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

authenticating the user of the mobile communication unit.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

authenticating the checkpoint unit to the mobile communication unit.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining the operating modes of the mobile communication unit and the respective security status.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

coming to a mutual agreement with the mobile communication unit about the way of disabling the operating modes.

16. The method of claim 10 where the mobile communication unit and the checkpoint use encryption techniques during data exchange.

17. The method of claim 10 where the second part of the enabling command is communicated to the mobile communication unit via a telecommunication network.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

before the step of sending the first part of the enabling code, detecting when the mobile communication unit has exited the restricted area.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

before the step of sending the first part of the enabling code, receiving a request to re-enable the operating mode of the mobile communication unit.

20. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

comparing a security status of the operating mode of the mobile communication unit to a look up table containing a predetermined disabling status of a plurality of different operating modes.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

determining if the disabling/enabling status received from the mobile communication unit is not in correspondence to a disabling status stored in a look-up table; and

changing the operating mode of the mobile communication unit which is not in accordance with the predetermined disabling status of the look up table.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

retrieving a list of disabled operating modes;

checking whether the disabled operating modes contained in the look up table are also marked as disabled in the list transmitted from the mobile communication unit; and

determining the operating mode of the mobile communication unit which is not in accordance with the predetermined disabling status of the look-up table.

23. A method for controlling an operating mode of a mobile communication unit, the mobile communication unit having at least one operating mode, the method comprising:

detecting a checkpoint at a restricted area;

sending a disabling/enabling status of the at least one operating mode to the checkpoint;

receiving a disabling command for selected ones of the at least one operating mode and a first part of at least one enabling code having a first part and a second part, the second part being stored in the checkpoint;

disabling the selected ones of the at least one operating mode;

storing the first part of the enabling code in a storage unit in the mobile communication unit;

receiving the second part of the enabling code; and

combining the first part and the second part of the enabling code to re-enable the selected ones of the at least one operating mode.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

before the step of storing the first part of the enabling code, sending a confirmation, of the disabling of the selected ones of the at least one operating mode.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

sending a list of disabled operating modes to the checkpoint to permit a determination of a correspondence with a disabling status in a look-up table in the checkpoint.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

inputting a user input to re-enable a disabled operating mode;

re-enabling the disabled operating mode by performing the step of combining the first and second parts of the enabling code if the mobile communication unit has received the second part of the enabling code.

27. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

requesting the list of operating modes to be disabled.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

coming to a mutual agreement with the checkpoint about the way of disabling the operating modes.

29. The method of claim 23 where the mobile communication unit and the checkpoint use encryption techniques during data exchange.

30. The method of claim 23 where the mobile communication unit receives the second part of the enabling command via a telecommunication network.