Mobile phone policy management

• US 7,826,835 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zimmer, Vincent J., Rothman, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/014,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20060135140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/466, 455/456.3, 455/420, 455/41.2, 4555561-5562, 455/575.3, 348/211.13, 348/211.8, 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to attempting to control and monitor a number of features associated with a mobile telephone and, more specifically, to attempting to turn a specific feature, such as, for example, the ability to take pictures, on or off based upon a set policy scheme.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a control command from a cell transceiver with a mobile phone having a plurality of features;

determining if the control command requests the alteration of the behaviour of a requested one of the plurality of features under a predetermined policy corresponding to the mobile phone, wherein the policy is based on at least, user information as indicated by an identification device external to the mobile phone, wherein determining if the control command requests the alteration of the behaviour of a feature includes determining if the control command requests the disabling of an ability to record image(s);

if the mobile phone is authorized, altering operation of the requested feature, wherein altering the requested feature includes attempting to disable the ability to record image(s);

if the mobile phone is not authorized to use the feature in the area, requesting, by the cell transceiver, that the feature of the mobile phone be altered until the mobile phone receives a predetermined trigger allowing the mobile phone to reset to normal operation;

refusing to facilitate communication, with the cell transceiver, between the mobile phone and a telephone network if the mobile phone is not an enhanced mobile phone; and

refusing to facilitate communication, with the cell transceiver, between the mobile phone and the telephone network if the mobile phone includes a feature that is not authorized and the feature cannot be altered to comply with the policy.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the control command does not request the alteration, responding to the control command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature includes at least one feature selected from the group of abilities comprising:

text messaging;

Short Message Service (SMS);

email;

playing a ring tone;

vibrating;

video conferencing;

recording image(s);

recording audio;

playing audio;

acting as a computer; and

acting as a personal digital assistant.

4. The method of claim 1, where attempting to alter the requested feature includes an action selected from the group of actions comprising:

activating the feature;

deactivating the feature; and

modifying the behaviour of the feature.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a trigger; and

attempting to unalter the feature.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving a trigger includes transitioning to a new cell transceiver.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein attempting to alter the requested feature further includes transmitting a message that indicates the results of the attempted alteration.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a control command that requests an enumeration of supported features; and

transmitting a message that includes an enumeration of supported features.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein attempting to alter the requested feature includes:

detecting if a user approves of the requested alteration of the feature; and

if approved, altering the requested feature.

10. An article comprising:

a machine accessible medium having a plurality of machine accessible instructions, for attempting to optimize code layout, wherein when the instructions are executed, the instructions provide for;

receiving a control command from a cell transceiver with a mobile phone having a plurality of features;

determining if the control command requests the alteration of the behaviour of a requested one of the plurality of features under a predetermined policy corresponding to the mobile phone, wherein the policy is based on at least, user information as indicated by an identification device external to the mobile phone, wherein determining if the control command requests the alteration of the behaviour of a feature includes determining if the control command requests the disabling of an ability to record image(s);

if the mobile phone is authorized, altering operation of the requested feature, wherein altering the requested feature includes attempting to disable the ability to record image(s);

if the mobile phone is not authorized to use the feature in the area, requesting, by the cell transceiver, that the feature of the mobile phone be altered until the mobile phone receives a predetermined trigger allowing the mobile phone to reset to normal operation;

refusing to facilitate communication, with the cell transceiver, between the mobile phone and a telephone network if the mobile phone is not an enhanced mobile phone; and

refusing to facilitate communication, with the cell transceiver, between the mobile phone and the telephone network if the mobile phone includes a feature that is not authorized and the feature cannot be altered to comply with the policy.

11. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions providing for, if the control command does not request the alteration, responding to the control command.

12. The article of claim 10, wherein the feature includes at least one feature selected from the group of abilities comprising:

text messaging;

Short Message Service (SMS);

email;

playing a ring tone;

vibrating;

video conferencing;

recording image(s);

recording audio;

playing audio;

acting as a computer; and

acting as a personal digital assistant.

13. The article of claim 10, where the instructions providing for attempting to alter the requested feature includes instructions providing for an action selected from the group of actions comprising:

activating the feature;

deactivating the feature; and

modifying the behaviour of the feature.

14. The article of claim 13, further comprising instructions providing for:

receiving a trigger; and

attempting to unalter the feature.

15. The article of claim 14, wherein the instructions providing for receiving a trigger includes instructions providing for transitioning to a new cell transceiver.

16. The article of claim 13, wherein the instructions providing for attempting to alter the requested feature further includes instructions providing for transmitting a message that indicates the results of the attempted alteration.

17. The article of claim 16, further comprising instructions providing for:

receiving a control command that requests an enumeration of supported features; and

transmitting a message that includes an enumeration of supported features.

18. The article of claim 13, wherein the instructions providing for attempting to alter the requested feature includes instructions providing for:

detecting if a user approves of the requested alteration of the feature; and

if approved, altering the requested feature.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a cell transceiver capable of sending and receiving wireless cellular communication signals between a mobile phone having at least one feature and the cell transceiver, wherein the at least one feature includes an ability to record image(s) and the transceiver is capable of receiving from a cell transceiver a control command including a request to disable the ability to record image(s), the call transceiver to determine if the control command requests the alteration of the behaviour of a requested one of the plurality of features under a predetermined policy corresponding to the mobile phone, wherein the policy is based on at least, user information as indicated by an identification device external to the mobile phone the cell transceiver to refuse to facilitate communication, with the cell transceiver, between the mobile phone and a telephone network if the mobile phone is not an enhanced mobile phone and to refusing to facilitate communication, with the cell transceiver, between the mobile phone and the telephone network if the mobile phone includes a feature that is not authorized and the feature cannot be altered to comply with the policy; and

a feature controller capable of altering the behaviour of the features in response to receiving a command from the cell transceiver, wherein the feature controller is capable of upon receiving the control command attempting to disable the ability to record image(s);

wherein at least one of the wireless signals received from the cell transceiver includes a request for the feature controller to alter the behaviour of at least one feature.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein

the transceiver is further capable of receiving a control command;

and the feature controller is further capable of;

determining if the control command requests the alteration of the behaviour of a feature; and

if so, attempting to alter the requested feature.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, the feature controller is further capable of:

receiving a trigger; and

attempting to unalter the feature.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one feature includes at least one feature selected from the group of abilities comprising:

text messaging;

Short Message Service (SMS);

email;

playing a ring tone;

vibrating;

video conferencing;

recording image(s);

recording audio;

playing audio;

acting as a computer; and

acting as a personal digital assistant.