Theft-deterrence method and apparatus for processor based devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An article of manufacture, comprising:
- a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;
a plurality of programming instructions stored in the storage medium, wherein, in response to execution of the instructions by a device, the programming instructions are configured to cause the device to perform operations including;
receiving, by a manageability engine of the device, a notification indicative of an availability of a network connection from a theft-deterrence agent operated by a processor of the device in an application execution environment operated by the processor, wherein the manageability engine resides on a chipset of the device and is configured to operate concurrently with the theft-deterrence agent, outside the application execution environment, and independently from the processor;
periodically obtaining, by the manageability engine, via the network connection, a theft status of the device from a theft-deterrence server remotely disposed from the device in response to said receiving of the notification, wherein periodically obtaining includes transmitting a request message, wherein the request message includes;
the theft status currently held by the manageability engine;
a current timer value, at expiration of which, the manageability engine is configured to enforce the theft-deterrence policy on the device; and
at least one of a current platform disable priority value, a current encrypted data disable priority value, and a current theft-deterrence server rendezvous priority value; and
enforcing, by the manageability engine, a theft-deterrence policy on the device based on the theft status of the device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A manageability engine of a processor based device and a host theft-deterrence agent of the processor based device, jointly implement a theft-deterrence protocol with a theft-deterrence service, remotely disposed from the processor based device, to deter theft of the processor based device. The host theft-deterrence agent is configured to operate in a processor operated application execution environment of the processor based device, and the manageability engine is configured to operate outside the application execution environment.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An article of manufacture, comprising:
-
a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; a plurality of programming instructions stored in the storage medium, wherein, in response to execution of the instructions by a device, the programming instructions are configured to cause the device to perform operations including; receiving, by a manageability engine of the device, a notification indicative of an availability of a network connection from a theft-deterrence agent operated by a processor of the device in an application execution environment operated by the processor, wherein the manageability engine resides on a chipset of the device and is configured to operate concurrently with the theft-deterrence agent, outside the application execution environment, and independently from the processor; periodically obtaining, by the manageability engine, via the network connection, a theft status of the device from a theft-deterrence server remotely disposed from the device in response to said receiving of the notification, wherein periodically obtaining includes transmitting a request message, wherein the request message includes; the theft status currently held by the manageability engine; a current timer value, at expiration of which, the manageability engine is configured to enforce the theft-deterrence policy on the device; and at least one of a current platform disable priority value, a current encrypted data disable priority value, and a current theft-deterrence server rendezvous priority value; and enforcing, by the manageability engine, a theft-deterrence policy on the device based on the theft status of the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method, comprising:
-
determining, by a manageability engine of a device, whether a theft status of the device is stolen, on expiration of a timer, wherein determining includes transmitting a request message, wherein the request message includes; the theft status currently held by the manageability engine; a value of the timer, at expiration of which, the manageability engine is configured to enforce the theft-deterrence policy on the device; and at least one of a current platform disable priority value, a current encrypted data disable priority value, and a current theft-deterrence server rendezvous priority value; on determining that the theft status of the processor based device is stolen, alerting, by the manageability engine, a host theft-deterrence agent of the device, the host theft-deterrence agent being operated by a processor of the device in an application execution environment operated by the processor, and the manageability engine residing on a chipset of the device and being operated outside the application execution environment, concurrently with the host theft-deterrence agent and independently from the processor; causing, by the host theft-deterrence agent, on receipt of the alert, the device to reboot; and enforcing, by the manageability engine, a theft-deterrence policy on the device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a processor configured to operate a theft-deterrence agent in an application execution environment, wherein the theft-deterrence agent is configured to check availability of a network connection; and a manageability engine residing on a chipset coupled to the processor and configured to operate outside the application execution environment, concurrently with the theft-deterrence agent, and independently from the processor, wherein the manageability engine is further configured to; receive a notification indicative of the availability of a network connection from the theft-deterrence agent; periodically obtain, via the network connection, a theft status of the apparatus from a theft-deterrence server remotely disposed from the apparatus, wherein to periodically obtain the theft status, the manageability engine is configured to transmit a request message, wherein the request message includes; the theft status currently held by the manageability engine; a current value of a timer, at expiration of which, the manageability engine is configured to enforce the theft-deterrence policy on the device; and at least one of a current platform disable priority value, a current encrypted data disable priority value, and a current theft-deterrence server rendezvous priority value; and enforce a theft-deterrence policy on the apparatus based on the theft status of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A system, comprising:
-
a processor configured to operate a theft-deterrence agent in an application execution environment, wherein the theft-deterrence agent is configured to check availability of a network connection; a manageability engine residing on a chipset coupled to the processor and configured to operate outside the application execution environment, concurrently with the theft-deterrence agent, and independently from the processor, wherein the manageability engine is further configured to; receive a notification indicative of the availability of a network connection from the theft-deterrence agent; periodically obtain, via the network connection, a theft status of the apparatus from a theft-deterrence server remotely disposed from the apparatus, wherein to periodically obtain the theft status, the manageability engine is configured to transmit a request message, wherein the request message includes; the theft status currently held by the manageability engine; a current value of a timer, at expiration of which, the manageability engine is configured to enforce the theft-deterrence policy on the device; and at least one of a current platform disable priority value, a current encrypted data disable priority value, and a current theft-deterrence server rendezvous priority value; and enforce a theft-deterrence policy on the apparatus based on the theft status of the apparatus; and a BIOS coupled to the manageability engine and configured to obtain a system lock down status from the manageability engine.
-
Specification