Enabling remote and anonymous control of mobile and portable multimedia devices for security, tracking and recovery

• US 8,401,521 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fahnert, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US12/323,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20100130178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/144, 455/414.1, 455/141.2, 455/420, 455/125, 455/156.1, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

Aspects of the invention comprise a remote tracking and control server operable to transparently activate control of resources and to monitor operations on a target handheld communication device utilizing code installed on the handheld device. The resources may comprise a camera, microphone, GPS receiver, input device, display, speaker, wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver. The monitoring and/or controlling activity is protected from interruption. The handheld device may be accessed by a securely stored unique identifier. Access to the controlling function and/or the resources by a user of the handheld device may be restricted. Monitored information is stored on the handheld device and communicated to the tracking server. The control server may receive monitored information from the handheld device whenever the device is coupled to a communication network. Monitoring may be initiated based on detected motion, sound, user input, video and/or touch.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

activating by a first communication device, control of one or more resources on a handheld communication device to monitor one or more unauthorized operations by an unauthorized user of said handheld communication device, wherein;

said monitoring occurs without knowledge of the unauthorized user of said handheld communication device;

a unique identifier is securely stored on said handheld communication device under control of an owner or authorized user of said handheld communication device, said unique identifier configured for authentication of said handheld communication device by the first communication device for controlling said one or more resources, and

secure executable code is installed on said handheld communication device by the owner or authorized user of said first communication device, wherein;

said secure executable code and said unique identifier are inaccessible via an operating system shell of said handheld communication device; and

without knowledge of said unauthorized user of said handheld communication device, said secure executable code enables said monitoring;

in response to said activating, receiving by said first communication device, monitored information from said handheld communication device produced by said unauthorized operation by said unauthorized user of said handheld communication device; and

accessing said handheld communication device by the unique identifier of said handheld communication device that is securely stored within said handheld communication device, the unique identifier being independent of a network access identifier for the handheld communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising restricting from said first communication device, access to said activating of said control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising restricting from said first communication device, control of said one or more resources by a user of said handheld communication device, during said monitoring.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising executing said secure executable code that is installed on said handheld communication device and is inaccessible via said operating system shell of said handheld communication device, to prevent unauthorized interruption of said monitoring.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more resources on said handheld communication device comprise a camera, a microphone, a GPS receiver, input device, a display, a speaker, a wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating by said first communication device, control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device comprise controlling one or more resources on said handheld communication device based on one or more profiles, wherein said one or more profiles comprise a user profile and/or a device profile.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said received monitored information from said handheld communication device comprises an identity of said handheld communication device.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving said monitored information from said handheld communication device whenever said handheld communication device is communicatively coupled to a communication network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating by said first communication device comprise remotely configuring one or more devices on said handheld communication device to communicate information related to a detected activity to said first communication device during said monitoring.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said detected activity comprise motion, sound, user input, video, touch and audio.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first communication device comprises one or both of a server and another handheld communication device.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising causing secure storing of said monitored information on said handheld communication device by said first communication device.

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving by said first communication device, said stored monitored information.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said activating by said first communication device is communicated via an SMS message sent from a handheld device and/or via a message sent by a service provider.

15. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a first communication device, said one or more circuits are operable to activate control of one or more resources by an unauthorized user on a handheld communication device to monitor one or more unauthorized operations of said handheld communication device by the unauthorized user, wherein;

said monitoring occurs without knowledge of the unauthorized user of said handheld communication device;

a unique identifier is securely stored on said handheld communication device under control of an owner or authorized user of said handheld communication device, said unique identifier configured for authentication of said handheld communication device by the first communication device for controlling said one or more resources, and

secure executable code is installed under control of the owner or authorized user of said handheld communication device on said handheld communication device, wherein;

said secure executable code and the unique identifier are inaccessible via an operating system shell of said handheld communication device; and

said secure executable code enables said monitoring;

said one or more circuits are operable to receive by said first communication device, monitored information due to unauthorized usage of said handheld communication device by said unauthorized user from said handheld communication device, in response to said activation; and

said one or more circuits are operable to access said handheld communication device by the unique identifier of said handheld communication device that is securely stored within said handheld communication device, the unique identifier being independent of a network access identifier for the handheld communication device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to restrict from said first communication device, access to said activating of said control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to restrict from said first communication device, control of said one or more interface resources by a user of said handheld communication device, during said monitoring.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to prevent unauthorized interruption of said monitoring utilizing said secure executable code that is installed on said handheld communication device and is inaccessible via said operating system shell of said handheld communication device.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more resources on said handheld communication device comprise a camera, a microphone, a GPS receiver, input device, a display, a speaker, a wireless and/or wire-line transmitter and/or receiver.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to remotely activate control of said one or more resources on said handheld communication device is based on one or more profiles.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said one or more profiles comprise a user profile and/or a device profile.

22. The system according to claim 15, wherein said received monitored information from said handheld communication device comprises an identity of said handheld communication device.

23. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive said monitored information from said handheld communication device whenever said handheld communication device is communicatively coupled to a communication network.

24. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to remotely configure one or more devices on said handheld communication device to communicate information related to a detected activity to said first communication device during said monitoring.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said detected activity comprise motion, sound, user input, video, touch and audio.

26. The system according to claim 15, wherein said first communication device comprises one or both of a server and another handheld communication device.

27. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to cause secure storage of said monitored information on said handheld communication device by said first communication device.

28. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive by said first communication device, said stored monitored information.

29. The system according to claim 15, wherein said activating by said first communication device is communicated via an SMS message sent from a handheld device and/or via a message sent by a service provider.

30. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a first handheld communication device;

receiving a unique identifier for the first handheld communication device;

securely storing the unique identifier within the first handheld communication device so that the unique identifier is inaccessible or hidden from unauthorized access;

receiving a surveillance status of said first handheld communication device from a second communication device, the surveillance status established by an authorized user of the first communication device to monitor use of the first handheld communication device by an unauthorized user; and

in response to the received surveillance status, communicating the unique identifier for authentication and confirmation of the status of the first communication device;

based on said received surveillance status, controlling by secure executable code located within said first handheld communication device, said secure executable code being inaccessible via an operating system on said first handheld communication device, one or more of;

monitoring local control of device resources in said first communication device wherein said local control is performed by a local user who is an unauthorized user of said first communication device;

monitoring usage of device resources in said first communication device and corresponding data generated by said usage, wherein

said usage is performed by said unauthorized local user of said first communication device; and

activating resources within said first handheld communication device to monitor activity by said unauthorized local user of said first handheld communication device; and

communicating by said first handheld communication device to said second communication device, monitored information from said first communication device; and

providing access to said first handheld communication device by the unique identifier of said handheld communication device that is securely stored within said handheld communication device, the unique identifier being independent of a network access identifier for the handheld communication device.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

storing by secure executable code as relatively low level microcode instructions in the first handheld communication device, the microcode instructions being inaccessible or hidden from unauthorized access.