System and method for identifying and locating wireless devices that are being operated by unauthorized users

• US 8,406,736 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Das, Indrajitkumar, Kumar, Chitra
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US12/346,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20100167753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.31, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/556.1, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method of locating a wireless device being operated by an unauthorized user is provided. The method comprises examining biometric information of an operator of the wireless device, determining if the operator is authorized based on the biometric information, and transmitting a message to a remote recipient in response to determining the operator is not authorized. In certain embodiments, the message can include the location of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of locating a wireless device being used by an unauthorized operator, the method comprising:

examining biometric information of the operator of the wireless device;

determining if the operator is authorized based on the biometric information;

determining a first location information of the wireless device indicating its first position;

storing the determination of authorization of the operator and further storing the determined first location information in a non-volatile memory in the wireless device, such that the determination and the first location information persists in the event of a loss of power to the wireless device;

transmitting a first message to a remote recipient in response to determining the operator is not authorized, the first message including the biometric information of the operator and the first location information of the wireless device;

determining a second location information of the wireless device indicating its second position;

storing the determined second location information in the non-volatile memory; and

transmitting a second message to the remote recipient in response to a movement of the wireless device, the second message including the biometric information of the operator and the second location of the wireless device that is different than the first location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the biometric information of the operator with a biometric reading device of the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the wireless device determining a location of itself in response to determining the operator is not authorized; and

the wireless device transmitting the location of itself from the wireless device to the remote recipient.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising periodically repeating transmission of the message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the wireless device comprises using a Global Positioning System signal to determine the location.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the location of the wireless device comprises receiving location information from a cellular communication antenna.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing authenticated biometric information to the wireless device; and

associating the authenticated biometric information with an authorized operator of the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the operator is authorized comprises comparing the biometric information to the authenticated biometric information.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

capturing, by the wireless device, at least one image of environmental surroundings of the wireless device;

storing the at least one image in the non-volatile memory of the wireless device; and

transmitting the at least one image within the first message and the second message.

10. A method of providing a location of a wireless device, the method comprising:

determining that an operator of the wireless device is an unauthorized user based on biometric information of the operator;

storing the determination in a non-volatile memory in the wireless device, such that the determination persists in the event of a loss of power to the wireless device;

determining the initial location of the wireless device in response to the determining step;

storing the determined initial location of the wireless device in the non-volatile memory;

transmitting information including the biometric information of the operator and indicating the initial location of the wireless device; and

transmitting additional information in response to a movement of the wireless device, the additional information including the biometric information of the operator and indicating a different location of the wireless device that is different than the initial location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording the initial location of the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining an updated location of the wireless device after recording the initial location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the updated location to the initial location;

comparing a distance between the updated location and the initial location to a predetermined distance.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting information indicating the updated location in response to detecting the distance is greater than the predetermined distance.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting information indicating the initial location in response to detecting the distance is less than or equal to the predetermined distance.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising recording the updated location of the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the operator of the wireless device is an unauthorized user comprises:

receiving a biometric scan with a biometric sensor of the wireless device; and

comparing the biometric scan to a collection of authorized biometric scans; and

determining the operator of the wireless device is an unauthorized user when the biometric scan is not contained in the collection of authorized biometric scans.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining at least one of the initial and the different location of the wireless device comprises using a Global Positioning System signal to determine at least one of the initial and the different location.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

capturing, by the wireless device, at least one image of environmental surroundings of the wireless device;

storing the at least one image in the non-volatile memory of the wireless device; and

transmitting the at least one image within the first message and the second message.

20. A wireless device comprising:

a first wireless antenna adapted to communicate with a remote recipient;

a biometric sensor adapted to inspect an operator to create a first biometric reading;

a non-volatile memory device storing the first and a second biometric reading, a determined first and a second location information of the wireless device, such that the first and the second biometric readings, the first and the second location information persist in the event of a loss of power to the wireless device; and

a system controller coupled to and adapted to control the first wireless antenna and the biometric sensor, the system controller further adapted to receive information from the non-volatile memory device, to compare the first biometric reading to the second biometric reading, and to transmit biometric information indicating unauthorized use at the first location of the wireless device and additional biometric information in response to a movement of the wireless device to the different second location using the first wireless antenna when the first and second biometric readings are not substantially the same.

21. The wireless device of claim 20, further comprising a second wireless antenna, the system controller further adapted to determine a location of the wireless device with the second wireless antenna in response to determining the first and second biometric readings are incompatible and to transmit information indicating the location using the first wireless antenna.

22. The wireless device of claim 20, further comprising an image capturing device for capturing at least one image of environmental surroundings of the wireless device, wherein the non-volatile memory device stores the at least one image of the environmental surroundings, and further wherein the system controller is adapted to transmit the at least one image of the environmental surroundings.