Systems and methods for controlling operation of a mobile station

• US 8,413,217 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhatia, Ashok
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US12/398,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 726 18- 21, 726/44, 382/115
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• 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 telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein allow a requesting party to control use of another user'"'"'s mobile station. In some aspects, a server is configured to communicate with a plurality of remote computer systems and target mobile stations. The server includes a memory device and a processor configured to access data and logic instructions embedded on the memory device. The server authenticates a requesting party accessing the computer server from one of the remote communication systems. The requesting party is not a user of a selected one of the target mobile stations. The server receives selective availability attributes for the selected one of the target mobile stations from the requesting party. The selective availability attributes indicate conditions under which the target mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the target mobile station under a plurality of conditions when the target mobile station is enabled. The server further determines when the target mobile station is operational and downloads the selective availability attributes to the target mobile station when the target mobile station is operational.

Claims

1. A system for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station comprising:

a computer server to communicate with a plurality of remote computer systems and target mobile stations, the server including a memory device and a processor to access data and logic instructions stored on the memory device;

wherein the logic instructions are executable by the processor to;

authenticate a requesting party accessing the computer server from one of the remote communication systems;

process received selective availability attributes for the selected one of the target mobile stations from the requesting party, the selective availability attributes indicating conditions under which the target mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the target mobile station under a plurality of conditions at least partially in response to the target mobile station being enabled;

in response to a determination that the target mobile station is operational, initiate downloading of the selective availability attributes to the target mobile station; and

initiate transmission of an alert message to the requesting party in response to receiving a communication from the target mobile station indicating that a detected condition of the target mobile station contravenes an expected condition of the mobile station, the expected condition of the mobile device being based, at least in part, on at least one of the selective availability attributes as downloaded.

2. The system for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 1, wherein the logic instructions are further executable by the processor to:

process a first message received from the target mobile station indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the selected one of the target mobile stations; and

initiate transmission of a second message to the requesting party indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the selected one of the target mobile stations.

3. The system for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 1, wherein the logic instructions are further executable by the processor to:

allow the requesting party to view and modify the selective availability attributes currently downloaded in the selected one of the target mobile stations.

4. The system for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 1, wherein the logic instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine a plurality of target mobile stations associated with the requesting party;

present options to select one of the target mobile stations associated with the requesting party; and

allow the requesting party to specify different sets of selective availability attributes for different ones of the plurality of the target mobile stations.

5. The system for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 1, further comprising:

the selective availability attributes restrict features available on the target mobile station while the target mobile station is moving faster than a specified speed.

6. The system for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 1, further comprising:

the selective availability attributes restrict features available on the target mobile station during a specified time period.

7. A mobile station comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code executable by the processor to;

process and store selective availability attributes received from a central server, the selective availability attributes indicating conditions under which the mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the mobile station under a plurality of conditions at least partially in response to the target mobile station being enabled;

transmit a message to the central server indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the mobile station; and

transmit a communication to the central server indicating that a detected condition of the target mobile station contravenes an expected condition of the mobile station, the expected condition of the mobile device being based, at least in part, on at least one of the selective availability attributes as downloaded.

8. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the logic instructions are further executable by the processor to:

restrict features available on target mobile station at least partially in response to the mobile station moving faster than a speed specified in the selective availability attributes.

9. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the logic instructions are further executable by the processor to:

restrict features available on the mobile station during a time period specified in the selective availability attributes.

10. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the logic instructions are further executable by the processor to:

require authentication information before storing the selective availability attributes.

11. A method of remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station comprising:

authenticating a requesting party accessing a computer server from a remote communication system;

receiving selective availability attributes for a target mobile station from the requesting party, wherein the requesting party is not a user of the target mobile station, the selective availability attributes indicating conditions under which the target mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the target mobile station under a plurality of conditions at least partially in response to the target mobile station being enabled;

in response to a determination that the target mobile station is operational downloading the selective availability attributes to the target mobile station; and

transmitting an alert message to the requesting party in response to receiving a communication from the target mobile station indicating that a detected condition of the target mobile station contravenes an expected condition of the mobile station, the expected condition of the mobile device being based, at least in part, on at least one of the selective availability attributes as downloaded.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a first message from the target mobile station indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the target mobile station; and

transmitting a second message to the requesting party indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the target mobile station.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

allowing the requesting party to view and modify the selective availability attributes currently downloaded in the target mobile station.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a plurality of target mobile stations associated with the requesting party;

presenting options to select one of the target mobile stations associated with the requesting party; and

allowing the requesting party to specify different sets of selective availability attributes for different ones of the plurality of the target mobile stations.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the selective availability attributes restrict features available on the target mobile station while the target mobile station is moving faster than a specified speed.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the selective availability attributes restrict features available on the target mobile station during a specified time period.

17. A method of remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station comprising:

receiving and storing selective availability attributes in a mobile station, the selective availability attributes indicating conditions under which the mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the mobile station when the target mobile station is enabled, wherein the availability attributes are generated by a requesting party and the availability attributes cannot be modified or deleted by the user of the mobile station;

transmitting a message to a server indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the mobile station; and

transmitting a communication to the server indicating that a detected condition of the target mobile station contravenes an expected condition of the mobile station, the expected condition of the mobile device being based, at least in part, on at least one of the selective availability attributes as downloaded.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

restricting features available on target mobile station while the mobile station is moving faster than a speed specified in the selective availability features.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

restricting features available on the mobile station during a time period specified in the selective availability attributes.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

requiring authentication information before storing the selective availability attributes.

21. A computer server for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station comprising:

means for authenticating a requesting party accessing a computer server from a remote communication system;

means for receiving selective availability attributes for a target mobile station from the requesting party, the selective availability attributes indicating conditions under which the target mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the target mobile station under a plurality of conditions at least partially in response to the target mobile station being enabled means for downloading the selective availability attributes to the target mobile station; and

means for providing an alert message to the requesting party in response to receiving a communication from the target mobile station indicating that a detected condition of the target mobile station contravenes an expected condition of the mobile station, the expected condition of the mobile device being based, at least in part, on at least one of the selective availability attributes as downloaded.

22. The computer server for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving a first message from the target mobile station indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the target mobile station; and

means for transmitting a second message to the requesting party indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the target mobile station.

23. The computer server for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 21, further comprising:

means for allowing the requesting party to view and modify the selective availability attributes currently downloaded in the target mobile station.

24. The computer server for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 21, further comprising:

means for determining a plurality of target mobile stations associated with the requesting party;

means for presenting options to select one of the target mobile stations associated with the requesting party; and

means for allowing the requesting party to specify different sets of selective availability attributes for different ones of the plurality of the target mobile stations.

25. The computer server for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 21, wherein the selective availability attributes restrict features available on the target mobile station while the target mobile station is moving faster than a specified speed.

26. The computer server for remotely controlling availability of features on a mobile station of claim 21, wherein the selective availability attributes restrict features available on the target mobile station during a specified time period.

27. A mobile station comprising:

means for receiving and storing selective availability attributes in a mobile station from a server, the selective availability attributes indicating conditions under which the mobile station is enabled or disabled to operate, and features that are available on the mobile station under a plurality of conditions when the target mobile station is enabled;

means for transmitting a message to the server indicating whether the selective availability attributes have been successfully downloaded to the mobile station; and

means for transmitting a communication to the server indicating that a detected condition of the target mobile station contravenes an expected condition of the mobile station, the expected condition of the mobile device being based, at least in part, on at least one of the selective availability attributes as downloaded.

28. The mobile station of claim 27, further comprising:

means for restricting features available on target mobile station while the mobile station is moving faster than a specified speed based on the selective availability features.

29. The mobile station of claim 27, further comprising:

means for restricting features available on the mobile station during a specified time period based at least in part on the selective availability attributes.

30. The mobile station of claim 27, further comprising:

means for requiring authentication information before storing the selective availability attributes.