Standardized control of wireless devices

• US 8,509,760 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ying, Goangshiuan Shawn, Aspell, Stephen Michael, Edmon, Eugene Lane, Chen, Huizhen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/925,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A disclosed service for managing mobile and wireless communication devices (MWCDs) includes enabling a server to generate a standard remote configuration command (RCC) and enabling a transmitter coupled to the server to transmit the RCC wirelessly. The RCC configures a feature on a first MWCD of a first supplier and a second MWCD of a second supplier. The RCC may disable one or more of a set of selected MWCD peripheral devices. For example, the RCC may disable an MWCD camera, an MWCD microphone, and/or an MWCD speaker. In some embodiments, the RCC transitions the MWCD to a restricted state in which the MWCD is unable to record multimedia content including audio and video content. In these embodiments, the RCC may configure one or more of the features on each of a set of MWCDs within a defined geographic region.

Claims

1. A method for managing wireless communication devices, comprising:

sending, by a server, to a wireless communication device, an invitation to provide the server with authority to execute a remote configuration command;

responsive to detecting an affirmative response to the invitation, wirelessly transmitting a remote configuration command to the wireless communication device, the remote configuration command disabling predetermined functionality associated with a feature on a the wireless communication device to render the wireless communication device unable to invoke the feature wherein the feature is selected from video recording functionality and audio recording functionality; and

responsive to detecting a lack of an affirmative response to the invitation, wirelessly transmitting a remote power down command to the wireless communication device, the remote power down command powering down the wireless communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device includes a camera to record still and moving video images and wherein the remote configuration command disables video recording functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device includes a microphone to record audio content and wherein the remote configuration command disables audio recording functionality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote configuration command further disables a speaker of the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote configuration command transitions the wireless communication device to a restricted state in which the wireless communication device is unable to record audio and unable to record video.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the invitation includes sending the invitation when the wireless communication device is within a defined geographic region.

7. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processor operably coupled to a storage resource;

a wireless module coupled to the processor;

a peripheral device coupled to the processor, the peripheral device selected from a group of peripheral devices consisting of a microphone and a camera; and

a remote configuration module comprising instructions, stored in the storage resource, that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a server, an invitation to provide the server with authority to execute a remote configuration command;

responsive to detecting the invitation, transmitting an affirmative response to the invitation to the server; and

wirelessly receiving a remote configuration command from the server, the remote configuration command transitioning the wireless communication device to a restricted state in which the wireless communication device is unable to invoke content recording functionality supported by the peripheral device;

responsive to a lack of an affirmative response to the invitation, wirelessly receiving a remote power down command, the remote power down command powering down the wireless communication device.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the wireless communication device is further inoperable to output an audibly detectable signal in the restricted state.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the remote configuration module includes an authorization module enabling the wireless communication device to prevent the transition to the restricted state.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the authorization module enables the wireless communication device to respond to a power down remote configuration command when the wireless communication device declines the invitation.

11. A server operable to manage a set of wireless communication devices, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage resource accessible to the processor, wherein the storage resource includes embedded program instructions, executable by the processor, the program instructions including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

sending, to a wireless communication device, an invitation to provide the server with authority to execute a remote configuration command;

responsive to detecting an affirmative response to the invitation, wirelessly transmitting a remote configuration command to the wireless communication device, the remote configuration command disabling predetermined functionality associated with a feature on the wireless communication device to render the wireless communication device unable to invoke the feature wherein the feature is selected from video recording functionality and audio recording functionality; and

responsive to detecting a lack of an affirmative response to the invitation, wirelessly transmitting a remote power down command to the wireless communication device, the remote power down command powering down the wireless communication device.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving an invitation from a cellular base station;

responding to reception of the invitation by authorizing a server to send a remote configuration command;

receiving the remote configuration command; and

responding to reception of the remote configuration command by transitioning a wireless communication device to an operational state in which the wireless communication device is unable to record a multimedia performance and unable to generate audibly detectable sounds; and

responsive to a period of non response following the invitation, powering down in response to a remote power down command.