Systems and methods to secure laptops or portable computing devices

• US 8,542,833 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bao Tran
• Original Assignee: Bao Tran
• Inventors: Devol, Randall, Kang, Jonghoon John, Tran, Bao
• Primary Examiner(s): Nalven, Andrew L
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUPRECHT, CHRISTOPHER S
• Application Number:
  US12/950,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 380/259
• US Class Current: 380/259
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A security system includes an appliance to be secured, including a processor and a first wireless transceiver for accessing a data network with a first power requirement; and a second wireless transceiver receiving power to operate even if the appliance is off, hibernates or sleeps, the second wireless transceiver operating at a second power requirement lower than the first power requirement, the second wireless transceiver communicating a signal indicating a security status of the appliance.

Claims

1. A security system, comprising:

a mobile device to be secured, comprising;

a processor;

a data storage device coupled to the processor;

a standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to access a data network, powered by a main power source of the mobile device, wherein the standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is disabled if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off; and

a low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to communicate a signal indicating a security status of the mobile device, powered by an independent power source comprising a battery or super-capacitor coupled to the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is configured to continue operating using the independent power source even if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off; and

a base station comprising a remote wireless protocol 802.11 transceiver configured to periodically communicate a heartbeat signal with the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device;

wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device receives the heartbeat signal from the base station when the mobile device is within a predetermined range of the base station, wherein data on the data storage device is accessible and the mobile device is enabled for authorized access when within the predetermined range of the base station;

wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device does not receive the heartbeat signal from the base station when the mobile device is outside the predetermined range of the base station, wherein an alarm is generated, data on the data storage device is rendered inaccessible, and the mobile device is disabled in order to prevent unauthorized access when outside the predetermined range of the base station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base station comprises a WLAN access point or a mobile cellular telephone, wherein the location of the mobile device may be determined using a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) or WiFi positioning system (WPS) software;

and

wherein the mobile device to be secured comprises a laptop or notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an external hard drive, or other electronic device that stores sensitive information or is of high value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the alarm generated comprises an audible beep or vibration providing an alert that the mobile device may be lost or stolen.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising computer readable code executed by the processor for disabling the mobile device when outside the predetermined range of the base station, wherein disabling the mobile device further comprises preventing the electronics from operating, suspending power to the components of the mobile device, or blocking the boot process until the mobile device is within the predetermined range of the base station, such that the mobile device is effectively locked in order to prevent asset theft.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is coupled to an ExpressCard bus, a PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) bus, a mini-PCIe bus, a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) bus or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) bus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver and data storage device are coupled to an encryption module configured to encrypt data on the data storage device when the mobile device is outside the predetermined range of the base station and decrypt the data when the mobile device is within the predetermined range, wherein the encryption module comprises an AES encryption unit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device transmits an acknowledgement of the heartbeat signal to the base station.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein both the standard high power and low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceivers are enclosed internally within the mobile device.

9. A method for securing a mobile device, comprising:

powering the mobile device, including a standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to communicate user data over a wireless area network, with a main power source, wherein the standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is disabled if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off;

powering a low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to communicate a signal indicating a security status of the mobile device, with an independent power source comprising a battery or super-capacitor coupled to the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver continues to operate using the independent power source even if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off;

wherein a base station comprising a remote wireless protocol 802.11 transceiver periodically communicates a heartbeat signal with the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device;

wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device receives the heartbeat signal from the base station when the mobile device is within a predetermined range of the base station, wherein data on the data storage device is accessible and the mobile device is enabled for authorized access when within the predetermined range of the base station; and

wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device does not receive the heartbeat signal from the base station when the mobile device is outside a predetermined range of the base station, wherein an alarm is generated, data on a data storage device is rendered inaccessible, and the mobile device is disabled in order to prevent unauthorized access when outside the predetermined range of the base station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device transmits an acknowledgement of the heartbeat signal to the base station.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein access to a network is granted if Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of both the high power and low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceivers of the mobile device match pre-authorized MAC addresses.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein data on the data storage device is rendered inaccessible if the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is removed from the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein both the standard high power and low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceivers are enclosed internally within the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein data on the data storage device is encrypted when the mobile device is outside the predetermined range of the base station and decrypted when within the predetermined range.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising rendering the mobile device inoperable by sending a lock command, wherein the mobile device is automatically locked if the mobile device fails to check in with the remote wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver at one or more scheduled times.

15. A motherboard, comprising:

a processor;

an encrypted disk drive coupled to the processor;

a standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to access a data network, powered by a main power source of a mobile device, wherein the standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is disabled if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off; and

a low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to communicate a signal indicating a security status of the mobile device to a remote 802.11 protocol transceiver, powered by an independent power source comprising a battery or super-capacitor coupled to the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is configured to continue operating using the independent power source even if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off;

wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver receives a heartbeat signal periodically communicated from the remote wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver when the mobile device is within a predetermined range of the remote wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver, wherein data on the disk drive is accessible and the mobile device is enabled for authorized access when the security status signal indicates that the motherboard is secured;

wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device does not receive the heartbeat signal from the remote wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver when the mobile device is outside a predetermined range of the remote wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver, wherein an alarm is generated, data on the disk drive is rendered inaccessible, and the mobile device is disabled in order to prevent unauthorized access when the security status signal indicates that the motherboard is not secured.

17. A system, comprising:

a mobile device to be secured, comprising;

a processor;

a standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to access a data network, powered by a main power source of the mobile device, wherein the standard wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is disabled if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off; and

a low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver configured to communicate a signal indicating a security status of the mobile device, powered by an independent power source coupled to the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver, wherein the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver is configured to continue operating using the independent power source even if the mobile device is sleeping, hibernating, or powered off; and

a wearable user key comprising a remote wireless protocol 802.11 transceiver configured to periodically communicate with the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is enabled only when within a predetermined range of the user key.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a data storage device coupled to the processor, wherein data on the data storage device is accessible and the mobile device is enabled only when within the predetermined range of the user key.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising computer readable code for sending a message containing authentication information from the user key to the mobile device, wherein communications between the mobile device and the user key are secured by encryption using public key cryptography.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising computer readable code to set the predetermined range between the low power wireless 802.11 protocol transceiver of the mobile device and the remote wireless protocol 802.11 transceiver of the user key to define a virtual fence for the mobile device.