Tracking mobile communication devices

• US 8,626,121 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3 Step IT Group Oy
• Original Assignee: 3 Step IT Group Oy
• Inventors: Poranen, Jouko
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US12/678,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20100216427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/558, 455/456.1, 455418-419, 709/203, 709/327
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP

Abstract

A mobile telecommunication device that is associated with a mobile telecommunication subscription periodically produces a status report with at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device and an identification of the subscription associated with the mobile telecommunication device; and sends the status report to a tracking element. The tracking element receives periodical status reports from a set of mobile telecommunication devices, each status report having at least one detail about respective mobile telecommunication device and an identification of the subscription associated with the mobile telecommunication device. The tracking element further monitors the received status reports and determines whether a reporting trigger is met.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile telecommunication device, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is associated with a mobile telecommunication subscription provided by a subscriber identity module, the method comprising:

storing in the mobile telecommunication device a tracking application;

storing in the mobile telecommunication device a client identifier associated with a client whose equipment the mobile telecommunication device is; and

storing in the mobile telecommunication device a reporting scheme;

the method further comprising periodically, according to the reporting scheme;

producing by the tracking application a status report in the mobile communication device, the status report comprising the client identifier and at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device, the at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device comprising a combination of information related to hardware of the mobile telecommunication device and information related to software that is in use by the mobile telecommunication device; and

sending the status report to a tracking element;

wherein the producing of the status report and the sending of the status report are performed so that the status report passes to the tracking element an identification of the subscription associated with the mobile telecommunication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the status report is sent using short message service.

3. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising additionally sending the status report responsive to detecting a predetermined change in a current cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking application defines a reporting scheme and delivers the status report based on a reporting trigger.

5. A mobile telecommunication device associated with a mobile telecommunication subscription provided by a subscriber identity module, comprising:

a non-transitory memory device configured to store a tracking application; and

a processor configured, based on the tracking application, to;

store a client identifier associated with a client whose equipment the mobile telecommunication device is;

store a reporting scheme; and

to periodically, according to the resorting scheme;

produce a status report in the mobile telecommunication device, the status report comprising at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device and the client identifier, the at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device comprising a combination of information related to hardware of the mobile telecommunication device and information related to software that is in use by the mobile telecommunication device; and

send the status report to a tracking element;

wherein the processor is configured to perform the producing of the status report and the sending of the status report so that the status report passes to the tracking element an identification of the subscription associated with the mobile telecommunication device.

6. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 5, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is configured to send the status report using short message service.

7. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 5, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is configured to additionally send the status report responsive to detecting a predetermined change in a current cell.

8. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to encrypt the status report.

9. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 5, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is further configured to prompt for a confirmation from a user of the mobile telecommunication device before starting to periodically perform said producing and sending of status reports.

10. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 5, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is further configured to use the tracking application program subject to a user confirmation.

11. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 5, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is further configured to obtain a client identifier associated with a client and to indicate the client identifier by the status report.

12. A computer program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program comprising computer executable program code for controlling a mobile telecommunication device;

wherein the mobile telecommunication device is associated with a mobile subscription and a subscriber number provided in a subscriber identity module of the mobile communication device, and wherein;

the computer program comprises computer program code configured to enable the mobile telecommunication device to;

store a client identifier associated with a client whose equipment the mobile telecommunication device is;

store a reporting scheme; and

and to periodically, according to the reporting scheme;

produce a status report in the mobile telecommunication device, the status report comprising at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device and the client identifier, the at least one detail about the mobile telecommunication device comprising a combination of information related to hardware of the mobile telecommunication device and information related to software that is in use by the mobile telecommunication device; and

send the status report to a tracking element;

wherein the computer program further comprises computer program code configured to enable the mobile telecommunication device to perform the producing of the status report and the sending of the status report so that the status report passes to the tracking element an identification of the subscription associated with the mobile telecommunication device.