Enabling a service to return lost laptops

• US 8,763,111 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chhabra, Jasmeet, Prakash, Gyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Teshome
• Application Number:
  US13/684,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 726/35
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium for providing a unique identifier for a computer system and a message from a service external to the computer system, such as a laptop return service, for display when the computer system is powered on. The computer system is configured to restrict functionality until the service authorizes restoration of full functionality of the computer system. The message includes contact information for the laptop return service and, when the service is contacted, the service sends an instruction to return the computer system to full functionality. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a memory having an encrypted data region; and

a theft deterrence module to (i) generate a unique identifier for the computing device, (ii) receive a message from a service external to the computing device for display when the computing device is powered on, (iii) store the generated unique identifier and the message received from the service external to the computing device in the encrypted data region of the memory, (iv) provide the generated unique identifier and the message stored in the encrypted data region of the memory for display in response to receiving a request to display the generated unique identifier and the message, and (v) configure the computing device to restrict functionality of the computing device until the service authorizes restoration of full functionality of the computing device.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein to provide the generated unique identifier and the message for display comprises to selectively provide the unique identifier and the message for display only after receiving a communication from the service.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein to configure the computing device to restrict the functionality of the computing device comprises to disable the computing device.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein to configure the computing device to restrict the functionality of the computing device comprises to restrict the functionality of the computing device in accordance with an instruction from the service.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein to restrict the functionality of the computing device in accordance with the instruction from the service comprises to disable access to the unique identifier after an operating system is loaded.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the theft deterrence module is further to configure the computing device to restore the full functionality of the computing device in response to an instruction authorizing the restoration from the service.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the encrypted data region of memory of the computing device is accessible to the theft deterrence module and inaccessible to other components of the computing device.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions, that in response to be executed, result in a computing device:

generating a unique identifier for the computing device in a theft deterrence module of the computing device;

receiving a message from a service external to the computing device for display when the computing device is powered on;

storing the generated unique identifier and the message received from the service external to the computing device in an encrypted data region of memory of the computing device;

providing the generated unique identifier and the message stored in the encrypted data region of memory for display in response to receiving a request to display the generated unique identifier and the message; and

restricting functionality of the computing device until the service authorizes restoration of full functionality of the computing device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein providing the unique identifier for the computing device and the message for display comprises providing the unique identifier for the computing device and the message for display only after receiving a communication from the service.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein restricting the functionality of the computing device comprises disabling the computing device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein restricting the functionality of the computing device comprises restricting the functionality of the computing device in accordance with an instruction from the service.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein restricting the functionality of the computing device in accordance with the instruction from the service comprises disabling access to the unique identifier after an operating system is loaded.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions, that in response to being executed, result in the computing device restoring the full functionality of the computing device in response to an instruction authorizing the restoration from the service.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the encrypted data region of memory of the computing device being accessible to the theft deterrence module and inaccessible to other components of the computing device.

15. A server for providing theft deterrence services, the server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having stored therein a plurality of instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the server to;

receive notification over a network from a computing device that the computing device is at least one of lost and stolen, the notification comprises a unique identifier generated by a theft deterrence module of the computing device;

retrieve, in response to receiving the notification, information associated with the computing device from a data repository using the unique identifier; and

send (i) a message that comprises the retrieved information associated with the computing device and (ii) an instruction over the network to the theft deterrence module of the computing device, the message for display on the computing device and the instruction to restrict functionality of the computing device.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the message for display on the computing device and the instruction to restrict functionality of the computing device prior to loading an operating system on the computing device.

17. The server of claim 15, wherein the instruction to restrict functionality of the computing device comprises an instruction to disable the computing device.

18. The server of claim 15, wherein the instruction to restrict functionality of the computing device comprises an instruction to disable access to the unique identifier after loading an operating system on the computing device.

19. The server of claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the server to:

receive a second notification indicating that the computing device is found; and

send another instruction to the computing device to authorize restoration of full functionality of the computing device.

20. The server of claim 15, wherein the memory further comprises instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the server to:

retrieve user contact information associated with the unique identifier; and

contact a user of the computing device using the retrieved user contact information.