Mobile device having a protection mechanism for sensitive information

• US 8,798,582 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensortek Technology Corp. (Sitronix Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sitronix Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Wei-Chung, Lin, Chia-Huang, Liu, Ming-Huang
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/707,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20130150001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention discloses a mobile phone comprising a gravity sensor, a processor, and a memory. The gravity sensor senses inertia data along a specific direction, the processor couples with the gravity sensor and receives a output signal from the gravity sensor, and the memory stores at least one personal information and operates under the processor'"'"'s control. When either the gravity sensor or the processor detects a vertical free-fall motion, the processor performs a information security process to lock the personal information to become inaccessible.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a gravity sensor for sensing inertia data along a direction;

a processor for receiving the inertia data and performing a free-fall sensing algorithm;

a memory, storing at least one personal information under the control of the processor; and

a wireless transceiving unit coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor;

wherein the processor controls the memory to lock the personal information to become inaccessible whenever a vertical free-fall motion is detected by the free-fall sensing algorithm, and the processor controls the wireless transceiving unit to transmit position data to a predetermined E-mail server whenever a vertical free-fall motion is detected by the free-fall sensing algorithm.

2. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiving unit comprises a Wi-Fi protocol module, a position system module, a global mobile communication system module, a general packet radio service module, a 3^rd-generation module or a 4^th-generation module.

3. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the position data is transmitted in the form of a text message.

4. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiving unit controlled by the processor performs a positioning process to obtain the position data.

5. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the wireless transceiving unit to transmit position data to the wireless transceiving unit of another predetermined mobile device whenever a vertical free-fall motion is detected by the free-fall sensing algorithm.

6. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein the position data is transmitted in the form of a text message.

7. The mobile device according to claim 5, wherein the wireless transceiving unit controlled by the processor performs a positioning process to obtain the position data.

8. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a video/audio controlling unit coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor.

9. The mobile device according to claim 8, wherein the video/audio controlling unit comprises an indicator light, a display panel or a speaker.

10. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a video/audio controlling unit coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor, wherein the processor controls the video/audio controlling unit to make a display panel blink whenever a vertical free-fall motion is detected by the free-fall sensing algorithm.

11. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a video/audio controlling unit coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor, wherein the processor controls the video/audio controlling unit to make a indicator light blink whenever a vertical free-fall motion is detected by the free-fall sensing algorithm.

12. The mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising a video/audio controlling unit coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor, wherein the processor controls the video/audio controlling unit to have a speaker send out a predetermined sound effect whenever a vertical free-fall motion is detected by the free-fall sensing algorithm.

13. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the gravity sensor comprising an accelero-micro sensor or a gravity sensor.

14. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a flash memory or a memory card.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

a gravity sensor, comprising an inertia sensing circuit and a free-fall sensing circuit, the inertia sensing circuit sensing inertia data along a direction, and the free-fall sensing circuit outputting an interrupt signal according to the inertia data;

a memory, storing at least one personal information;

a processor for receiving the interrupt signal and controlling the memory according to the interrupt signal; and

a wireless transceiving unit, coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor;

wherein the processor controls the memory to lock the personal information to become inaccessible whenever a vertical free-fall motion is revealed by the interrupt signal, and the processor controls the wireless transceiving unit to transmit position data to a predetermined E-mail server whenever a vertical free-fall motion is revealed by the interrupt signal.

16. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiving unit comprises a Wi-Fi protocol module, a position system module, a global mobile communication system module, a general packet radio service module, a 3rd-generation module or a 4th-generation module.

17. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein the position data is transmitted in the form of a text message.

18. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein the wireless transceiving unit controlled by the processor performs a positioning process to obtain the position data.

19. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein the processor controls the wireless transceiving unit to transmit position data to the wireless transceiving unit of another predetermined mobile device whenever a vertical free-fall motion is revealed by the interrupt signal.

20. The mobile device according to claim 19, wherein the position data is transmitted in the form of a text message.

21. The mobile device according to claim 19, wherein the wireless transceiving unit controlled by the processor performs a positioning process to obtain the position data.

22. The mobile device according to claim 15, further comprising a video/audio controlling unit coupling to the processor and operating under the control of the processor.

23. The mobile device according to claim 22, wherein the video/audio controlling unit comprises an indicator light, a display panel or a speaker.

24. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein the gravity sensor comprises an accelero-micro sensor or a gravity sensor.

25. The mobile device according to claim 15, wherein the memory comprises a flash memory or a memory card.