Wireless device content information theft protection system

• US 8,897,831 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Pon, Harry Q., Sackman, Shawn C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US12/653,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20100099379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/410, 455/558, 455/450.1, 380/49, 380/4, 380/9, 340/5.2
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

A wireless device, such as a laptop computer or a cellular phone, may contain confidential information which may be secured by an internal security system. When the device is stolen, the user can provide a portion of a kill code to a wireless service provider. The wireless service provider provides its own portion of the kill code and combines it with the user'"'"'s supplied code. Then, the service provider may transmit the combined kill code to the wireless device. Upon receipt, the wireless device may erase all confidential information on the device. In other embodiments, it may erase any unlocked block of memory. As still another alternative, the system may also, upon receipt of the combined kill code, disable the operating system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless communication device, a first code from a user;

wirelessly transmitting the first code to a service provider; and

storing a two part kill code containing the first code and a second code;

wherein the wireless communication device is to disable its operation upon receiving the two part kill code from the service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the second code from the user prior to said storing; and

transmitting the second code to the service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the two part kill code from the service provider; and

disabling the wireless communication device if the received two part kill code matches the stored two part kill code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said disabling comprises erasing unlocked blocks of non-volatile memory or disabling an operating system.

5. An article comprising a medium storing instructions that, if executed, enable a wireless device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first code from a user;

wirelessly transmitting the first code to a service provider; and

storing a two part kill code containing the first code and a second code;

wherein the wireless communication device is to disable its operation upon receiving the two part kill code from the service provider.

6. The medium of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the second code from the user prior to said storing; and

transmitting the second code to the service provider.

7. The medium of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the two part kill code from the service provider; and

disabling the wireless communication device if the received two part kill code matches the stored two part kill code.

8. The medium of claim 5, wherein said disabling comprises erasing unlocked blocks of non-volatile memory or disabling an operating system.

9. A wireless communications device containing a processor, a wireless interface, and memory, the memory containing instructions that when executed by the device cause operations comprising:

receiving a first code from a user;

wirelessly transmitting the first code to a service provider; and

storing a two part kill code containing the first code and a second code;

wherein the wireless communication device is to disable its operation upon receiving the two part kill code from the service provider.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the second code from the user prior to said storing; and

transmitting the second code to the service provider.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the two part kill code from the service provider; and

disabling the wireless communication device if the received two part kill code matches the stored two part kill code.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein said disabling comprises erasing unlocked blocks of non-volatile memory or disabling an operating system.