Method and system for providing remote configuration of missing mobile devices

• US 8,974,544 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hubner, Paul, Archer, Steven T., Clavenna, Robert A., Pate, Kristopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US12/639,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26, 726/34, 726/35, 726/36, 709/221, 709/224
• US Class Current: 726/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/123 by using dedicated hardware, e.g. dongles, smart cards, cryptographic processors, global positioning systems [GPS] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

An approach is provided for remotely configuring a mobile device designated as missing. A request to remotely configure the mobile device is received. In response to the request, at least one setting parameter specifying at least one action to be performed by the mobile device is retrieved. A control message specifying the at least one setting parameter is generated. It is determined whether the mobile device is network inaccessible. The control message is queued for transmission over a data channel to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be network inaccessible.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving by a remote configuration service platform a request to remotely configure a mobile device that has been designated to be in one or more of a plurality of missing states;

retrieving, in response to the request, at least one setting parameter specifying at least one action to be performed by the mobile device;

generating a control message specifying the at least one setting parameter;

determining whether the mobile device is network inaccessible; and

queuing the control message for transmission over a data channel to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be network inaccessible,

wherein the at least one setting parameter is stored for retrieval to a networked repository by the remote configuration service platform and is based on a policy of the remote configuration service platform to be effectuated in dependence on the one or more of the plurality of missing states the mobile device has been designated to be in,

wherein the plurality of missing states that the mobile device can be designated to be in include misplaced, lost, and stolen,

wherein, when the control message queued for transmission to the mobile device is not transmitted to the mobile device, the control message is removed from the queue after a predetermined time,

wherein the policy of the remote configuration service platform specifies actions to be performed by the mobile device that are different for each of the designations misplaced, lost, or stolen, and

wherein the actions specified to be performed for the misplaced designation consist of causing the mobile device to emit an audio and tactile alert, the actions specified to be performed for the lost designation consist of designating an alternate contact information for an owner/use of the mobile device so that initiation of communication sessions with the mobile device to the owner/user is transferred to one or more other client devices, and the actions specified to be performed for the stolen designation consist of causing the mobile device to image and format the memory, and then disable the mobile device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device has been designated missing via a portal interface.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request is received from an account information storage facility.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control message is further generated to include a request for spatial positioning information corresponding to a location of the mobile device.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, over the data channel, the control message to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be powered on.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the data channel is an existing control and access data channel of a wireless network.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to,

receive by a remote configuration service platform a request to remotely configure a mobile device that has been designated to be in one or more of a plurality of missing states,

retrieve, in response to the request, at least one setting parameter specifying at least one action to be performed by the mobile device,

generate a control message specifying the at least one setting parameter,

determine whether the mobile device is network inaccessible, and

queue the control message for transmission over a data channel to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be network inaccessible,

wherein the at least one setting parameter is stored for retrieval to a networked repository by the remote configuration service platform and is based on a policy of the remote configuration service platform to be effectuated in dependence on the one or more of the plurality of missing states of the mobile device has been designated to be in,

wherein the plurality of missing states that the mobile device can be designated to be in include misplaced, lost, and stolen,

wherein, when the control message queued for transmission to the mobile device is not transmitted to the mobile device, the control message is removed from the queue after a predetermined time,

wherein the policy of the remote configuration service platform specifies actions to be performed by the mobile device that are different for each of the designations misplaced, lost, or stolen, and

wherein the actions specified to be performed for the misplaced designation consist of causing the mobile device to emit an audio and tactile alert, the actions specified to be performed for the lost designation consist of designating an alternate contact information for an owner/use of the mobile device so that initiation of communication sessions with the mobile device to the owner/user is transferred to one or more other client devices, and the actions specified to be performed for the stolen designation consist of causing the mobile device to image and format the memory, and then disable the mobile device.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mobile device has been designated missing via a portal interface.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the request is received from an account information storage facility.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control message is further generated to include a request for spatial positioning information corresponding to a location of the mobile device.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is at least further caused to:

transmit, over the data channel, the control message to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be powered on.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the data channel is an existing control and access data channel of a wireless network.

13. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is a network registration platform.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a system, comprising a remote configuration service platform and a database coupled to the remote configuration service platform, to at least perform the following steps:

receiving by the remote configuration service platform a request to remotely configure a mobile device that has been designated to be in one or more of a plurality of missing states; and

storing in the database at least one setting parameter specifying at least one action to be performed by the mobile device,

wherein the step of receiving includes, in response to the request, generating a control message specifying the at least one setting parameter, to determine whether the mobile device is network inaccessible, and to queue the control message for transmission over a data channel to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be network inaccessible,

wherein the at least one setting parameter is stored for retrieval to a networked repository by the remote configuration service platform and is based on a policy of the remote configuration service platform to be effectuated in dependence on the one or more of the plurality of missing states the mobile device has been designated to be in,

wherein the plurality of missing states that the mobile device can be designated to be in include misplaced, lost, and stolen,

wherein, when the control message queued for transmission to the mobile device is not transmitted to the mobile device, the control message is removed from the queue after a predetermined time,

wherein the policy of the remote configuration service platform specifies actions to be performed by the mobile device that are different for each of the designations misplaced, lost, or stolen, and

wherein the actions specified to be performed for the misplaced designation consist of causing the mobile device to emit an audio and tactile alert, the actions specified to be performed for the lost designation consist of designating an alternate contact information for an owner/use of the mobile device so that initiation of communication sessions with the mobile device to the owner/user is transferred to one or more other client devices, and the actions specified to be performed for the stolen designation consist of causing the mobile device to image and format the memory, and then disable the mobile device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the mobile device has been designated missing via a portal interface.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the request is received from an account information storage facility.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the control message is further generated to include a request for spatial positioning information corresponding to a location of the mobile device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the system is further caused to perform:

transmitting, over the data channel, the control message to the mobile device when the mobile device is determined to be powered on.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the data channel is an existing control and access data channel of a wireless network.