Apparatus and method for determining a wireless device's location after shutdown

• US 9,338,596 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schlaupitz, Alexander D., Wurzel, Joshua G., Al-Dahle, Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US14/701,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless data processing device is described which periodically exits an unpowered state and transmits location data. For example, one embodiment of a wireless data processing device comprises: power circuitry for maintaining the wireless data processing device in a powered or unpowered state, the power circuitry causing the wireless data processing device to enter into an unpowered state responsive to user input; a timer to periodically power up the wireless device or portion thereof in response to reaching a predetermined time; a location services module determining a current location of the wireless data processing device using one or more specified location determination techniques; a transmit thread transmitting the current location of the wireless device over one or more specified communication channels; and the power circuitry powering down the wireless data processing device a second time after the current location has been transmitted.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method for securing a wireless data processing device comprising:

receiving, by a wireless data processing device, at least one input which comprises image data which provides a security code;

powering down the wireless data processing device into a security mode in response to the wireless data processing device determining that the received at least one input which provides the security code has been entered incorrectly a predetermined number of times;

powering up predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device, in the security mode;

obtaining location information, in the security mode, of the wireless data processing device;

transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device over one or more communication channels; and

automatically powering down the predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device in the security mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless data processing device, a second input that comprises a portion of the security code, wherein the second input comprises one of;

a numeric entry, an alpha-numeric entry, a sequence of button presses, a pattern drawn on a touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling the security mode in response to the received at least one input comprising the security code having been entered correctly.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data processing device comprises a camera and the image data comprises a picture taken by the camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data comprises a picture of at least one of:

an object;

a QR code;

a 2-dimensional bar code;

or

a 1-dimensional bar code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is received from one of a plurality of input devices on the wireless data processing system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device a final time, then;

performing a master reset of the wireless data processing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein location information comprises at least one of:

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates, or one or more cell tower identifiers, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) identifier, or a Near Field Communications (NFC) identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of at least one input is during one of a power down sequence or a power up sequence of a wireless data processing device.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium programmed with instructions that when executed by a processing system, perform operations that implement a method for securing a wireless data processing device, the operations comprising:

receiving, by a wireless data processing device, at least one input which comprises image data which provides a security code;

powering down the wireless data processing device into a security mode in response to the wireless data processing device determining that the received at least one input which provides the security code has been entered incorrectly a predetermined number of times;

powering up predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device, in the security mode;

obtaining location information, in the security mode, of the wireless data processing device;

transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device over one or more communication channels; and

automatically powering down the predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device in the security mode.

11. The medium of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless data processing device, a second input that comprises a portion of the security code, wherein the second input comprises one of;

a numeric entry, an alpha-numeric entry, a sequence of button presses, a patter drawn on a touch screen.

12. The medium of claim 10, further comprising:

disabling the security mode in response to the received at least one input comprising the security code having been entered correctly.

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein the wireless data processing device comprises a camera and the image data comprises a picture taken by the camera.

14. The medium of claim 10, wherein the image data comprises a picture of at least one of:

an object;

a QR code;

a 2-dimensional bar code;

or

a 1-dimensional bar code.

15. The medium of claim 10, wherein the image data is received from one of a plurality of input devices on the wireless data processing system.

16. The medium of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device a final time, then;

performing a master reset of the wireless data processing device.

17. The medium of claim 10, wherein location information comprises at least one of:

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates, or one or more cell tower identifiers, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) identifier, or a Near Field Communications (NFC) identifier.

18. The medium of claim 10, wherein the receiving of at least one input is during one of a power down sequence or a power up sequence of a wireless data processing device.

19. A system comprising:

a processing system programmed with executable instructions that, when executed, perform a machine-implemented method for securing a wireless data processing device comprising;

receiving, by a wireless data processing device, at least one input which comprises image data which provides a security code;

powering down the wireless data processing device into a security mode in response to the wireless data processing device determining that the received at least one input which provides the security code has been entered incorrectly a predetermined number of times;

powering up predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device, in the security mode;

obtaining location information, in the security mode, of the wireless data processing device;

transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device over one or more communication channels; and

automatically powering down the predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device in the security mode.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless data processing device, a second input that comprises a portion of the security code, wherein the second input comprises one of;

a numeric entry, an alpha-numeric entry, a sequence of button presses, a patter drawn on a touch screen.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

disabling the security mode in response to the received at least one input comprising the security code having been entered correctly.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the wireless data processing device comprises a camera and the image data comprises a picture taken by the camera.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the image data comprises a picture of at least one of:

an object;

a QR code;

a 2-dimensional bar code;

or

a 1-dimensional bar code.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the image data is received from one of a plurality of input devices on the wireless data processing system.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device a final time, then;

performing a master reset of the wireless data processing device.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein location information comprises at least one of:

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates, or one or more cell tower identifiers, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) identifier, or a Near Field Communications (NFC) identifier.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the receiving of at least one input is during one of a power down sequence or a power up sequence of a wireless data processing device.