Portable computing device with data encryption and destruction

• US 9,392,401 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apogee Technology Consultants, LLC
• Original Assignee: Apogee Technology Consultants, LLC
• Inventors: Madsen, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajayi, Joel
• Application Number:
  US14/068,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 : Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 : Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• 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 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A device and software utilizing Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technologies for monitoring and recovering portable computing devices and, a method and system for acquiring such devices, protecting data on such devices, and for compensating owners of devices. A GPS mechanism of the invention provides real time tracking of missing devices that may be coordinated with security agencies to intercept and recover missing computing devices. When a stolen device is unrecoverable, the invention may receive a signal to initiate data recovery where a wireless network is available to recover data for the owner. Alternatively, the GPS mechanism instructs the device to encrypt or destroy stored data files to prevent commercial espionage or privacy violations. The invention discloses a software system and method for computing a purchase price of the GPS mechanism, computing compensation for loss of the device and lost data.

Claims

1. A system for protecting a portable computing device, the system comprising:

a communicator element of an authorized user device that is in communicative contact with a wireless communication assembly disposed on a circuit board coupled to an interface port of a portable computing device, wherein a first battery and a positioning device are also disposed on the circuit board, wherein the first battery powers at least the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, wherein a second battery not disposed on the circuit board powers a subset of the portable computing device other than the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, and wherein operations of the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device are covert with respect to the portable computing device; and

a processor of the authorized user device, wherein execution of instructions by the processor of the authorized user device;

sends an alert transmission to the wireless communication assembly via the communicator element, the alert transmission indicating that the portable computing device has been lost,

receives a plurality of location transmissions via the communicator element from the wireless communication assembly automatically and periodically and punctuated by a pre-determined time interval, each location transmission of the one or more location transmissions indicating a geographic location of the portable computing device, the geographic location determined by the positioning device disposed on the circuit board based on one or more positioning communications between the wireless communication assembly and one or more global positioning system satellites,

receives a data management user input at a data management user interface of the authorized user device, the user input identifying that one or more data files stored in a memory of the portable computer device should be encrypted,

sends a data management transmission to the wireless communication assembly via the communicator element, the data management transmission based on the data management user input, wherein receipt of the data management transmission at the wireless communication assembly triggers encryption of the one or more data files stored in the memory of the portable computing device, and

sends a recovery transmission to the wireless communication assembly via the communicator element after the portable computing device is recovered from its lost state, thereby decrypting the encrypted one or more data files using a decryption key code included in the recovery transmission.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more data files include at least one of a personal data file, a software application, or an operating system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor of the authorized user device further receives access to the one or more data files via a secure transmission of the one or more data files by the wireless communication assembly in response to receipt of the data management transmission at the wireless communication assembly.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the authorized user device is associated with an owner of the portable computing device, an authorized user of the portable computing device, or an insurance provider with a policy covering the portable computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert transmission is a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication assembly is distinct from a second communication assembly of the portable computing device, the second communication assembly not disposed on the circuit board and powered by the second battery.

7. A method for protecting a portable computing device, the method comprising:

sending an alert transmission to a wireless communication assembly disposed on a circuit board coupled to an interface port of a portable computing device, wherein a first battery and a positioning device are also disposed on the circuit board, wherein the first battery powers at least the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, wherein a second battery not disposed on the circuit board powers a subset of the portable computing device other than the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, and wherein operations of the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device are covert with respect to the portable computing device, the alert transmission indicating that the portable computing device has been lost;

receiving a plurality of location transmissions from the wireless communication assembly automatically and periodically and punctuated by a pre-determined time interval, each location transmission of the one or more location transmissions indicating a geographic location of the portable computing device, the geographic location determined by the positioning device disposed on the circuit board based on one or more positioning communications between the wireless communication assembly and one or more global positioning system satellites;

receiving a data management user input at a data management user interface of the authorized user device, the user input identifying that one or more data files stored in a memory of the portable computer device should be encrypted;

sending a data management transmission to the wireless communication assembly, the data management transmission based on the data management user input, wherein receipt of the data management transmission at the wireless communication assembly triggers the encryption of the one or more data files stored in the memory of the portable computing device; and

sending a recovery transmission to the wireless communication assembly after the portable computing device is recovered from its lost state, thereby decrypting the encrypted one or more data files using a decryption key code included in the recovery transmission.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more data files include at least one of a personal data file, a software application, or an operating system.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving access to the one or more data files via a secure transmission of the one or more data files by the wireless communication assembly in response to receipt of the data management transmission at the wireless communication assembly.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the alert transmission is a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless communication assembly is distinct from a second communication assembly of the portable computing device, the second communication assembly not disposed on the circuit board and powered by the second battery.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for protecting a portable computing device, the method comprising:

sending an alert transmission to a wireless communication assembly disposed on a circuit board coupled to an interface port of a portable computing device, wherein a first battery and a positioning device are also disposed on the circuit board, wherein the first battery powers at least the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, wherein a second battery not disposed on the circuit board powers a subset of the portable computing device other than the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, and wherein operations of the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device are covert with respect to the portable computing device, the alert transmission indicating that the portable computing device has been lost;

receiving a plurality of location transmissions from the wireless communication assembly automatically and periodically and punctuated by a pre-determined time interval, each location transmission of the one or more location transmissions indicating a geographic location of the portable computing device, the geographic location determined by the positioning device disposed on the circuit board based on one or more positioning communications between the wireless communication assembly and one or more global positioning system satellites;

receiving a data management user input at a data management user interface of the authorized user device, the user input identifying that one or more data files stored in a memory of the portable computer device should be encrypted;

sending a data management transmission to the wireless communication assembly, the data management transmission based on the data management user input, wherein receipt of the data management transmission at the wireless communication assembly triggers the encryption of the one or more data files stored in the memory of the portable computing device; and

sending a recovery transmission to the wireless communication assembly after the portable computing device is recovered from its lost state, thereby decrypting the encrypted one or more data files using a decryption key code included in the recovery transmission.