Telemetric tracking of a portable computing device
First Claim
1. A method for telemetric tracking of a portable computing device, the method comprising:
- receiving, from a user computing device associated with an authorized user of the portable computing device, one or more wireless transmissions at the portable computing device, wherein the one or more wireless transmissions indicate that the portable computing device is lost;
identifying at the portable computing device that tampering with global positioning system (GPS) electronic circuitry of the portable computing device has occurred;
transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, an indication that tampering with the GPS electronic circuitry has occurred;
modifying data stored in memory of the portable computing device in response to the one or more wireless transmissions, thereby preventing access to the data;
determining a geographic location of the portable computing device in response to the one or more wireless transmissions and based on communications from one or more global positioning satellites received by the GPS electronic circuitry of the portable computing device; and
transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, the geographic location of the portable computing device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for telemetric tracking of a portable computing device, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a user computing device associated with an authorized user of the portable computing device, one or more wireless transmissions at the portable computing device, wherein the one or more wireless transmissions indicate that the portable computing device is lost; identifying at the portable computing device that tampering with global positioning system (GPS) electronic circuitry of the portable computing device has occurred; transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, an indication that tampering with the GPS electronic circuitry has occurred; modifying data stored in memory of the portable computing device in response to the one or more wireless transmissions, thereby preventing access to the data; determining a geographic location of the portable computing device in response to the one or more wireless transmissions and based on communications from one or more global positioning satellites received by the GPS electronic circuitry of the portable computing device; and transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, the geographic location of the portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 25)
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13. A method for telemetric tracking of a portable computing device, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a user computing device associated with an authorized user of the portable computing device, one or more wireless transmissions at the portable computing device, wherein the one or more wireless transmissions indicate that the portable computing device is lost; identifying at the portable computing device that tampering with global positioning system (GPS) electronic circuitry of the portable computing device has occurred; transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, an indication that tampering with the GPS electronic circuitry has occurred; modifying data stored in memory of the portable computing device in response to the one or more wireless transmissions, thereby preventing access to the data; determining a geographic location of the portable computing device in response to the one or more wireless transmissions and based on communications from one or more global positioning satellites received by the GPS electronic circuitry of the portable computing device; and transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, at least a portion of the data stored in the memory of the portable computing device; and transmitting, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, the geographic location of the portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A portable computing device with telemetric tracking functionality, the device comprising:
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one or more network interfaces that wirelessly communicate over a network; a processor that executes one or more processes, the processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces; and a memory that stores at least one process executable by the processor, wherein execution of the process by the processor; receives, from a user computing device associated with an authorized user of the portable computing device, one or more wireless transmissions that indicate that the portable computing device is lost, identifies that tampering with global positioning system (GPS) electronic circuitry of the portable computing device has occurred, transmits, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, an indication that tampering with the GPS electronic circuitry has occurred, modifies data stored in memory of the portable computing device responsive to the one or more wireless transmissions, thereby preventing access to the data, determines a geographic location of the portable computing device based on communications from one or more global positioning satellites received by the GPS electronic circuitry, and transmits, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, the geographic location of the portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for telemetric tracking of a portable computing device, the system comprising:
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a portable computing device that; receives, from a user computing device associated with an authorized user of the portable computing device, one or more wireless transmissions that indicate that the portable computing device is lost, identifies that tampering with global positioning system (GPS) electronic circuitry of the portable computing device has occurred, transmits, from the portable computing device to the user computing device, an indication that tampering with the GPS electronic circuitry has occurred, modifies data stored in memory of the portable computing device responsive to the one or more wireless transmissions, thereby preventing access to the data, and determines a geographic location of the portable computing device based on communications from one or more global positioning satellites received by the GPS electronic circuitry; and a user computing device associated with the authorized user and that is both physically distinct from the portable computing device and geographically distant from the portable computing device, the user computing device; generating a user interface operated by the authorized user, initiating transmission of the one or more wireless transmissions to the portable computing device in response to operation of the user interface by the authorized user, receiving, at the user interface, the indication that tampering with the GPS electronic circuitry has occurred, and receiving, at the user interface, the geographic location of the portable computing device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification