METHOD FOR DESTRUCTIVE READOUT OF DATA IN CASE OF MOBILE THEFT

• US 20090143048A1
• Filed: 12/01/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: AYANAMCOTTIL, Anthony A., REVANKAR, Natesh Shridhar, VERMA, Priva, CHANDRAPPA, Varun Yarehall, SHARMA, Nitin Prakash, ALAM, Mohammad Dilshad, PULLAKUDI, Praveen Prakash Thazhalhu
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42144 by service provider
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method for destructively reading out data from a stolen or lost mobile phone. A special switch off feature disables all the services associated with the mobile phone, except for a messaging service and the ability to destructively read out data. A user can retrieve the data stored in the mobile phone from a remote location. Once the data is retrieved, all the data in the mobile phone is erased.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving data from a mobile phone, the method comprising:

receiving a message for retrieving the data from another mobile phone or service provider;

retrieving the data; and

deleting the data stored in the mobile phone, if retrieving of the data is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a special switch off feature that disables all mobile phone functions, except for an ability to perform the receiving, the retrieving, and the deleting.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating the received message by comparing an identifier included in the message to an identifier previously stored in the mobile phone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a mechanical latch in order to prevent an unauthorized user from removing a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card from the mobile phone.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

permanently powering down the mobile phone if a tampering with the mechanical latch is detected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieved data transmits to the another mobile phone or an inbox provided by the service provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message includes information of the another mobile phone or information of the service provider.

8. A method of protecting and retrieving data in a mobile phone, when the mobile phone is stolen or lost, the method comprising:

enabling a special switch off feature of the mobile phone;

receiving a message in the mobile phone;

retrieving the data from the mobile phone, in response to the message; and

deleting the retrieved data from the mobile phone,

wherein the special switch off feature powers off the mobile phone, except for an ability to perform the receiving, the retrieving, and the deleting.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

enabling a mechanical latch in order to prevent an unauthorized user from removing a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card from the mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

permanently powering down the mobile phone if a tampering with the mechanical latch is detected.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein retrieving the data from the mobile phone, in response to the message, comprises:

reading the data from a memory of the mobile phone; and

transmitting the read data to a secure destination.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the secure destination is an inbox provided by a service provider.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the secure destination is another mobile phone.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the secured location is previously stored in the mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the secured location is included in the message.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the message is sent from another phone.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising validating the received message.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising validating the received message by comparing an identifier included in the message to an identifier previously stored in the mobile phone.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein the message is sent from a service provider.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the service provided receives a request from an owner of the mobile phone prior sending the message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the service provider authenticates an identity of the owner prior sending the message.