SYSTEMS FOR FINDING A LOST TRANSIENT STORAGE DEVICE

• US 20150040206A1
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schneider, Janet, Wilson, Emily, Sadovsky, Vladimir, Alexander, Robin
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0478 applying multiple layers of encryption, e.g. nested tunnels or encrypting the content with a first key and then with at least a second key cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14

Abstract

Processes for identifying and recovering a lost transient storage device are provided. In some processes, information regarding the owner of the device is obtained. The device ownership information may be stored on a remote service with which the device is registered and/or may be stored on the device itself. In one process, the remote service provides the device with customized device-executable code when the device is registered. The device may also contain information regarding trusted systems. The process includes obtaining status information indicating whether a device is lost when the device is connected to a host system. In some processes, the status is determined by a remote service. In other processes, the status is determined by the device. If the device is lost then a device recovery plan is executed. Portions of a device recovery plan may be executed on the remote service, the host system, and/or the device.

Claims

1. A method performed on a computing device comprising at least one processor and memory, the method comprising:

communicating, by the computing device in response to a determination that the computing device is lost, with a service via a host over a secure tunneling channel provided by the host, where the computing device, the host, and the remote service are separate and distinct from each other.

2. The method of claim 1 where the computing device is part of a phone.

3. The method of claim 1 where the communicating is part of a recovery plan.

4. The method of claim 1 where the communicating includes communicating location information.

5. The method of claim 1 where the provided secure tunneling channel is established by an application.

6. The method of claim 5 where the application is provided to the host by the remote service.

7. The method of claim 5 where the application is stored on the computing device.

8. At least one computer storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device that also includes memory, cause the computing device to perform actions comprising:

communicating, by the computing device in response to a determination that the computing device is lost, with a service via a host over a secure tunneling channel provided by the host, where the computing device, the host, and the remote service are separate and distinct from each other.

9. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where the computing device is part of a phone.

10. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where the communicating is part of a recovery plan.

11. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where the communicating includes communicating location information.

12. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where the provided secure tunneling channel is established by an application.

13. The at least one computer storage device of claim 12 where the application is provided to the host by the remote service.

14. The at least one computer storage device of claim 12 where the application is stored on the computing device.

15. A system comprising a computing device and instructions that are together configured for performing actions, the computing device comprising at least one processor and memory, the actions comprising:

communicating, by the computing device in response to a determination that the computing device is lost, with a service via a host over a secure tunneling channel provided by the host, where the computing device, the host, and the remote service are separate and distinct from each other.

16. The system of claim 15 where the computing device is part of a phone, or where the communicating is part of a recovery plan.

17. The system of claim 15 where the communicating includes communicating location information.

18. The system of claim 15 where the provided secure tunneling channel is established by an application.

19. The system of claim 18 where the application is provided to the host by the remote service.

20. The system of claim 18 where the application is stored on the computing device.