Secure mobile device and allocation system

• US 7,598,842 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Soban, Joseph F. III, Landram, Fredrick J., Petrovich, Adam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US10/682,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20050077997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.73, 340/5.61, 340/7.48, 340/825.22, 340/5.9, 340/5.91, 340/5.92, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.7, 455/410, 455/575.1, 455/456.1, 455/405, 455/409, 455/418, 455/420, 379/91.02, 379/91.01
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method of securely allocating mobile devices is disclosed. A plurality of mobile devices are stored in an inoperative state under the control of a host computer. A user enters an identification code, which is received by the host computer, and the host computer selectively places a mobile device in an operative state based on the identification code. If the selected mobile device is not returned within a first predetermined interval, then the selected mobile device is placed back in the inoperative state. If the selected mobile device is not returned within a second predetermined interval, then all data within the selected mobile device'"'"'s memory is purged. Additionally, the plurality of mobile devices can be stored in a secure area. Access to the secure area is granted based on the identification code.

Claims

1. A method of securely allocating mobile devices to at least one user, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of mobile devices in an inoperative state under the control of a host computer, each of the plurality of mobile devices in communication with the host computer while in the inoperative state;

the host computer accepting as an input an identification code that uniquely identifies the at least one user;

the host computer selectively placing a mobile device among the plurality of mobile devices in an operative state based on the identification code; and

the host computer customizing operation of the selected mobile device to preset preferences of the at least one user, wherein customizing includes configuring keys of the mobile device to preset functional preferences of the at least one user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing the plurality of mobile devices in a secure area; and

granting a user access to the secure area based on the identification code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of storing the plurality of mobile devices in a secure area includes storing the plurality of mobile devices in a secure enclosure.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of storing the plurality of mobile devices in a secure area includes storing the plurality of devices in a secure room.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of granting access to the secure area based on the identification code includes identification codes selected from the group consisting of numeric codes, alpha-numeric codes, voiceprints, fingerprints and iris patterns.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

selecting a mobile device from the plurality of mobile devices that will be placed in an operative state based on a preselected criteria.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of selecting a mobile device from the plurality of mobile devices that will be placed in an operative state based on a preselected criteria includes criteria selected from the group consisting of prior history of use, position within an organization, current battery charge level, and available software on the device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

configuring the operational mobile device to be operational for a first interval, where upon expiration of the first interval the mobile device becomes inoperational.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

configuring the operational mobile device to retain data within a memory area for a second interval, where upon expiration of the second interval all data within the memory area is purged.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

returning the mobile device to the secure area prior to the expiration of the second interval, thereby preventing the data stored in the memory area from being purged.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

configuring the operational mobile device to retain data within a memory area for a first interval, where upon expiration of the first interval all data within the memory area is purged.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

monitoring when an updated revision of mobile device operating software is available; and

upgrading each mobile device with the updated revision of operating software.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying an advertisement on the selected mobile device based on a previous shopping history of the at least one user.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

emitting an alarm when the user selects a mobile device that is in the inoperative state.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of emitting an alarm includes emitting an audible alarm.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of emitting an alarm includes emitting a visual alarm.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

establishing a communication link between a first selected mobile device and a second selected mobile device, wherein messages are exchanged between the users of each mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of establishing a communication link includes communicating directly from the first mobile device to the second mobile device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of establishing a communication link includes communicating indirectly from the first mobile device to the second mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of communicating indirectly includes communicating from the first mobile device to the host computer to the second mobile device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

tracking the location of the selected mobile device as the selected mobile device moves between a plurality of cells.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of tracking the location of the selected mobile device includes storing the selected mobile device location in a memory.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

instructing the selected mobile device to emit an alert signal to assist in locating the mobile device.

53. The method according to claim 1, wherein the host computer customizing operation of the selected mobile device includes performing the customization prior to allocating the selected mobile device.

24. A mobile device allocation system for securely allocating mobile devices to a plurality of users, comprising:

at least one system backbone;

at least one host computer coupled to the system backbone; and

a plurality of mobile devices operatively configured to communicate to the host computer through the system backbone,

wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices are stored in an inoperative state and in communication with the host computer while in the inoperative state, and the at least one host computer and a selected mobile device are operatively configured to place the selected mobile device in an operative state based upon an identification code accepted as an input by the host computer, said identification code uniquely identifying a user of the plurality of users, and wherein the host computer is operative to customize operation of the selected mobile device to preset preferences of at least one user of the plurality of users such that keys of the mobile device are configured to preset functional preferences of the at least one user.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one secure area, wherein the plurality of mobile devices are stored in the at least one secure area, and the at least one host computer is operatively configured to grant access to the at least one secure area based on the identification code.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the secure area is a secure room.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the secure area is a secure enclosure.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the identification code is selected from the group consisting of numeric codes, alpha-numeric codes, voiceprints, fingerprints and iris patterns.

29. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

a plurality of docking stations located in the at least one secure area, wherein each docking station is coupled to the at least one system backbone, and each mobile device is operatively configured to communicate to the host computer through a respective docking station.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

at least one wireless remote station coupled to the at least one system backbone, wherein each mobile device is operatively configured to communicate to the host computer through the wireless remote station when the respective mobile device is not in the docking station.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the at least one host computer selects the mobile device to be placed in an operative state based on a preselected criteria.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the preselected criteria is selected from the group consisting of prior history of use, position within an organization, current battery charge level, and available software on the device.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the operational mobile device is configured to be operational for a first interval, and upon expiration of the first interval the operational mobile device becomes inoperational.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the operational mobile device is configured to retain data within a memory area for a second interval, and upon expiration of the second interval all data within the memory area is purged.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the second interval is inhibited if the mobile device is returned to the secure area prior to the expiration of the second interval.

36. The system of claim 24, wherein the operational mobile device is configured to retain data within a memory area for a second interval, and upon expiration of the second interval all data within the memory area is purged.

37. The system of claim 24, wherein the host computer monitors when an updated revision of mobile device operating software is available, and upon detecting the updated revision of operating software, the host computer transmits the operating software to the selected mobile device.

38. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device displays advertisements based on a previous shopping history of the user.

39. The system of claim 24, wherein an alarm is emitted when the user selects an inoperative mobile device.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the alarm is an audible alarm.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the alarm is a visual alarm.

42. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a communication link between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, wherein messages are exchanged over the communications link between the user of the first mobile device and the user of the second mobile device.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the communications link is a direct communications link from the first mobile device to the second mobile device.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the communications link is an indirect link from the first mobile device to the second mobile device.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the indirect communications link includes communicating from the first mobile device to the host computer to the second mobile device.

46. The system of claim 24, wherein the host computer tracks the location of the mobile device as the mobile device moves between a plurality of cells.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the host computer stores the location of the mobile device in a memory.

48. The system of claim 24, wherein the host computer instructs the mobile device to emit an alert signal to assist in locating the mobile device.

49. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a remote communication link, wherein at least one mobile device communicates to the host computer through the remote communication link.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the remote communication link is an internet connection.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the remote communication link is an intranet connection.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the remote communication link is a wireless communication link.

54. The system according to claim 24, wherein the host computer is operative to customize operation of the selected mobile device prior to allocation of the selected mobile device.

55. A method of securely allocating mobile devices to at least one user, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of mobile devices in an inoperative state under the control of a host computer, each of the plurality of mobile devices in communication with the host computer while in the inoperative state;

the host computer accepting as an input an identification code that uniquely identifies the at least one user; and

the host computer selectively placing a mobile device among the plurality of mobile devices in an operative state based on the identification code.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein storing the plurality of mobile devices in an inoperative state includes electronically locking the plurality of mobile devices.