Managing wireless devices using access control

• US 8,170,530 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Northway, Tedrick N., Richards, Patrick J. Jr., Winkler, Duane L., Brink, Kenneth A. Jr., Johnson, Randy S., Malkowski, Raymond T., Martin, Jeffrey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/734,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/053 remote terminal provisioning, e.g. of applets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6027 Fraud preventions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• 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

Abstract

An improved solution for managing wireless devices that uses access control is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for managing wireless devices includes receiving a notification for one of the plurality of wireless devices, the notification indicating at least one of: an access attempt threshold is exceeded or the wireless device is displaced; and remotely locking the wireless device based on the notification.

Claims

1. A computerized method of managing a plurality of wireless devices, the method comprising:

receiving a notification for one of the plurality of wireless devices at a computer system, wherein the receiving includes at least one of;

receiving the notification from the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to an access attempt threshold being exceeded or receiving the notification from a party affiliated with the one of the plurality of wireless devices when the wireless device is displaced, wherein the access attempt threshold corresponds to a number of unsuccessful attempts to access the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

calling the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to the notification;

obtaining, based on the calling, a location of the one of the plurality of wireless devices on the computer system;

sending the location from the computer system for use by a user remote from the computer system;

remotely locking the wireless device in response to the notification; and

in response to receiving the notification that the access attempt threshold is exceeded, automatically remotely clearing the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory, and, in response to receiving the notification that the wireless device is displaced, automatically remotely clearing the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory after a predetermined time period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification of the locking to at least one of:

a customer or an administrator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sending of the notification is via electronic mail.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring access attempts to each of the plurality of wireless devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising individually setting the access attempt threshold for each of the plurality of wireless devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaced includes at least one of:

lost or stolen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising discontinuing at least one service to the wireless device in response to the notification.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user includes at least one law enforcement authority.

9. A computerized system, comprising:

at least one computing device for managing a plurality of wireless device by performing a method including;

for receiving a notification for one of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the receiving includes at least one of;

receiving the notification from the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to an access attempt threshold being exceeded or receiving the notification from a party affiliated with the one of the plurality of wireless devices when the wireless device is displaced, wherein the access attempt threshold corresponds to a number of unsuccessful attempts to access the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

calling the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to the notification;

obtaining, based on the calling, a location of the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

sending the location for use by a user;

remotely locking the wireless device in response to the notification; and

in response to receiving the notification that the access attempt threshold is exceed, automatically remotely clearing the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory, and, in response to receiving the notification that the wireless device is displaced, automatically remotely clearing the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory after a predetermined time period.

10. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising sending a notification of the locking at least one of:

a customer or an administrator.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sending the notification uses electronic mail.

12. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising monitoring access attempts to each of the plurality of wireless devices.

13. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising individually setting the access attempt threshold for each of the plurality of wireless devices.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein displaced includes at least one of:

lost or stolen.

15. The system of claim 9, the method further comprising discontinuing at least one service to the wireless device in response to the notification.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the user includes at least one law enforcement authority.

17. A computer program comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of managing a plurality of wireless devices, the method comprising:

receiving a notification for one of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the receiving includes at least one of;

receiving the notification from the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to an access attempt threshold being exceeded or receiving the notification from a party affiliated with the one of the plurality of wireless devices when the wireless device is displaced, wherein the access attempt threshold corresponds to a number of unsuccessful attempts to access the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

calling the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to the notification;

obtaining, based on the calling, a location of the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

sending the location for use by a user;

remotely locking the wireless device in response to the notification; and

in response to receiving the notification that the access attempt threshold is exceeded, automatically remotely clearing the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory, and, in response to receiving the notification that the wireless device is displaced, automatically remotely clearing the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory after a predetermined time period.

18. A method of generating a system for managing a plurality of wireless devices, the method comprising:

providing a computer system operable to;

receive a notification for one of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the receiving includes at least one of;

receiving the notification from the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to an access attempt threshold being exceeded or receiving the notification from a party affiliated with the one of the plurality of wireless devices when the wireless device is displaced, wherein the access attempt threshold corresponds to a number of unsuccessful attempts to access the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

call the one of the plurality of wireless devices in response to the notification;

obtain, based on the calling, a location of the one of the plurality of wireless devices;

send the location for use by a user;

remotely lock the wireless device in response to the notification; and

in response to receiving the notification that the access attempt threshold is exceeded, automatically remotely clear the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory, and, in response to receiving the notification that the wireless device is displaced, automatically remotely clear the at least one wireless device of data on at least one of;

storage or memory after a predetermined time period.