Portable computing device with data encryption and destruction

• US 9,674,651 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apogee Technology Consultants, LLC
• Original Assignee: Apogee Technology Consultants, LLC
• Inventors: Madsen, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US13/955,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 : Detection or prevention of fraud
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

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.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a portable computing device, the method comprising:

receiving an alert signal at a wireless communication assembly that is communicatively coupled to a global positioning device installed in the portable computing device, the alert signal indicative of a loss of the portable computing device;

determining a location of the portable computing device based on one or more communications received by the global positioning device from one or more global positioning satellites;

periodically updating the location of the portable computing device according to a predetermined time interval; and

periodically transmitting a location signal according to the predetermined time interval to a second device through the wireless communication assembly in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly, the location signal identifying the location of the portable computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the predetermined interval at the wireless communication assembly.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing access to one or more files stored in a memory of the portable computing device in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein preventing access to the one or more files includes at least one of erasing or overwriting the one or more files.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein preventing access to the one or more files includes encrypting the one or more files.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising waiting for a second predetermined time interval following receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly before preventing access to the one or more files.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a decryption signal at the wireless communication assembly, the decryption signal including a cryptographic key code; and

decrypting the encrypted one or more files using the cryptographic key code.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more files include at least one of an electronic data record, a software program, or an operating system.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling use of a protocol at the wireless communication assembly in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling use of a software program at the portable computing device in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising uninstalling a software program at the portable computing device in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying that portable computing device has been tampered with; and

transmitting a tamper signal to the second device via the wireless communication assembly, the tamper signal indicating that tampering with the portable computing device has been identified.

9. A system for monitoring a portable computing device, the system comprising:

a global positioning device that is installed in the portable computing device, wherein the global positioning device determines a location of the portable computing device based on one or more communications received by the global positioning device from one or more global positioning satellites, and wherein the global positioning device periodically updates the location of the portable computing device according to a predetermined time interval; and

a wireless communication assembly that is communicatively coupled to the global positioning device, wherein the wireless communication assembly receives an alert signal indicative of a loss of the portable computing device, wherein the wireless communication assembly periodically transmits a location signal according to the predetermined time interval to a second device through the wireless communication assembly in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly, the location signal identifying the location of the portable computing device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless communication assembly receives the predetermined interval.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a memory interface of a memory of the portable computing device, the memory storing one or more files, wherein the memory interface prevents access to the one or more files in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory interface prevents access to the one or more files by at least one of erasing or overwriting the one or more files.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory interface prevents access to the one or more files by encrypting the one or more files.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory interface waits for a second predetermined time interval following receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly before preventing access to the one or more files.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication assembly further receives a decryption signal after encryption of the one or more files, the decryption signal including a cryptographic key code, and wherein the memory interface decrypts the encrypted one or more files using the cryptographic key code.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for monitoring a portable computing device, the method comprising:

receiving an alert signal at a wireless communication assembly that is communicatively coupled to a global positioning device installed in the portable computing device, the alert signal indicative of a loss of the portable computing device;

determining a location of the portable computing device based on one or more communications received by the global positioning device from one or more global positioning satellites;

periodically updating the location of the portable computing device according to a predetermined time interval; and

periodically transmitting a location signal according to the predetermined time interval to a second device through the wireless communication assembly in response to receipt of the alert signal at the wireless communication assembly, the location signal identifying the location of the portable computing device.