Apparatus and method for an antitheft secure operating system module

• US 9,870,490 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sonasath, Moiz Kaizar
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thanh T
• Application Number:
  US14/189,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20150242644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2127 Bluffing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/45 using multiple identity modules

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a secure operating system module are provided. The method includes receiving an activation signal to enable a secure OS module, in response to the activation signal, securing user data and disabling user control to deactivate a communication module of the portable terminal, and transmitting acquired data related to the operation of the portable terminal via the communication module.

Claims

1. A method for securing user data via an antitheft Operating System (OS) module in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

receiving an activation signal to enable a secure OS module;

in response to the activation signal, securing user data and disabling a user control associated with a transceiver of the portable terminal, wherein the user control comprises a graphical element configured to generate a command to enable or disable the transceiver based on the secure OS module;

while the user control is disabled, transmitting acquired data related to the operation of the portable terminal via the transceiver;

while the user control is disabled and when a user command to deactivate the transceiver is input via the graphical element, displaying a false indication that the transceiver is deactivated via the graphical element; and

in response to an event associated with a primary battery while the secure OS module is enabled, booting into a tracking mode using a secondary battery of the portable terminal,

wherein, when the user control is disabled, the transceiver is enabled and the user control is inhibited from generating the command to enable or disable the transceiver

wherein a function of the secure OS module is disabled during the tracking mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if a user application being executed on the portable terminal requests to send or receive data, providing an indication that the transceiver is deactivated to the user application.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to the activation signal, disabling user control to deactivate a sensor of the portable terminal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to receiving a user command to deactivate the sensor, displaying an indication that the sensor is deactivated, wherein the sensor remains enabled in response to the user command.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, if a user application being executed on the portable terminal requests to send data from the sensor, providing an indication that the sensor is deactivated to the user application.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to a command to power down the portable terminal, displaying a power down operation, wherein the portable terminal continues the transmitting of the acquired data after the displaying of the power down operation.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising, in response to a command to update a firmware of the portable terminal, displaying a flashing operation of the firmware, wherein the portable terminal is not updated with the firmware.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the acquired data comprises at least one of a captured image, a captured moving image, audio from a microphone, sensor data from a sensor, and usage information.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the event comprises detecting removal of the primary battery.

10. An apparatus for securing user data via an antitheft Operating System (OS) module in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a display;

a transceiver; and

at least one processor configured to;

receive an activation signal to enable a secure OS module,

in response to the activation signal, secure user data and disable a user control to associated with the transceiver, wherein the user control comprises a graphical element configured to generate a command to enable or disable the transceiver based on the secure OS module,

while the user control is disabled, control the transceiver to transmit acquired data related to the operation of the portable terminal,

while the user control is disabled and when a user command to deactivate the transceiver is input via the graphical element, control the display to output a false indication that the transceiver is deactivated via the graphical element, and acquire data related to the operation of the portable terminal, and in response to an event associated with a primary battery while the secure OS module is enabled, boot into a tracking mode using a secondary battery of the portable terminal,

wherein, when the user control is disabled, the transceiver is enabled and the user control is inhibited from generating the command to enable or disable the transceiver

wherein a function of the secure OS module is disabled during the tracking mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide an indication that the transceiver is deactivated to a user application being executed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein in response to the activation signal, the at least one processor further is configured to disable user control to deactivate a sensor of the portable terminal.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, in response to receiving a user command to deactivate a sensor, the at least one processor is further configured to enable the display to display an indication that the sensor is deactivated, wherein the sensor remains enabled in response to the user command.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further to provide an indication that the sensor is deactivated to a user application being executed.

15. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein, in response to a command to power down the device, the at least one processor is further configured to enable the display to display a power down operation, and

wherein the apparatus continues the transmitting of the acquired data after the displaying of the power down operation.

16. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein, in response to a command to update a firmware of the apparatus, the at least one processor is further configured to enable the display to display a flashing operation of the firmware, and

wherein the apparatus is not updated with the firmware.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the acquired data comprises at least one of a captured image, a captured moving image, audio from a microphone, sensor data from a sensor, and usage information.

18. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the event comprises removal of the primary battery.