Systems and methods for managing lost devices

• US 9,900,861 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Brown, Daniel Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US15/210,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 3405681, 340571, 34053932, 3406911-6916, 340692, 340331, 3408154, 34081545, 4554041, 4554042, 455410, 455411, 455421
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• 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 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method for a device to determine that it has been lost is provided. The method comprises the device determining its current location, the device comparing its current location to a plurality of stored locations, and the device determining that it has been lost when its current location is a stored location that has been designated as a location where the device is unlikely to be located or is not a stored location that has been designated as a location where the device is likely to be located.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message indicating that the device has been lost;

a processor coupled to the receiver; and

a speaker coupled to the processor and configured to emit an audible alert to indicate that the device has been lost in response to receiving the message indicating that the device has been lost,

wherein the processor is configured to instruct the speaker to stop emitting the audible alert when the device has been found, and

wherein, when the speaker is instructed to stop emitting audible alert, the processor is configured to instruct the speaker to begin emitting the audible alert again in response to detecting at least one of;

a press of a button on the device;

a physical input via a touch screen display of the device;

a sound;

or

movement of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the audible alert produced comprises a pre-recorded voice message indicating that the device has been lost.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a camera and a flashing component, wherein the flashing component is configured such that when the device detects that the device is in a first location with a light level below a first value, the processor is configured to instruct the flashing component to flash a light.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a vibration alert component, wherein the processor is configured to instruct the vibration alert component to vibrate the device when the device detects that the device is in a location with a sound level below a first value.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the speaker is further configured to emit the audible alert periodically in response to receiving the message indicating that the device has been lost.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to instruct the speaker to stop emitting the audible alert when a battery level of the device is below a first value.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions is for:

receiving a message indicating that a device has been lost;

producing at least one alert in response to receiving the message indicating that the device has been lost, the at least one alert including an audible alert emitted by a speaker of the device;

instructing the speaker to stop emitting the audible alert when the device has been found; and

instructing, when the speaker is instructed to stop emitting the audible alert, the speaker to begin emitting the audible alert again in response to detecting at least one of;

a press of a button on the device;

a physical input via a touch screen display if the device;

a sound;

or

movement of the device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the device is associated with a user, and wherein the message is received from a second device associated with the user.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the audible alert produced comprises a pre-recorded voice message indicating that the device has been lost.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions is further for deactivating the audible alert in response to a battery level of the device falling below a minimum battery level.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein execution of the computer executable instructions is further for activating a vibration alert component to vibrate the device when the device detects that the device is in a location with a sound level below a first value.

12. A method implemented in a device, the method comprising:

receiving a message indicating that the device has been lost;

emitting an audible alert by a speaker of the device in response to receiving the message indicating that the device has been lost;

instructing the speaker to stop emitting the audible alert when the device has been found; and

instructing, when the speaker is instructed to stop emitting the audible alert, the speaker to begin emitting the audible alert again in response to detecting at least one of;

a press of a button on the device;

a physical input via a touch screen display of the device;

a sound;

or

movement of the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the audible alert comprises a pre-recorded voice message indicating that the device has been lost.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising instructing a flashing component of a camera to flash a light when the device detects that the device is in a first location with a light level below a first value.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising instructing a vibration alert component to vibrate the device when the device detects that the device is in a location with a sound level below a first value.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising instructing the speaker to emit the audible alert periodically in response to receiving the message indicating that the device has been lost.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising instructing the speaker to stop emitting the audible alert when a battery level of the device is below a first value.