# US 10,873,849 B1 · System and method for universal mobile device lock using blockchain > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,849 B1 - Document ID: US10873849B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/709,390 - Filed: 2019-12-10 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sheng Qiang; Kantha Kumar Kanchiraju - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873849B1 ## CPC - H04W 8/205: {Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier} - H04W 12/71: Hardware identity - H04L 9/0637: {Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]} - H04L 9/3239: {involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD} - H04W 8/183: {Processing at user equipment or user record carrier} - H04W 8/245: {from a network towards a terminal} - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04W 12/72: Subscriber identity - H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method for activating an electronic device includes receiving a request to activate the electronic device. The method also includes determining whether activation of the electronic device is permitted according to a device status record associated with the electronic device in a blockchain. In addition, the method includes one of: proceeding with the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to the device status record in the blockchain and blocking the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is not permitted according to the device status record in the blockchain. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for activating an electronic device, the method comprising: receiving a request to activate the electronic device; determining whether activation of the electronic device to access a mobile operator network is permitted according to a device status record associated with the electronic device in a blockchain; and one of: proceeding with the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to the device status record in the blockchain; or blocking the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is not permitted according to the device status record in the blockchain. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted comprises: transmitting a query to a blockchain platform with an identifier associated with the electronic device; and receiving a response from the blockchain platform indicating whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted based on the device status record, the device status record associated with the identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to a mobile operator; and one of: activating the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to the mobile operator, or blocking the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is not permitted according to the mobile operator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the device status record associated with the electronic device in the blockchain comprises a device status record indicating whether the electronic device is locked to a specific carrier or is unlocked. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the device status record comprises an electronic device identifier, a mobile operator identifier, and a lock status. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the device status record is based on a transaction between an original equipment manufacturer and a mobile operator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the device status record is based on a transaction between a mobile operator and a user. ### Claim 8 An electronic device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor operatively connected to the at least one memory and configured to: receive a request to activate the electronic device; determine whether activation of the electronic device to access a mobile operator network is permitted according to a device status record associated with the electronic device in a blockchain; proceed with the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to the device status record in the blockchain; and block the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is not permitted according to the device status record in the blockchain. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8, wherein, to determine whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted, the at least one processor is configured to: transmit a query to a blockchain platform with an identifier associated with the electronic device; and receive a response from the blockchain platform indicating whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted based on the device status record, the device status record associated with the identifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: determine whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to a mobile operator; activate the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is permitted according to the mobile operator; and block the activation of the electronic device in response to determining that the activation of the electronic device is not permitted according to the mobile operator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the device status record associated with the electronic device in the blockchain comprises a device status record indicating whether the electronic device is locked to a specific carrier or is unlocked. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the device status record comprises an electronic device identifier, a mobile operator identifier, and a lock status. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the device status record is based on a transaction between an original equipment manufacturer and a mobile operator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the device status record is based on a transaction between a mobile operator and a user. ### Claim 15 A method for verifying an activation status of an electronic device, the method comprising: receiving a request to activate the electronic device; accessing a blockchain to identify a device status record associated with the electronic device in the blockchain; determining whether activation of the electronic device to access a mobile operator network is permitted according to the device status record associated with the electronic device in the blockchain; and transmitting a response to the request, the response indicating whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving a second request to activate the electronic device from a mobile operator; determining whether activation of the electronic device is permitted; and transmitting a second response to the mobile operator, the second response indicating whether the activation of the electronic device is permitted. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: generating device status records for the blockchain, the device status records based on transactions between original equipment manufacturers and mobile operators and based on transactions between the mobile operators and users. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the device status record associated with the electronic device in the blockchain comprises a device status record indicating whether the electronic device is locked to a specific carrier or is unlocked. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the device status record comprises an electronic device identifier, a mobile operator identifier, and a lock status. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the device status record is based on a transaction between an original equipment manufacturer and a mobile operator.