# US 11,122,433 B2 · Methods and systems for enhancing electronic device security by intercepting and analyzing a communication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,122,433 B2 - Document ID: US11122433B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/828,548 - Filed: 2020-03-24 - Published: 2020-07-16 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2009-02-17 - Assignees: Lookout, Inc. - Applicants: Lookout, Inc. - Inventors: Kevin Patrick Mahaffey; David Luke Richardson; Ayan Mandal; Cherry Mangat; Vance Grkov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122433B2 ## CPC - H04W 12/08: Access security - G06F 21/316: {by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour} - G06F 21/88: Detecting or preventing theft or loss - H04L 63/14: {for detecting or protecting against malicious traffic} - H04M 15/58: {based on statistics of usage or network monitoring} - H04M 15/7652: {shared by users} - H04W 4/021: Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences - H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters} - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 12/12: Detection or prevention of fraud - H04W 12/126: Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning - H04W 12/30: Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications - H04L 63/0861: {using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231)} - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - H04W 4/027: {using movement velocity, acceleration information} - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - H04W 8/245: {from a network towards a terminal} - H04W 12/68: Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent - H04W 48/02: Access restriction performed under specific conditions - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Systems and methods enhance the security of an electronic device by causing an application on the device to intercept and analyze a communication. When the communication meets certain conditions an audio transmission is initiated. In the absence of the conditions the communication is passed to a different application. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: intercepting, by a first application program executing on a portable electronic device, a communication received at the portable electronic device over a network; analyzing the communication to determine whether the communication is associated with at least one of a first condition or a second condition, wherein the first condition represents a predefined security code included in the communication signal, and the second condition represents the communication being from a predefined source; responsive to determining whether one of the first condition or the second condition is associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device: initiating an audio transmission between the portable electronic device and a client, when it is determined that the first condition or the second condition is associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device; and passing the intercepted communication signal to a second application program executing at the portable electronic device, when it is determined that the first condition and the second condition are not associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the step of analyzing the communication: storing, at the portable electronic device, at least one of the predefined security code, or an identifier associated with the predefined source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined security code is stored on the portable electronic device, and the step of analyzing the communication comprises: comparing the stored predefined security code with content of the communication to determine whether there is a match, the match being an association of the communication with the first condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an identifier associated with the predefined source is stored on the portable electronic device and the step of analyzing the communication comprises: comparing the stored identifier associated with the predefined source with information identifying a source of the communication to determine whether there is a match, the match being an association of the communication with the second condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio transmission between the portable electronic device and the client is initiated without user intervention at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the audio transmission between the portable electronic device and the client is initiated in response to user action at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the communication includes at least one of: instructions specifying call handling at the portable electronic device; a first command that activates an external speaker of the portable electronic device for the audio transmission; a first command that increases a volume setting of the portable electronic device for the audio transmission; or a first command that alters a mute setting of the portable electronic device for the audio transmission. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a portable electronic device, cause the portable electronic device to perform actions comprising: intercepting, by a first application program, a communication received at the portable electronic device over a network; analyzing, by the first application program, the communication to determine whether the communication is associated with at least one of a first condition or a second condition, wherein the first condition represents a predefined security code included in the communication signal, and the second condition represents the communication being from a predefined source; responsive to determining whether one of the first condition or the second condition is associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device: initiating, by the first application program, an audio transmission between the portable electronic device and a client, when it is determined that the first condition or the second condition is associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device; and passing, by the first application program, the intercepted communication signal to a second application program executing at the portable electronic device, when it is determined that the first condition and the second condition are not associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the instructions causing the portable electronic device to perform further actions comprising, before the step of analyzing the communication: storing, at the portable electronic device, at least one of the predefined security code, or an identifier associated with the predefined source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the predefined security code is stored on the portable electronic device, and the action of analyzing the communication comprises: comparing the stored predefined security code with content of the communication to determine whether there is a match, the match being an association of the communication with the first condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein an identifier associated with the predefined source is stored on the portable electronic device and the action of analyzing the communication comprises: comparing the stored identifier associated with the predefined source with information identifying a source of the communication to determine whether there is a match, the match being an association of the communication with the second condition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the audio transmission between the portable electronic device and the client to be initiated without user intervention at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein instructions cause the audio transmission between the portable electronic device and the client to be initiated in response to user action at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the communication includes at least one of: instructions specifying call handling at the portable electronic device; a first command that activates an external speaker of the portable electronic device for the audio transmission; a first command that increases a volume setting of the portable electronic device for the audio transmission; or a first command that alters a mute setting of the portable electronic device for the audio transmission. ### Claim 15 A system, comprising a portable electronic device with a network interface and at least one processor and memory and instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the portable electronic device to perform actions comprising: intercepting, by a first application program, a communication received at the portable electronic device over a network; analyzing, by the first application program, the communication to determine whether the communication is associated with at least one of a first condition or a second condition, wherein the first condition represents a predefined security code included in the communication signal, and the second condition represents the communication being from a predefined source; responsive to determining whether one of the first condition or the second condition is associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device: initiating, by the first application program, an audio transmission between the portable electronic device and a client, when it is determined that the first condition or the second condition is associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device; and passing, by the first application program, the intercepted communication signal to a second application program executing at the portable electronic device, when it is determined that the first condition and the second condition are not associated with the communication received at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, the instructions causing the portable electronic device to perform further actions comprising, before the step of analyzing the communication: storing, at the portable electronic device, at least one of the predefined security code, or an identifier associated with the predefined source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the predefined security code is stored on the portable electronic device, and the action of analyzing the communication comprises: comparing the stored predefined security code with content of the communication to determine whether there is a match, the match being an association of the communication with the first condition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein an identifier associated with the predefined source is stored on the portable electronic device and the action of analyzing the communication comprises: comparing the stored identifier associated with the predefined source with information identifying a source of the communication to determine whether there is a match, the match being an association of the communication with the second condition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the audio transmission between the portable electronic device and the client to be initiated without user intervention at the portable electronic device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein instructions cause the audio transmission between the portable electronic device and the client to be initiated in response to user action at the portable electronic device.