Method and apparatus for securing a remote device
AssigneeT-Mobile USA, Inc.
InventorAnbalagan Elumalai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for security of Internet of things (IoT) devices are discussed. A user of a mobile device, such as a customer of a wireless communication network, may remotely lock an IoT device while concomitantly assigning an ad hoc password to the IoT device that can be subsequently used to unlock the device. Alternatively, an IoT device may self-lock and produce a password in response to detecting its motion. The produced password may be provided to the user of a mobile device and used later to unlock the IoT device.
Claims20
A remote server configured to communicate with a client device and an Internet of Things (IoT) device, the remote server comprising:
- a processor;
- a non-transitory storage medium;
- and
- instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
- in response to receiving a user command from the client device to lock the IoT device, create and assign an ad hoc password to the IoT device;
- remotely change a profile on an eSIM card embedded in the IoT device by transmitting to the IoT device i) a command to reduce full functionality of the IoT device by at least partially inhibiting functionality of the IoT device and ii) the ad hoc password;
- receive a response from the IoT device acknowledging that the remote device has executed the command to at least partially inhibit the functionality of the IoT device;
- transmit to the IoT device i) a command to return to the full functionality of the IoT device and ii) the ad hoc password;
- and
- receive a geolocation from the IoT device in response to the transmitting of the command to return to the full functionality of the IoT device.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a network element, cause a flow controller of the network element to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, from a client device, a request to inhibit functionality of an Internet of Things (IoT) device from full functionality to a reduced functionality;
- in response to receiving the request, create and assign an ad hoc password to the IoT device;
- upon or after receiving the request, remotely changing a profile on an eSIM card embedded in the IoT device by transmitting to the IoT device a command to at least partially inhibit the functionality of the IoT device;
- transmitting to the IoT device the ad hoc password to the IoT device, wherein the ad hoc password, if received at a subsequent time by the IoT device, allows the IoT device to return to full functionality;
- and
- receiving a geolocation from the IoT device in response to the transmitting of the command.
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving, from a remote server, a command to remotely change a profile on an eSIM card embedded in a remote device to reduce full functionality of the remote device by at least partially inhibiting functionality of the remote device;
- receiving at a first time, from the remote server, an ad hoc password to be assigned to the remote device, wherein the ad hoc password is created in correspondence to the command;
- storing the ad hoc password;
- executing the command to at least partially inhibit the functionality of the remote device, wherein the ad hoc password, if received at a second or subsequent time by the remote device, allows the remote device to return to full functionality;
- and
- transmitting a geolocation to the remote server in response to returning to full functionality.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.