Release monitoring through check-in and tethering system

A tethered mobile device, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the memory configured to store program code that when executed by the processor causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:
• initiating, by a check-in application installed in a secure area of a file system of the tethered mobile device that is inaccessible to a user of the tethered mobile device and accessible by a monitoring center, a monitoring operation on the tethered mobile device for determining whether to initiate a check-in procedure by the tethered mobile device;
• initiating, by the check-in application, the check-in procedure responsive to the monitoring operation, wherein the check-in procedure includes (i) a real-time verification request comprising at least one of a biometric real-time verification request, a picture real-time verification request, or a question real-time verification request and (ii) transmitting an automatic check-in request to a tethered monitoring device for a response comprising a device identifier that uniquely identifies the tethered monitoring device;
• verifying, by the check-in application, the device identifier in the response by comparing the device identifier to an expected device identifier stored in the secure area, and determining whether a verification response to the real-time verification request is valid;
• and
• restricting, by one or more restriction operations of the check-in application installed on the tethered mobile device, functions of the tethered mobile device until the check-in procedure is determined to be completed by the check-in application, wherein the one or more restriction operations include at least one of:
• preventing closing of the check-in application,
• preventing displaying another application by the tethered mobile device,
• preventing access to a telephone function of the tethered mobile device, or
• disabling inputs of the tethered mobile device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor in a tethered mobile device, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• initiating, by a check-in application installed in a secure area of a file system of the tethered mobile device that is inaccessible to a user of the tethered mobile device and accessible by a monitoring center, a monitoring operation on the tethered mobile device for determining whether to initiate a check-in procedure by the tethered mobile device;
• initiating, by the check-in application, the check-in procedure responsive to the monitoring operation, wherein the check-in procedure includes (i) a real-time verification request comprising at least one of a biometric real-time verification request, a picture real-time verification request, or a question real-time verification request and (ii) transmitting an automatic check-in request to a tethered monitoring device for a response comprising a device identifier that uniquely identifies the tethered monitoring device;
• verifying, by the check-in application, the device identifier in the response by comparing the device identifier to an expected device identifier stored in the secure area, and determining whether a verification response to the real-time verification request is valid;
• and
• restricting, by one or more restriction operations of the check-in application installed on the tethered mobile device, functions of the tethered mobile device until the check-in procedure is determined to be completed by the check-in application, wherein the restriction operations include at least one of:
• preventing closing of the check-in application,
• preventing displaying another application by the tethered mobile device,
• preventing access to a telephone function of the tethered mobile device, or
• disabling inputs of the tethered mobile device.