Device-based anti-theft and recovery system

A computing device comprising:

• a memory that stores instructions;
• one or more sensors that receive one or more signals associated with the computing device;
• and
• one or more processors that execute the instructions to:
• receive, from a transferor that intends to convey the computing device to a transferee, one or more signal parameters that, if satisfied, permit the computing device to deactivate a protected mode of operation, the signal parameters associated with the transferee and specifying one or more of:
• a geographic location, a network identifier, a network address, a network profile, a device identifier, a threshold distance, a time window, or biometric information;
• activate, during a normal mode of operation, the protected mode, wherein the computing device disables one or more functions that are enabled during the normal mode of operation while the protected mode is activated;
• receive, during the protected mode, a user input from a potential transferee, the user input corresponding to a wake function of the computing device;
• responsive to receiving the user input, determine, based on a comparison between the one or more signals detected by the computing device and the one or more signal parameters, whether the computing device is in possession of the transferee;
• responsive to determining the computing device is in the possession of the transferee, deactivate the protected mode of operation;
• and
• responsive to determining the computing device is not in the possession of the transferee, maintain the protected mode of operation.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the one or more processors to:

• receive, from a transferor that intends to convey the computing device to a transferee, one or more signal parameters that, if satisfied, permit the computing device to deactivate a protected mode of operation, the signal parameters associated with the transferee and specifying one or more of:
• a geographic location, a network identifier, a network address, a network profile, a device identifier, a threshold distance, a time window, or biometric information;
• activate, during a normal mode of operation, the protected mode, wherein the computing device disables one or more functions that are enabled during the normal mode of operation while the protected mode is activated;
• receive, during the protected mode, a user input from a potential transferee, the user input corresponding to a wake function of the computing device;
• responsive to receiving the user input, determine, based on a comparison between one or more signals detected by the computing device and the one or more signal parameters, whether the computing device is in possession of the transferee;
• responsive to determining the computing device is in the possession of the transferee, deactivate the protected mode of operation;
• and
• responsive to determining the computing device is not in the possession of the transferee, maintain the protected mode of operation.