Method and Apparatus for Facilitating Communication Between a Finder of a Misplaced Wireless Terminal and an Authorized User

A wireless terminal operative to facilitate communication between a finder of a misplaced passcode-locked wireless terminal and an authorized user of the wireless terminal, the terminal comprising:

• a transceiver operative to transmit signals to, and receive signals from, a wireless communication network;
• a display;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and to the display, the processor being configured to:
• present to a finder of the wireless terminal at least one menu option on the display for contacting the authorized user of the wireless terminal via the wireless communication network, the at least one menu option being accessible from a lock screen of the wireless terminal without entry of the passcode;
• and
• responsive to the finder selecting one of the at least one menu options, to initiate a communication between the finder and the authorized user via the wireless communication network.

A wireless terminal operative to provide a finder of a misplaced wireless terminal information for returning the wireless terminal to an authorized user of the wireless terminal, the terminal comprising:

• a transceiver operative to transmit signals to, and receive signals from, a wireless communication network;
• a display;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, the processor being configured to:
• receive, via the transceiver, a message from the authorized user indicating that the wireless terminal has been misplaced;
• and
• responsive to the received message, disable communication functionality of the wireless terminal and present a message on the display of the wireless terminal, the message providing information for returning the wireless terminal to the authorized user.