Method and apparatus for controlling and securing mobile phones that are lost, stolen or misused
AssigneeNokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
InventorSeppo Helle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for controlling a mobile phone when it has been lost or stolen in order to prevent its use except to help the owner find it. Controlling the phone remotely may be implemented via a known Short Messaging System, for example. The security features provided are as follows: (1) Displaying contact information (phone number) of the owner on screen when the mobile phone can not start up normally, for example, due to an incorrect security code entry; (2) Setting the mobile phone in a secure state where it can only be used to call one number (Emergency calls are of course always possible.); and (3) Commanding the mobile phone to send information about its location and usage via SMS to a given number.
Claims56
A method of displaying owner information for security applications in a secure mode operation of a mobile phone, comprising the steps of:
- checking a SIM card;
- displaying a PIN code query if the PIN code query is “on”, receiving a user PIN code, and checking the PIN code;
- and
- either starting up the mobile phone so a user can operate the mobile phone normally if the SIM card is recognized as a mobile phone owner's SIM card known by the mobile phone and if the PIN code is successfully entered, or
- locking the mobile phone and displaying a phone display message with owner information if the code PIN query is cancelled.
A method for locking a mobile phone, comprising the steps of:
- receiving either a user security input signal and a personal identification input signal, or a telecommunication control signal, or a combination thereof, the telecommunication signal being a remote owner status request message signal via a telecommunication network from an owner of the mobile phone requesting status information;
- locking the mobile phone in response thereto;
- and
- providing a status message signal via the telecommunications network to the owner with information about the mobile phone.
A mobile phone for communicating in a telecommunications network, the mobile phone comprising:
- security and control modules, responsive to either a user security input signal and a personal identification input signal, or a telecommunication control signal, or a combination thereof, for locking the mobile phone in response thereto, the security and control modules including a status message module that receives the telecommunication control signal in the form of a remote owner status request message signal from an owner of the mobile phone requesting status information, for providing a status message telecommunication signal to the owner with information about the mobile phone.
A method for remotely locking a mobile phone, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a telecommunication control signal;
- locking the mobile phone if the telecommunication control signal contains a control message with a phone stolen instruction therein;
- requesting a security code from a user if a SIM card is not recognizer as a mobile phone owner's SIM card known by the mobile phone, and a PIN code is entered correctly, and checking a security code;
- and
- either starting up the mobile phone so the user can operate the mobile phone normally if the security code is entered correctly, or
- locking the mobile phone and displaying the phone display message with owner information if a security code request is cancelled, or if a wrong security code is given.
A method for remotely locking a mobile phone comprising the steps of:
- receiving a telecommunication control signal;
- locking the mobile phone and displaying a phone display message with owner information for contacting an owner of the mobile phone if the communication control signal contains a control message with a phone stolen instruction therein;
- receiving a phone status request via a telecommunications network from a remote source;
- and
- providing a status message via the telecommunications network with information about the mobile phone back to the remote source.
A method for remotely locking a mobile phone comprising the steps of:
- receiving a telecommunication control signal;
- locking the mobile phone and displaying a phone display message with owner information for contacting an owner of the mobile phone if the telecommunication control signal contains a control message with a phone stolen instruction therein;
- and
- sending via the communication control signal a remote PIN code command to the mobile phone to request a PIN code from a user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.