Audible alert for stolen user devices
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorWilliam Alexander Strand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tracking modes of a user device is described. In one method, the user device tracks the user device in a stolen mode and an elevated mode. The user device generates a challenge to authenticate a user as an owner of the user device when the user device is in the elevated mode. The challenge includes a question about a list of history items comprising at least one counterfeit history item and at least one valid history item. The user device generates an audible alert when the user device is in the stolen mode.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- tracking, by a user device, modes of the user device, wherein the modes comprise a stolen mode and an elevated mode;
- generating, by the user device, a challenge to authenticate a user as an owner of the user device when the user device is in the elevated mode, wherein the challenge comprises a question about a list of history items comprising at least one counterfeit history item and at least one valid history item;
- and
- generating, by the user device, an audible alert when the user device is in the stolen mode.
A user device comprising:
- a signal generation device;
- a memory to store modes of the user device, wherein the modes comprise a stolen mode, an elevated mode and a normal mode;
- and
- a processing device, coupled to the memory and the signal generation device, wherein the processing device is configured to determine that the user device is in the stolen mode or the elevated mode and to instruct the signal generation device to generate an audible alert when the user device is in the stolen mode and to generate a challenge to authenticate a user as an owner of the user device when the user device is in the elevated mode, wherein the challenge comprises a question about a list of history items comprising at least one counterfeit history item and at least one valid history item.
A user device comprising:
- a signal generation device;
- a memory to store modes of the user device, wherein the modes comprise a stolen mode and a normal mode;
- and
- a processing device, coupled to the memory and the signal generation device, wherein the processing device is configured to determine that the user device is in the stolen mode and to instruct the signal generation device to generate an audible alert when the user device is in the stolen mode,
- wherein the modes further comprise an elevated mode, and wherein the processing device is configured to disable at least one of access to personal identifying information, preventing access to content stored on the user device, or an ability to purchase items using the user device when in the elevated mode.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
- tracking modes of a user device on the user device, wherein the modes comprise a stolen mode, an elevated mode, and a normal mode;
- when in the normal mode, periodically determining if the user device has been stolen or if the user needs to be authenticated;
- transitioning to the stolen mode when the user device has been stolen;
- generating an audible alert when the user device is in the stolen mode;
- transitioning to the elevated mode when the user needs to be authenticated;
- generating a challenge that to authenticate a user as the owner of the user device when the user device is in the elevated mode, wherein the challenge comprises a question about a list of history items comprising at least one counterfeit history item and at least one valid history item;
- determining if a response from the user successfully authenticates the user as the owner of the user device;
- transitioning to the normal mode when the response successfully authenticates the user as the owner;
- and
- transitioning to the stolen mode when the response does not successfully authenticate the user as the owner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.