Reexamination Certificate
1997-03-24
2001-06-12
Peeso, Thomas R. (Department: 2764)
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244758
ABSTRACT:
This application contains a microfiche with 8 sheets and 127 frames.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many electronic devices, such as laptop computers and cellular telephones, are becoming more compact and portable. While such portability is extremely convenient for the user, it has given rise to an increased risk of theft. These electronic devices are often very expensive and are easily lost or stolen.
Previously, attempts have been made to provide means for retrieving lost or stolen items of various types. The simplest approach is marking the item with the name and the address of the owner, or some other identification such as a driver's license number. If the item falls into the hands of an honest person, then the owner can be located. However, this approach may not deter a thief who can remove visible markings on the device.
Password protection schemes are of dubious value in discouraging theft or retrieving an item. Although the data can be protected from theft, the computer hardware cannot be found or retrieved. Another approach has been to place a radio transmitter on the item. This has been done in the context of automobile anti-theft devices. The police or a commercial organization monitors the applicable radio frequency to try to locate a stolen vehicle. This method is not suitable for smaller items such as cellular telephones or laptop computers. First, it is inconvenient to disassemble such devices in order to attempt to install a transmitter therein. Second, there may not be any convenient space available to affix such a transmitter. Furthermore, a rather elaborate monitoring service, including directional antennas or the like, is required to trace the source of radio transmissions.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved means for tracing or locating smaller lost or stolen objects, particularly laptop computers, cellular telephones, desktop computers and other small, portable electronic devices or expensive home and office electronic equipment. It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved means for tracing such electronic devices which can be installed without disassembly or physical alteration of the devices concerned.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved means for locating lost or stolen items, this means being hidden from unauthorized users in order to reduce the risk of such means being disabled by the unauthorized user.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved means for locating lost or stolen items which actively resist attempts to disable the means by an unauthorized user.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved means for inexpensively and reliably locating lost or stolen items.
This invention also overcomes disadvantages associated with the prior art which may interfere with the operating system or running applications. In addition, a feature whereby the security system transmits through the Internet is disclosed. This feature enables the security system to initiate a call to the host monitoring system even when the client is simultaneously running a different Internet application. This represents an advantage over the prior art including co-pending Continuation-in-Part application (Ser. No. 08/558,432), which is hereby incorporated by reference, which could not transmit while an application was using the modem since interference could alert the user to the presence of the security system. This security system operates independently of the operating system running on the electronic device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a security apparatus and method for retrieving lost or stolen electronic devices such as portable computers, PCs, cablevision devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones, etc. This invention enables electronic devices to be surveyed or monitored by implanting thereon an intelligent agent with a pre-defined task set. This agent communicates with a preselected host monitoring system which is capable of multiple services including; tracing location, providing identifying indicia such as an electronic serial number (ESN), and electronically notifying the end user/owner of its location. The agent hides within the software/firmware/hardware of the electronic device, and operates without interfering with the regular operation of the device. The agent is designed to evade detection and resist attempts to disable it by an unauthorized user.
The invention overcomes disadvantages associated with the prior art by yielding a security device for small computers, cellular telephones and the like which can be programmed onto the non-volatile memory (such as ROM, Flash ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or the like) of such devices. Accordingly, no physical alteration is necessary or apparent to a thief. The existence of the security device is well cloaked and thus it cannot be readily located or disabled even if the possibility of its existence is suspected. Apparatuses and methods according to the invention can be very cost effective, requiring relatively inexpensive modifications to software or hardware and operation of relatively few monitoring devices.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an electronic device with an integral security system. The security system includes means for sending signals to a remote station at spaced apart intervals of time. The signals include identifying indicia for the electronic device. The means for sending signals includes a telecommunications interface connectable to a telecommunications system, and means for dialing a preselected telecommunications number. In an alternative embodiment, signals are sent through a global network interface. This can be accomplished via the standard public telecommunications system which may be linked to a global network service provider, or through a private network (LAN) link to the global network. The remote station includes a telecommunications receiver having the preselected telecommunications number. The remote station and the electronic device may also simultaneously be connected through the global network.
In one embodiment of the invention the electronic device is a computer, and the means for sending signals includes means for providing signals to the telecommunication interface to dial a preselected telecommunication number and send the identifying indicia. The telecommunication interface may be a modem. The means for providing signals may include security software installed onto the non-volatile memory (such as ROM, Flash ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or the like) of the computer.
The security system may be recorded on the boot sector of a hard disk, on a hidden system file such as IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, IBMBIO.COM or IBMDOS.COM, or alternatively on the ROM BIOS of the electronic device. The security system functions without interfering with the operating system or any running applications. The security system is loaded into memory whenever the electronic device is powered on or reset. It is loaded before the operating system. Consequently, this security system is operating system independent.
There is provided according to another aspect of the invention a method for tracing lost or stolen electronic devices whereby a telecommunications interface is connectable to a telecommunications system at a first telecommunications station. The method includes providing the electronic device with means for sending signals to the telecommunications interface. The means is instructed by the agent to send first signals to the telecommunications interface which then calls a remote telecommunications station. These first signals contain the encoded identification (serial number) of the sending computer. Upon detecting an incoming signal, the remote computer determines the identification of the sending computer by decoding its serial number, and can retrieve the caller phone number from the telephone company. The remote computer compares the serial number with a predefined listing of serial numbers of reported lost or stolen computers.
Livingston Peter
Solymar Gaber
Absolute Software Corp.
Irell & Manella LLP
Peeso Thomas R.
LandOfFree
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