Apparatus and method for determining a wireless device's location after shutdown

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9338596-B2
Application number	US-201514701860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 23, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A wireless data processing device is described which periodically exits an unpowered state and transmits location data. For example, one embodiment of a wireless data processing device comprises: power circuitry for maintaining the wireless data processing device in a powered or unpowered state, the power circuitry causing the wireless data processing device to enter into an unpowered state responsive to user input; a timer to periodically power up the wireless device or portion thereof in response to reaching a predetermined time; a location services module determining a current location of the wireless data processing device using one or more specified location determination techniques; a transmit thread transmitting the current location of the wireless device over one or more specified communication channels; and the power circuitry powering down the wireless data processing device a second time after the current location has been transmitted.

First claim

We claim:

1. A machine-implemented method for securing a wireless data processing device comprising:
receiving, by a wireless data processing device, at least one input which comprises image data which provides a security code;
powering down the wireless data processing device into a security mode in response to the wireless data processing device determining that the received at least one input which provides the security code has been entered incorrectly a predetermined number of times;
powering up predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device, in the security mode;
obtaining location information, in the security mode, of the wireless data processing device;
transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device over one or more communication channels; and
automatically powering down the predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device in the security mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the wireless data processing device, a second input that comprises a portion of the security code, wherein the second input comprises one of:
a numeric entry, an alpha-numeric entry, a sequence of button presses, a pattern drawn on a touch screen.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disabling the security mode in response to the received at least one input comprising the security code having been entered correctly.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless data processing device comprises a camera and the image data comprises a picture taken by the camera.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises a picture of at least one of:
an object;
a QR code;
a 2-dimensional bar code; or
a 1-dimensional bar code.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data is received from one of a plurality of input devices on the wireless data processing system.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device a final time, then;
performing a master reset of the wireless data processing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein location information comprises at least one of:
global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates, or one or more cell tower identifiers, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) identifier, or a Near Field Communications (NFC) identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of at least one input is during one of a power down sequence or a power up sequence of a wireless data processing device.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium programmed with instructions that when executed by a processing system, perform operations that implement a method for securing a wireless data processing device, the operations comprising:
receiving, by a wireless data processing device, at least one input which comprises image data which provides a security code;
powering down the wireless data processing device into a security mode in response to the wireless data processing device determining that the received at least one input which provides the security code has been entered incorrectly a predetermined number of times;
powering up predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device, in the security mode;
obtaining location information, in the security mode, of the wireless data processing device;
transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device over one or more communication channels; and
automatically powering down the predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device in the security mode.

11. The medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving, by the wireless data processing device, a second input that comprises a portion of the security code, wherein the second input comprises one of:
a numeric entry, an alpha-numeric entry, a sequence of button presses, a patter drawn on a touch screen.

12. The medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
disabling the security mode in response to the received at least one input comprising the security code having been entered correctly.

13. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the wireless data processing device comprises a camera and the image data comprises a picture taken by the camera.

14. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the image data comprises a picture of at least one of:
an object;
a QR code;
a 2-dimensional bar code; or
a 1-dimensional bar code.

15. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the image data is received from one of a plurality of input devices on the wireless data processing system.

16. The medium of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device a final time, then;
performing a master reset of the wireless data processing device.

17. The medium of claim 10 , wherein location information comprises at least one of:
global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates, or one or more cell tower identifiers, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) identifier, or a Near Field Communications (NFC) identifier.

18. The medium of claim 10 , wherein the receiving of at least one input is during one of a power down sequence or a power up sequence of a wireless data processing device.

19. A system comprising:
a processing system programmed with executable instructions that, when executed, perform a machine-implemented method for securing a wireless data processing device comprising:
receiving, by a wireless data processing device, at least one input which comprises image data which provides a security code;
powering down the wireless data processing device into a security mode in response to the wireless data processing device determining that the received at least one input which provides the security code has been entered incorrectly a predetermined number of times;
powering up predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device, in the security mode;
obtaining location information, in the security mode, of the wireless data processing device;
transmitting, in the security mode, the location information of the wireless data processing device over one or more communication channels; and
automatically powering down the predetermined portions of the wireless data processing device in the security mode.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
receiving, by the wireless data processing device, a second input that comprises a portion of the security code, wherein the second input comprises one of:
a numeric entry, an alpha-numeric entry, a sequence of button presses, a patter drawn on a touch screen.

21. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
disabling the security mode in response to the received at least one input comprising the security code having been entered correctly.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the wireless data processing device comprises a camera and the image data comprises a picture taken by the camera.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the image data comprises a picture of at least one of:
an object;
a QR code;
a 2-dimensional bar code; or
a 1-dimensional bar code.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the image data is received from one of a plurality of input devices on the wireless data processing system.

25. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
transmitting, in the secu

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Schlaupitz Alexander D
• Wurzel Joshua G
• Al-Dahle Ahmad

Classifications

• H04W52/0251 Primary

  using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity · CPC title

• H04W4/02 Primary

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W52/0254

  detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device · CPC title

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title