Inferring device theft based on historical location data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9538335-B1
Application number	US-201514805714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 22, 2015
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A set of mobile devices are designated as a related set of mobile devices for loss indication purposes. Machine logic rules are developed to indicate loss of a mobile device. Under these rules, a determination of probable loss (for example, theft, inadvertent leaving behind) of one of the mobile devices depends, at least in part, upon the activities and/or status of other mobile devices in the set. For example, if a first mobile device in the set is expected, under the machine logic rules, to always be near a second mobile device in the set, then a determination that the second mobile device is located far away from the first mobile device may trigger a warning, or other mitigating action, that the first mobile device has probably been lost.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
designating a plurality of mobile devices, including a first mobile device and a second mobile device, as a set of related mobile devices for loss indication purposes;
receiving position information relating to the first and second mobile devices;
determining a pattern of relative position over time of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device, based at least in part, on the position information;
detecting a deviation between: (i) the pattern of relative position over time of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device, and (ii) a current relative position of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device;
applying a machine logic based first related device loss rule including a first triggering condition and a first consequence, with: (i) the first triggering condition being based, at least in part, upon detection of the deviation; and (ii) the first consequence being activation of a first loss indication indicating that loss of the first mobile device is at least marginally more likely than it is absent the first loss indication of the first consequence; and
responsive to detection of the deviation, presenting, at the second mobile device, the first loss indication.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
monitoring the set of related mobile devices to obtain a related device operational data set including information indicating the activities and/or status of the mobile devices of the set of related mobile device;
activating the first loss indication based on application of the first related device loss rule to the related device operational data set; and
on condition that the first loss indication is activated, performing a first responsive action designed to recover and/or mitigate adverse effects due to a likely loss of the first mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:
the first triggering condition of the first related device loss rule is based upon relative location(s) of all mobile devices in the set of related mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein:
the first triggering condition of the first related device loss rule is based, at least in part, upon location(s) of the first mobile device; and
the related device operational data set includes at least location information of the first mobile device.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first responsive action includes at least one of the following: (i) issuing one or more validation challenges to a user of the first mobile device; (ii) erasing content from a data store accessible by the first mobile device; (iii) making inaccessible a data store accessible by the first mobile device; (iv) reporting theft of the first mobile device to an owner of the first mobile device; (v) reporting theft of the first mobile device to a law enforcement entity; (vi) making non-functional the first mobile device; (vii) registering the first mobile device in a database of stolen mobile devices; (viii) transmitting information, which can be used to identify a user of the first mobile device, to a recipient; and/or (ix) resuming or continuing normal operation.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
monitoring the related set of mobile devices to obtain a related device operational data set including information indicating the activities and/or status of the mobile devices of the related device set;
detecting a first pattern based upon activities and/or status of at least both of the first and second mobile devices; and
wherein the first related device loss rule is made in response to detection of the first pattern.

7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:
first instructions executable by a device to cause the device to designate a plurality of mobile devices, including a first mobile device and a second mobile device, as a set of related mobile devices for loss indication purposes;
second instructions executable by a device to cause the device to receive position information relating to the first and second mobile devices;
third instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine a pattern of relative position over time of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device, based at least in part, on the position information;
fourth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to detect a deviation between: (i) the pattern of relative position over time of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device, and (ii) a current relative position of the first mobile device with respect to the second mobile device;
fifth instructions executable by the device to cause the device to apply a machine logic based first related device loss rule including a first triggering condition and a first consequence, with: (i) the first triggering condition being based, at least in part, upon detection of the deviation; and (ii) the first consequence being activation of a first loss indication indicating that loss of the first mobile device is at least marginally more likely than it is absent the first loss indication of the first consequence; and
sixth instructions executable by the device to cause the device, responsive to detection of the deviation, to present, at the second mobile device, the first loss indication.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further has stored thereon:
seventh instructions executable by a device to cause the device to monitor the set of related mobile devices to obtain a related device operational data set including information indicating the activities and/or status of the mobile devices of the set of related mobile devices;
eighth instructions executable by a device to cause the device to activate the first loss indication based on application of the first related device loss rule to the related device operational data set; and
ninth instructions executable by a device to cause the device, on condition that the first loss indication is activated, to perform a first responsive action designed to recover and/or mitigate adverse effects due to a likely loss of the first mobile device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein:
the first triggering condition of the first related device loss rule is based upon relative location(s) of all mobile devices in the set of related mobile devices.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein:
the first triggering condition of the first related device loss rule is based, at least in part, upon location(s) of the first mobile device; and
the related device operational data set includes at least location information of the first mobile device.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the first responsive action includes at least one of the following: (i) issue one or more validation challenges to a user of the first mobile device; (ii) erase content from a data store accessible by the first mobile device; (iii) make inaccessible a data store accessible by the first mobile device; (iv) report theft of the first mobile device to an owner of the first mobile device; (v) report theft of the first mobile device to a law enforcement entity; (vi) make non-functional the first mobile device; (vii) register the first mobile device in a database of stolen mobile devices; (viii) transmit information, which can be used to identify a user of the first mobile device, to a recipient; and/or (ix) resume or continue normal operation.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein:
the non-transitory computer read

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bank Judith H
• Harpur Liam
• Lyle Ruthie D
• O'Sullivan Patrick J
• Sun Lin

Classifications

• H04W4/028 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W12/12

  Detection or prevention of fraud · CPC title

• H04W12/30

  Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications · CPC title

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W12/082

  using revocation of authorisation · CPC title