| 摘要 |
A device and software utilizing Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technologies for monitoring and recovering portable computing devices and, a method and system for acquiring such devices, protecting data on such devices, and for compensating owners of devices. A GPS mechanism of the invention provides real time tracking of missing devices that may be coordinated with security agencies to intercept and recover missing computing devices. When a stolen device is unrecoverable, the invention may receive a signal to initiate data recovery where a wireless network is available to recover data for the owner. Alternatively, the GPS mechanism instructs the device to encrypt or destroy stored data files to prevent commercial espionage or privacy violations. The invention discloses a software system and method for computing a purchase price of the GPS mechanism, computing compensation for loss of the device and lost data. |
| 主权项 |
1. A system for protecting a portable computing device, the system comprising:
a communicator element of an authorized user device that is in communicative contact with a wireless communication assembly disposed on a circuit board coupled to an interface port of a portable computing device, wherein a first battery and a positioning device are also disposed on the circuit board, wherein the first battery powers at least the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, wherein a second battery not disposed on the circuit board powers a subset of the portable computing device other than the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device, and wherein operations of the wireless communication assembly and the positioning device are covert with respect to the portable computing device; and a processor of the authorized user device, wherein execution of instructions by the processor of the authorized user device:
sends an alert transmission to the wireless communication assembly via the communicator element, the alert transmission indicating that the portable computing device has been lost,receives a plurality of location transmissions via the communicator element from the wireless communication assembly automatically and periodically and punctuated by a pre-determined time interval, each location transmission of the one or more location transmissions indicating a geographic location of the portable computing device, the geographic location determined by the positioning device disposed on the circuit board based on one or more positioning communications between the wireless communication assembly and one or more global positioning system satellites,receives a data management user input at a data management user interface of the authorized user device, the user input identifying that one or more data files stored in a memory of the portable computer device should be encrypted,sends a data management transmission to the wireless communication assembly via the communicator element, the data management transmission based on the data management user input, wherein receipt of the data management transmission at the wireless communication assembly triggers encryption of the one or more data files stored in the memory of the portable computing device, andsends a recovery transmission to the wireless communication assembly via the communicator element after the portable computing device is recovered from its lost state, thereby decrypting the encrypted one or more data files using a decryption key code included in the recovery transmission. |
