Title of Invention

A METHOD TO TRACK ELECTRONIC DEVICES WHICH USE A REMOVABLE USER IDENTITY CARD

Abstract

ABSTRACT This invention in general relates to a method to track Mobile devices which use a Removable User Identity card. This invention explains a method to track mobile devices which use a removable user identity card comprising the steps of: providing a menu option for inputting a Tracking Control Key, destination email-id/phone and a customized message contents for sending the alert SMS/email when the user activates the tracking control operation in the mobile device; inputting a Tracking Control Key, destination email-id/phone and a customized message contents for sending the alert notification; storing the user-authentication information for accessing the alert-SMS/email feature, the destination email/phone, and any predefined text to be sent in NVRAM; comparing the User Id stored in the NVRAM with the new User Id Data whenever a new removable user identity card is inserted once the tracking control feature is successfully activated; and sending an alert-notification to the predefined destination if there is a mismatch between the User Identity stored in the NVRAM and the said new removable user Id card along with the current location information of the device if available. FIGURE 2

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention in general relates to electronic device security. Particularly the present invention relates to tracking stolen electronic devices such as mobile phones which uses a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)/ User Services Identity Module (USIM) card. The removable User Id card can be SIM/RUIM/USIM/ISIM or other user identity card. More particularly the present invention encompasses a method to track electronic devices, which use a removable user identity card. "Electronic Communication device" is referred as the "Mobile device" in subsequent sections. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART According to the current 3GPP Technical Specifications an Identity Check Procedures is done for tracking unauthorized use of mobile device by the network doing (International Mobile Equipment Identity) IMEI query. The Identity Check procedure shown in Figure 1 and illustrated herein below: 1) The Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) or Mobile Services Switching Centre (MSC) sends Identity Request (Identity Type) to the mobile device. The Mobile device responds with Identity Response (Mobile Identity). 2) If the Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) or Mobile Services Switching Centre (MSC) decides to check the (Internationa! Mobile Equipment Identity) (IMEI) against the Equipment Identity Register (EIR), it sends Check IMEI (IMEI) to Equipment Identity Register (EIR). The EIR responds with Check IMEI Ack (IMEI). To attempt to track the stolen mobiles : 1) the owner has to manually report to the operator/service provider, then 2) the network will query the IMEI of all mobiles accessing the network. 3) the IMEIs received from the mobile device will be cross checked with those stored in the Equipment Identity Register(EIR) 4) If the network receives the IMEI of the stolen mobile device, the operator/service provider can take appropriate action. The steps listed above have to be performed to find if anyone is using the stolen mobile. The above steps can be successful in finding out if the stolen mobile device is currently used by someone else, if the following are satisfied (it is assumed that the stolen mobile will be used after changing the SIM / USIM card): 1) The owner should provide the IMEI of the stolen mobile device to the operator, or, the network should have the IMEI stored in its database against the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the actual owner (which can be the case if before the theft is reported, network had done identity request to get the IMEI - according to standards specifications, it is optional for the network to make IMEI query). 2) The stolen mobile device is still used with the same operator's network. If the mobile is being used in some other operator's network it is very difficult to track. However, there are several limitations to the existing art: 1) If the mobile device is stolen, the user has to manually report to the operator to track the device by IMEI, still this tracking does not guarantee any results, this can work only if; i. The user has the IMEI, or the IMEI has been reported to the network earlier, ii. The network has EIR database, iii. The user is able to report to the network operator of the network where the stolen mobile device is being used currently, iv. The network operator to which reporting is done, is willing to do IMEI authentication on all mobile devices used with that network until missing mobile device's IMEI is detected. 2) If the stolen mobile device is being used with other operator's SIM in some other networks, reporting to the owner's home network operator is of no use, and reporting to some other operator and make them act on it is difficult. 3) It requires the network to query the IMEI of all mobiles accessing the network. This is costly in terms of the volume of signaling required. 4) It is optional for the networks to store IMEI (in the EIR). This may not be present in all the networks. If the owner also have not noted down the IMEI, the device can not be tracked. 7 5) In many countries (like European, US), the operator provides phones at discounted prices and phones are network-locked (means Phone will NOT work for any other network other than SIM/USIM used by specific operator. For example, if you insert new SIM from other operator in Network-locked phone, phone will NOT work. It will ask for PIN or would display SIM not found.) This can restrict stolen mobile devices to be used within same operator network, but there is no way to track mobile device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This present invention relates to a method of tracking the stolen Mobile device by making the device detect possible misuse (when the mobile device is stolen and removable User Id Card is replaced), and report it by itself to the actual owner, without the network making queries. The main objective of the proposed invention is to provide a method • to track stolen mobile device, by rViaking it automatically send Alert-notifications to a configured/preset destination(s), if the proposed tracking feature in the device is turned on, whenever o Removable User Id Card is changed or powered up with a new Removable User Id Card different from that of the user who activated Tracking feature. User can maintain more than one user as authorized users in single device • To track the stolen mobile device with no extra functionality at the network side. • To make the proposed Alert-notifications unaffected by the setting of Outgoing Call/SMS-Barring in the Removable User Id Card. Accordingly the invention explains a method to track stolen mobile devices which use a Removable User Identity card comprising the steps of: detecting the change in User Identity card in mobile device; and sending alert-notification in form of Call/ SMS/ E-mail/ Data/ DTMF/ Bluetooth/ USSD message to pre-configured /Toll Free number or available devices in vicinity at regular interval, where the removable User Id card can be SIM/RUIM/USIM/ISIM or other user identity card. Later if the user wishes to access/change Tracking Control Key, destination (email-id/phone) and a customized message contents for sending the Alert-notifications, the configured Tracking Control Key has to be input by the user. In the Alert-notifications, the location information and User Id of the current user is included, in addition to customized message contents. The user-authentication information stored in the NVRAM is the User Id of the current removable card User Id for a mobile device supporting removable User card. If there is no removable User Id card, the user Is prompted to insert removable User Id card. If the initial attempt to send Alert-notifications fails, the device keeps trying periodically or with increased delay after each attempt until successful where the said periodicity is configured in the mobile. If the removable User Id card of the new user has 'Outgoing Calls Barred' option already set, when the said card is inserted the mobile device sends the alert-notifications to Operator Toll-free number. Optionally, if possible. If the removable User Id card of the new user has 'Outgoing Calls Barred' option already set, when the said card is inserted the mobile device sends the alert SMS/email by including the said category of SMS/emaii as emergency information at the network end. For activation/deactivation of tracking control and for accessing the customization of the information to be sent in the message a TCK authentication module is provided in the mobile device. For maintaining the message format and content information a customization module is provided in the mobile device. To get the required information from User Id information, call barring status, and detecting the change of removable User Id card a User info access module is provided in the mobile device. For getting the information about the current location of the device, if the user has opted for it to be sent in alert-notification a location info access module is provided in the mobile device. For periodically checking the status change and sending alert message when outgoing call is barred Call Barring Status Check module is provided in the mobile device. For displaying the current settings an info display module is provided in the mobile device. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows the mobile network doing the Identity Check procedure, according to the current GSM/3GPP standard. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a mobile device that is the subject matter of the present invention. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the Tracking Control Module. Figure 4 shows a mechanism of activating this feature in mobile devices. Figure 5 gives detailed sequence of events between various blocks of proposed feature, especially when the feature is triggered. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. Figure 2 shows the mobile device that is the subject matter of the patent application, for use in connection with a telecommunication network. It further explains a block diagram of an ordinary mobile device in which the tracking control module is incorporated. The said mobile has the following parts in addition to this tracking module. Processor(s) Antenna/ Network access module SIM/USIM interface module Mic / Earpiece module RAM/ROM Keyboard module Position/ Location Module Display Module The main focus of the invention relates to the operation of the Tracking Control feature, of which the block diagram is given in Figure 3. The main features of Tracking Control operation are given below: ■ Whenever removable user id card is changed or powered up with a different removable user Id card, the device automatically sends an alert-notification to preset destination. ■ The device will provide a menu option with Tracking Control Key (Tracking Control Key, TCK) protection. By giving the said TCK the user can □ turn on/off the tracking control feature □ edit the destination email-id/phone# □ edit the user-defined part of the message contents for sending the alert SMS/email Tracking Control operation 10 Figure 4 shows a mechanism of activating this feature in mobile devices. ■ When a user tries to activate the feature, the user is prompted for a Tracking Control Key (TCK). Then the user provides said Tracking Control Key. This Tracking Control Key given by the user is the Tracking Control Key. ■ Then the user is prompted for the alert-message destination(s) and optionally the customizable contents of the alert message. Once this is over, the Tracking Control gets activated. (Later if the user wishes to access/change any of these, TCK has to be input by the user.) ■ In the alert-notification, the Location Information, Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number (MS-ISDN) /IMSI etc of the current user can be included, in addition to any user-defined text. Alert-notification (after phone is stolen and new SIM is inserted) can contain additional Location information along with new user's MSISDN number/IMSI. MSISDN is Mobile Directory number like 988xxxxxx(10 digit number) IMSI is Mobile user Id in Protocol format for over-the-air signaling. ■ The user-authentication info for accessing the alert-notification feature, the destination email/phone#, and any predefined text to be sent will be stored in NVRAM, along with the Tracking Control feature-activation status. 11 ■ When the feature gets activated as given above, for a device supporting removable user Id card, the User id of the current removable user Id card is stored in the NVRAM, This step is required to compare Removable user Id card Identify whenever changed. So whenever feature is activated. User Id stored in mobile device memory, which will be used to compare and also to send information to Original user when new User Id is inserted. If there is no removable user Id card, user is prompted to insert removable user Id card. ■ Once Tracking Control feature is successfully activated as above, whenever new removable user Id is inserted, the device will compare the User Id stored in the NVRAM with the new User Id and if there is a mismatch, will send an alert-notification to the preset destination, which was specified by the owner. The current Location Information of the device, if available can also be included in the message. ■ If the initial attempt to send alert-notification fails, the device keeps trying periodically or with increased delay after each attempt until successful. This period can be configured by the user. ■ If the removable user Id card of the new user has 'Outgoing Calls Barred' option already set, when it is inserted- 1) The mobile device can send the alert-notification to Operator Toll-free number if it is configured 12 2) The device can send the alert-notification as Emergency SMS. 3) The device can send the alert-notification when Call barring is removed: The device can remember that the removable user Id card was changed Figure 3 is a block diagram of the Tracking Control Module. For these operations, the Tracking Control module has the following sub-modules, with roles as mentioned below: TCK authentication module : Handles activation/deactivation of Tracking Control and for accessing the customization of the information to be sent in the message. Customization module: Maintains the message format and content information. Customization Block defines alert-notification content. User can override default template in phone to send customize information. User Identity Info access module: Gets the required info from removable User ID card, like IMSI and Call barring status etc, and detects the card change. Location Info Access module: Gets the information about the current location information of the device, if the user has opted for it to be sent in alert-notification. Location Info Access Module is external block, which provide current location of mobile by using GPS or AGPS techniques. For this, we want to get Location information in terms of either Longitude/Latitude, Cell Id or Service area. 13 Call Barring Status Check module : If Outgoing call is barred, periodically checks if the status is changed, for sending alert message. Network Access Check Control: Gets the information about if device is in service area or out-of-service area BlueTooth Control Module : Interfaces with BlueTooth module to send Mobile tracking messages to near-by Bluetooth active devices. Secure Memory Interface Module: Interfaces with NV memory to store and protect User Customized data for Tracking from mobile software reloads. Figure 5 gives detailed sequence of events between various blocks of proposed feature, especially when the feature is triggered. The various steps involved in the process are as given below: a. When the device is powered on the User Id information access module is invoked and it gets the required information from User Id, and call barring status etc, and Tracking Control Module detects the change of removable User Id card (step1). b. If the track feature is enabled, the current User Id value is retrieved from the removable User Id Card and compared with the NVRAM information wherein the user-authentication information for accessing the alert-notification feature, the destination email/phone, and any predefined text to be sent is stored (step 2). 14 c. If User Id from removable User Id Card is same as that stored in the NVRAM, the User Id information access information access module takes no action (step 3). OthenA/ise User Id mismatch flag is set (step 4). d. As soon as the mismatch flag is set, the system checks whether the registration has been successful or not (step 5). If it is not successful it waits till the registration status changes (step 6). e. If the registration is successful the system checks whether the outgoing calls are barred (step 7). If it is barred then device sends alert-notification to Operator Toll-free numbers configured by User (step 8). If Operator Toll free number is not configured, Device would to poll change of call barring status if User ID mismatch flag is set (step 9). f. If the user wanted to include location information, the location information access module is invoked to obtain location information (step 10). For this, we want to get Location information in terms of either Longitude/Latitude, Cell Id or Service area. After getting the information (if available) an alert-notification is sent to configured destination from tracking control module with all the relevant data (step 11). g. If the user has specified both phone number and e-mail id, then both SMS and e-mail are sent and that too for multiple times to 15 increase the reliability (step 12). Then the system checks whether secret alert-notification has been send successfully or not (step 13). h. If it was successful the procedure can either end here or keep sending alert-notification, with increasing delay between each attempt to increase reliability, and to ensure that the owner gets the theft related details (step 14). i. If the message was not sent successfully a staggered periodic timer is initialized (step 15). On each expiry of the timer it tries to send an alert-notification to configured destination from tracking control module with all relevant data and again if it is not successful increase the timer duration and restarts the timer and the process is repeated. Whenever the process is successful the control goes to step 14 (step 16). j. If the outgoing calls are not barred, go to step 12 and proceed with the following steps (step 17). Advantages of the invention: 1. Allows tracking of stolen mobiles without the network making queries. 2. The original user gets to know the whereabouts of the missing handset 16 without any extra efforts from the user/operator to track. 3. Very efficient and fast way of tracking, compared to the network querying IMEl of all users which still does not guarantee any results. 4. Does not depend on the presence of EIR in the network. 5. Does not prevent the stolen mobile from being used, but by allowing it to be used with other removable user Id card, helps to track it. 6. The feature when it gets activated, can remain transparent to the new user (secretly reporting the new user's User Id and possibly his Location Information, through alert notification to the original user who has activated the tracking feature), or can display the contact Information of the original user when removable User Id card Is changed. In the latter case, compared to the current approach of just blocking the phone (if PIN verification fails), if the new user didn't have intention to steal, can contact the original user. For example when one person buys a mobile device, he can set a PIN for SIM. So wherever he changes SIM, mobile device will ask to enter PIN. If the PIN is wrong, he can't use the mobile device and after trying three time phone gets locked (and can be opened by Service center only). The above-presented description is of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention. The manner and process of making and using it is in such a full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable to any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. New embodiments in particular, which also lie within the scope of the invention can be created, in which 17 different details of the different examples can in a purposeful way be combined with one another. This invention is however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that disclosed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiment disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention. \, 18 GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS THEREOF BT BlueTooth DTMF Dual Tone Multiple Frequency EIR Equipment Identity Register IMEI International Mobile Equipment Identity IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity ISIM IP Multimedia Services Identity Module ME Mobile Equipment MSC Mobile Services Switching Centre MSISDN Mobile Subscriber ISDN Number (The "telephone number" of the mobile subscriber) PIN Personal Identification Number SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node SIM Subscriber Identity Module SMS Short Message Service TCK Tracking Control Key UE User Equipment (ME + USIM) UICC Universal Integrated Circuit Card URI Uniform Resource Identifier USIM User Services Identity Module USSD Unstructured Supplementary Services Data UUSD User to User Signaling Data 19 Removal User Id Card is referred for removable User Identity card SIM/RUIM/USiM/ISIM for Mobile phone/PDA kind of devices. Mobile Device is defined as Mobile communication device supporting Cellular or other Wireless technology and User Identify of this device is removable (like SIM/USIM/ISIM) Alert-Notification is SMS/E-mail/Call/Data/lnstant Message/IMS call or BT message sent by Mobile Device for sending required information. User Id is referred for User Identification IMSI/UICC/Private URI/Public URI-Public Domain/MSISDN or any other Mobile Device User Identification. This information is generally stored in Removal User Id Card. 20 REFERENCES 3GPP TS 23.060 V3.16.0 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS); Service description; (Release 1999) 3GPP TS 23.040 V3.10.0 Technical realization of the Short Message Service (SMS) (Release 1999) 3GPP TS 22.022 V3.2.1 Personalisation of Mobile Equipment (ME); Mobile functionality specification (Release 1999) \ \ 21 WE CLAIM 1. A method to track stolen mobile devices which use a Removable User Identity card comprising the steps of: detecting the change in User Identity card in mobile device; and sending alert-notification in form of Call/ SMS/ E-mail/ Data/ DTMF/ Bluetooth/USSD message to pre-configured /Toll Free number or available devices in vicinity at regular interval, where the removable User Id card can be SIM/RUIM/USIM/ISIM or other user identity card. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said method of tracking comprising: providing a menu option by a TCK Authentication Module for inputting a tracking Control key (TCK), destination emaii-id/phone(s) and a customized message contents for sending the alert-notification when the user activates the tracking control operation in the mobile device; inputting the Tracking Control Key, destination email-id/phone and a customized message contents for sending the alert SMS/email; storing the user-authentication information for accessing the alert-notification feature, the desfination email/phone, and any predefined text to be sent using a 22 Secure Memory Interface module; retrieving and comparing the User Id stored in the memory using a User Identity Info Module; sending an alert-notification to the predefined destination(s) using a Customization module if there is a mismatch between the User Identity stored in the memory and the said new removable User id Card along with the current location information of the device if available; retrieving current location of mobile devices using a Location Access Info Control module; finding out if stolen device is in In-service area region using a Network Access Check Control module; checking Service status of user for making calls using a Call-barring check status Module; and finding users in vicinity to send BT messages about stolen mobile device using a BlueTooth module. 23 3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, User Identity change would be triggered whenever removable user Id card is inserted and mobile device tracking gets activated. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user add pre-configured destination numbers and an Operator toll-free number to receive Call from Device to enable the mobile tracking feature. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile device maintains its device authentication/tracking data in secure memory even if device software is re-loaded. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a user inputs a configured Tracking control Key to access/change the Tracking control Key, destination email-id/phone and a customized message contents for sending the alert-notification,. 7. The method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the user maintains a list of numbers in device, which uses it frequently to avoid un-necessary trigger of mobile tracking. 8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in the alert-notification, the location information of the new User Id is included, in addition to customized message contents. 24 9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user-authentication information stored in the memory is the User Id from removable user Id card for a mobile device, when the tracking control feature is enabled by using TCK. 10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein if there is no removable User Id card in the device, the user is prompted a message to insert a removable User Id card.. 11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein if the initial attempt to send alert-notification fails, the device keeps trying periodically and with increased delay after each attempt until the said alert-message is successfully sent where the said periodicity is configurable by the user in the device. 12. The method as claimed in claim 1, if Device fails to send alert-notification to user configured numbers the device send the alert to operator toll-free number. 13. The method as claimed in claim 1, the mobile device is configured by Device to send message as alert-notification message network or BT users in vicinity. 14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein if the removable user Id card of the new user has 'Outgoing Calls Barred' option already set, when the said card is inserted the mobile device sends the alert-notification to operator 25 Toll-free number with preset message with new user information. 15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein if the removable user Id card of the new user has 'Outgoing Calls Barred' option already set, when the said card is inserted the mobile device sends the alert-notification by including the said category of alert-message as emergency information at the network. 16. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the activation/deactivation of tracking control and accessing the customization of the information to be sent in the message is performed by a TCK authentication module. 17. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message format and content information are maintained using a customization module where the module send new user Identify information along with User preset information. 18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the information from removable User Id Card, call barring status, and detecting the change of removable user Id card is provided by a User Id info access module . 19. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the information about the current location of the mobile device, is provided by a location info access module. 20. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein periodically checking the status change and sending alert message when outgoing call is barred is provided by a Barring Status Check module. 21. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the settings of the device is displayed on an info display module. 22. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein even if the attempt to send 26 alert-notification succeeds, the device keeps sending alert-notification with the "current location of the device" periodically or with increased delay after each attempt, where the said periodicity is configured in the mobile device. 23. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein, mobile device enable BT after theft automatically and send un-solicited BT messages to devices in vicinity with preset format secretly where the notification message contain Old and new User Id along with present message. 24. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein , the mobile device continuously poll and find out if device gets registered to a network for sending preset message if User ID changes. 25. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein device supporting Location services, find the location coordinates, generate a MAP of mobile pointing the location in graphical format and send the image as MMS to configured numbers at desired frequency. 26. The method to track mobile devices which use a removable user identity card substantially described particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1307-che-2004 abstract duplicate.pdf

1307-che-2004 abstract.pdf

1307-che-2004 claims duplicate.pdf

1307-che-2004 claims.pdf

1307-che-2004 correspondences others.pdf

1307-che-2004 correspondences po.pdf

1307-che-2004 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

1307-che-2004 description (complete).pdf

1307-che-2004 drawings.pdf

1307-che-2004 form-1.pdf

1307-che-2004 form-13.pdf

1307-che-2004 form-18.pdf

1307-che-2004 form-26.pdf

1307-che-2004 form-5.pdf

1307-che-2004 form-9.pdf