DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s submission filed 1/5/2026 has been entered. The claims 21, 29 and 37 have been amended. The claims 1-20 and 28 have been cancelled. The claim 41 has been newly added. The claims 21-27 and 29-41 are pending in the current application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/5/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection set forth in the current Office Action.
Applicant's arguments filed 1/5/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In Remarks, applicant argued against Grkov with respect to the new claim limitation recited in the claim 21 and similar claims
However, Grkov teaches the new claim limitation of suppressing select functionality of the computing device while the computing device is operating in the lost mode, wherein the suppressed select functionality includes transmitting geographical location data of the computing device to a server unless a first condition has been satisfied, wherein the first condition is satisfied when the computing device has traveled a traveled distance greater than a threshold geographic distance from a last transmitted geographic location, and where the first condition is at least one condition in a set of conditions.
Grkov teaches suppressing functionality and enabling the location services or transmitting the geographical locations to the server while the device is operating in the lost mode.
A) Grkov teaches instructing the missing device to enter a lockdown mode where no features work or a lockdown mode to disable the missing device or a lockdown mode to lock the missing device or a lockdown mode to enable the location services or lockdown mode to deactivate the controls of the mobile device including the control key to turn off the device when the device is missing if its distance from a reference location is greater than a threshold value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. The server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
Grkov teaches when the device is in Las Vegas, NV (device is operating in the lost mode when the device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius), the device still sends the location to the server as Grkov teaches at Paragraph that the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device and compares the location (e.g., in Las Vegas) to a reference location (e.g., San Francisco) and the server determines that the device is missing when distance between the location and a reference location is greater than 100 miles..
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0229 that the instructions may include a command for the device to enter a particular lockdown mode. The lockdown mode may block the second user from accessing calendar appointments, voice memos, notes, photos, video, messages (e.g., text messages), settings, music collections, video collections, applications…block the second user from purchasing application programs, block the second user from downloading application programs.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work (e.g. the functionality of turning off the device is suppressed and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
B) Grkov teaches enabling the functionality of transmitting the geographical data of the computing device to a server when the device (in Las Vegas) has traveled a distance from a reference location greater than a threshold.
Grkov’s disclosure at Paragraph 0241 equates the detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen to detecting that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area and vice versa. This is because the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode when it is detected to be in a location outside of a permitted geographical area and the deviation is calculated when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode if it is detected to be in a location area that has been pre-defined by the user to put the device into lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches when the device is in Las Vegas, NV (device is operating in the lost mode when the device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius), the device still sends the location to the server as Grkov teaches at Paragraph that the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device and compares the location (e.g., in Las Vegas) to a reference location (e.g., San Francisco) and the server determines that the device is missing when distance between the location and a reference location is greater than 100 miles..
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, calculating the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation.
Grkov also teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, the server receives a set of locations transmitted by the portable electronic device. This is because the portable electronic device enters a lost/stolen mode when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area and the set of locations were sent by the portable electronic device to the server while the portable electronic device entered the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
The device is put in the lost mode during which the deviation in travel patterns is calculated is the same as the deviation in the travel patterns is calculated during which the device is put in the lost mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates).
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode. Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area, determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location (which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
Grkov teaches suppression of Select Functionality.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0208 that determining that the audio transmission should be initiated without a visible notification at the device that the audio transmission has been initiated, determining that the audio transmission should be initiated with suppressing or blocking the message from being displayed on the screen of the device, directing the security module to enter into a lock down mode and at Paragraph 0229 that the instructions may include a command for the device to enter a particular lockdown mode. The lockdown mode may prevent second user 2250 from accessing data stored on the portable electronic device…block the second user from accessing calendar appointments, voice memos, notes, photos, video, messages (e.g., text messages), settings, music collections, video collections, applications…block the second user from purchasing application programs, block the second user from downloading application programs.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0230 that a particular lockdown mode may cause a limited or restricted user interface to be displayed that limits the second user’s access to the portable electronic device features.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work (e.g. the functionality of turning off the device is suppressed). In a second lockdown mode there may be a lock that allows only certain features of the missing device to work such as “call owner” and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device, enable the missing device to place a call to the device owner and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., enable or disable options…the configuration page may include an option for a ring or no ring on the device when the incoming missing device call is received, an option to override volume settings, an option to override ring sounds, an option to override headphone/sound routing, an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically instructs the local software component on the device to go into lost/stolen mode when the use requests for the server to send a remote access command which is indicative of the device being lost or stolen. Commands such as lock may indicate that the user has lost the device or that the device was stolen.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 146 that when the device is in lost/stolen mode, it may hide any user interface components).
Grkov’s disclosure at Paragraph 0241 equates the detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen to detecting that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area and vice versa. This is because the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode when it is detected to be in a location outside of a permitted geographical area and the deviation is calculated when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode if it is detected to be in a location area that has been pre-defined by the user to put the device into lost/stolen mode
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, calculating the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation.
Grkov also teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, the server receives a set of locations transmitted by the portable electronic device. This is because the portable electronic device enters a lost/stolen mode when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area and the set of locations were sent by the portable electronic device to the server while the portable electronic device entered the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
The device is put in the lost mode during which the deviation in travel patterns is calculated is the same as the deviation in the travel patterns is calculated during which the device is put in the lost mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates).
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode. Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area, determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location (which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
Grkov in view of Kang/Lagnado teaches
While the computing device is operating in the lost mode, determining a distance that the computing device in lost mode has traveled from a last transmitted geographic location.
Kang teaches while the mobile device in a lost mode, the mobile device sends location of the lost device to the server.
Kang teaches at Paragraph [0064] that a method and apparatus for performing a lost mode in a mobile device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, can publicly display information regarding a location where a lost mobile device is located via a social network server.
Lagnado teaches sending a new location when a distance between a location of the lost device and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold.
Lagnado teaches at Paragraph [0018] that a change in location by 1000 m could trigger a new location update to be transmitted.
In view of Kang and Lagnado, Grkov’s device operating in a lost mode is triggered to send a new location to the server whenever there is a change in location by a predetermined threshold and thus while the device operates in a lost mode, a distance between a location of the lost device and the reference location is determined and response to the distance being larger than a predetermined threshold, transmitting the new location to the server.
In other words, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates) with the last transmitted GPS location.
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode (see Paragraph 0146). Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area, determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location (which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0146] that when the device is lost or stolen, the server can issue a command which puts the device into a lost/stolen mode and at Paragraph 0147 that the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode if it is detected to be in a location area that has been pre-defined by the user to put the device into lost/stolen mode. It is noted that when the device enters an area outside a permitted geographic area, the device is put in a lost mode. While the device is put is a lost mode, the distance between a location of the lost device and a reference location is calculated. For example, a set of locations including locations of the lost device and the reference location and a distance between the location of the lost device and the reference location is calculated based on the determination that the device operates in the lost mode (see Paragraph 0241 and Paragraph 0255).
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0244 that if the device is determined to be outside a certain radius of the respective cities, the server may determine that the device is missing and at Paragraph 0146 that when the device is lost or stolen, the server puts the device into a lost/stolen mode. So while the device is put into a lost/stolen mode, the device is determined to be outside a certain radius of the respective cities.
While the device is in a location outside a certain radius of a reference location, the device operates in a lost mode and a distance of the location (see Paragraph 0241) from a last transmitted geographic location (a reference location) has traveled by the device is larger than a predetermined threshold. That is to say, while the device operates in a lost mode, a distance from a last transmitted geographic location is calculated since the server receives a set of locations at which device was and the set of locations including a location (e.g., Las Vegas locations) with their distance from the reference location (e.g., a San Francisco location) is larger than a predetermined threshold.
In other words, while the device operates in a lost/stolen mode, a distance of a set of locations from a last transmitted geographic location has traveled is larger than a predetermined threshold.
Grkov teaches that while the device is in lost mode and outside of a circle with a reference location as a center, the user requests the location to be sent to the server by a command “locate the device”.
[0111] In this example, the user selected the "Missing Device" tab 503. The web page displays suggestions for finding and securing the phone based upon the circumstances in which the phone was lost 580. The user can select any of the desired remote access commands including: locate the device 540, play a sound from the device 541, lock the device 542, wipe the device 543, and backup the device 544. This listing of commands is exemplary only, and is not intended to recite all commands that are the subject of the present invention. The user clicks buttons corresponding to the desired actions which causes the action to be performed. Upon clicking a button corresponding to an action, the web page may display a dialog box which requires the user to confirm the action or supply additional information. The dialog box allows the inventive system to prevent accidental actions which could be harmful if done unnecessarily. In this example, some actions have additional options which may be configured by the user. Locate, for example, allows the user to select for how many minutes to locate the device 550. After the server begins attempting to perform the action, its status is displayed. If the device has not yet started the action, it may be cancelled 570. While an action is being performed, the web page may disable the button corresponding to that action until the action is finished.
[0112] 1. Location
[0113] The web page also includes a map 530 that shows the physical location of the mobile device. In an embodiment, the mobile device obtains location-related information and transmits this information back to the server which displays the mobile device location on the map 530. The location-related information can be data from a GPS receiver on the mobile device or any other type of location detection mechanism, including but not limited to Wi-Fi access point signal information, cell-tower signal information, and other radio signal information. The mobile device location is indicated as an icon 532 on the map 530. The location action may be initiated manually from the remote access web page or automatically by the device or server.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116 the device periodically sends location-related information to the server (when the device operates in lost mode). The server processes the information and compares the device's location to a set of location areas pertaining to the device and at Paragraph 0123 that providing the owner of the lost or stolen mobile device with accurate data about its location (suggesting that the location of the lost mobile device is sent to the server) allows the owner to make careful decisions about the actions to take with respect to the mobile device security (when the device is in lost mode implicitly meaning that the device is outside of a circle with a reference location as its center, sending data about its location to the server).
Grkov teaches the GPS coordinates of the device is tracked and the distance between the second GPS coordinates and the first GPS coordinates is calculated and when the distance is larger than a predetermined threshold, the server may determine that the device is missing/lost.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
Grkov teaches that the deviation is determined while the device is put in lost mode for the following reasons.
The portable electronic device is determined to be a lost or stolen device at the time at which the device was at the second travel pattern. By deduction, the deviation between the first and third travel pattern is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may also determine that the portable electronic device is missing. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0242, if the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing (and the server puts the device into a lost/stolen mode according to Paragraph 0146-0147 of Grkov) and at Paragraph 0255 that the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including at a set of locations (including a second location and a third location in Las Vegas) (when the mobile device is in lost mode). By deduction, while the device is in lost or stolen mode after the time of the second travel pattern, a deviation between the first and each subsequent travel pattern is determined to be greater than a threshold deviation (the device is outside the 100 mile radius). Therefore, the device sends the current location or each subsequent GPS location to the server when the device was put in the lost or stolen mode.
Importantly, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically puts the device into lost/stolen mode and the actions configured to be automatically performed when the device enters lost/stolen mode will only occur when the device enters lost/stolen mode as a result of events, such as the device entering the pre-defined lost/stolen location area, occurring.
Moreover, Grkov also teaches that the server subsequently, and thus responsive to determining that the device’s battery is low or determining that the deviation between the first and second location is greater than a threshold deviation, sending the current location or each subsequent location (meeting the claimed second location) identifying the current geographic location or each subsequent geographic location (meeting the claimed second geographic location) of the device.
[0264] The discussion accompanying FIG. 23 describes a specific implementation of an intelligence server that can detect when the portable electronic device may be missing. In a specific implementation, features of the intelligence server may be implemented on the portable electronic device. This allows for the determination of uncharacteristic behavior at the portable electronic device rather than the server. For example, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116-0117 that the server is configured to notify the user if the device leaves a given location area and the device’s comparison of its current location to known locations for purposes of notification policy changes….the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low.
Grkov teaches at 0241-0248 that the server makes the determination whether a distance the computing device has traveled from a last transmitted geographics location is beyond a predetermined distance based on the computing device is lost or stolen. For example, if the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 miles radius, the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing. The received location data may include longitude and latitude coordinates.
The Examiner cannot concur for the following reasons.
Grkov has at least one embodiment showing calculating a deviation between the current transmitted location and the last transmitted location such that when a condition (i.e., the deviation is larger than a threshold) is met, the server determines that the device is in lost mode when the travel patterns of the device are transmitted from the device to the server. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0155 that the deviation in travel pattern may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing and if the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns (in terms of the GPS coordinates) is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. The condition is that the deviation is larger than a threshold deviation.
It is also clearly understood that Grkov’s last GPS coordinate (the first travel pattern) constitutes the claimed last transmitted location. Grkov teaches that the travel patterns are transmitted from the device to the server. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0155 that the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information (travel patterns) including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations and the server calculates the travel pattens (GPS coordinates based on the transmitted locations).
[0114] To locate the device, the user clicks on the "Locate" button 540 to request current location-related information from the mobile device. The locate command can be terminated by clicking on the cancel button 572. After receiving the location request, the server transmits a command to the mobile device requesting location-related information. The mobile device receives the location-related information command, obtains the location-related information and transmits the location-related information back to the server. While the device is obtaining location-related information, it may report its progress to the server. The location-related information may include the physical location of the device or data that must be further processed to obtain the physical location. The location-related information may also include accuracy information regarding the physical location or other data reported to the server. The web page displays the status of the mobile device location detection 561. The web page indicates that the system is "locating." The location status will be reported or displayed as "locating" while the location information is being reported by the device, "location unknown" when the location retrieval fails, or "done locating" when the location has finished. If the device reports accuracy information, the map has a zone of confidence 533 around the estimated location to inform the user of the region the device is expected to be within. Such a zone may be represented as a circle around the estimated location. The server may also display multiple locations transmitted by the device to show the movement of the device over a period of time. The multiple locations displayed on the map may show the time the device was at the location and/or display a line connecting the location points in chronological order. In an embodiment, the server can send a command to the device for the device to report location-related information to the server for a period of time. The user may specify the duration of the location on the remote access web page 550. During the time period of the location request, the device periodically sends updated location-related information to the server. To protect user privacy, location information sent by the device and stored on the server may be discarded after a period of time.
[0255] A deviation in travel pattern may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns. The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates, speed or rate of travel, time information, date information, or combinations of these.
The server receives from the portable electronic device a set of locations at which the device as at and the time at which the device was at the locations. It is thus known that the reference location is the transmitted location from the portable electronic device to the server.
Moreover, the travel pattern is embodied as GPS coordinates, the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is the same as the deviation or difference between the first and second GPS locations, the server receives the transmitted locations from the device and the distance/difference/deviation calculated based on the first transmitted location and the second transmitted location. The first transmitted location constitutes the reference location that meets the claimed transmitted geographic location.
Additionally, Grkov also teaches at Paragraph 0241-0245 that the reference location (San Francisco) is the last transmitted location that is received by the server from the device. Specifically, Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0243] that the reference location is San Francisco and the server may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
[0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
[0242] For example, first user 2330 may reside in San Francisco and specify that the permitted or expected area in which the device will be used is a 100 mile radius from the first user's home in San Francisco (i.e., the reference location). If the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing and send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission.
[0243] The reference location may specified by the user when configuring the missing device mobile application. There can be any number of reference locations specified by the user. For example, a user who frequently travels between San Francisco and New York City may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location and New York City as being a second reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
The reference location in San Francisco or New York City as disclosed at Paragraph 0243 is received by the server from the device and thus constitutes the last transmitted geographic location.
Moreover, the reference location transmitted by the device is stored at the server.
[0244] Alternatively, if the device is determined to be outside San Francisco or New York City (or outside a certain radius of the respective cities), the server may determine that the device is missing and, based on the device missing, send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission. A reference location may be stored at the server, portable electronic device, or both. A reference location may include or be specified by a mailing address, zip code, area code, city, town, county, or any value or set of values (e.g., longitude and latitude) that can be used to identify a geographical location.
[0245] In another specific implementation, the server determines that the portable electronic device is missing based on detecting that the portable electronic device is within an unpermitted geographical area.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 21-27 and 29-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The claim 21 recites the new claim limitation that “wherein the suppressed select functionality includes transmitting geographical location data of the computing device to a server unless a first condition has been satisfied”.
First of all, Applicant’s specification discloses at FIG. 5 transmitting the location data to a server (520) when a transmission condition has been triggered (525). This is opposite to the claim limitation of transmitting geographical location data of the computing device to a server unless a first condition (the device has traveled a traveled distance greater than a threshold) has been satisfied.
Secondly, applicant’s specification failed to discloses that the suppressed select functionality includes transmitting geographical location data. The suppression of select functionality 415 disclosed in applicant’s specification at Paragraph 0071 includes suppression of the functionality such as notifications and alerts displayed on the lost device and the suppression of the functionality of turning the lost device off which enables the functionality of transmitting the location of the lost device to the server. However, enabling the functionality of transmitting the location of the lost device to a server cannot be equated to a suppression of select functionality. The suppression functionality of turning the lost device off causes the transmission of the location of the lost device. However, applicant equates the enabling functionality of transmitting the location to the claimed suppression functionality.
To comply with the “written description” requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph, an applicant must convey with reasonable clarity to those skilled in the art that, as of the filing date sought, he or she was in possession of the invention. The invention is, for purposes of the “written description” inquiry, whatever is now claimed. Vas-Cath. Inc, v. Mahurkar. 935 F.2d 1555, 1563-64, 19 USPQ2d 1111, 1117 (Fed. Cir. 1991). For purposes of written description, one shows “possession” by descriptive means such as words, structures, figures, diagrams, and formulas that fully set forth the claimed invention. Lockwood v. American Airlines. Inc.. 107 F.3d 1565, 1572, 41 USPQ2d 1961, 1966 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Such descriptive means is not found in the disclosure for the inventions of claim 1.
The base claims 29 and 37 are subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 21. The claims 22-27 and 41 are dependent upon the claim 21 and are rejected due to their dependency. The claims 30-36 are dependent upon the claim 29 and are rejected due to their dependency on the claim 29. The claims 38-40 are dependent upon the claim 37 and are rejected due to their dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 21-27 and 29-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The claim 21 recites the new claim limitation that “wherein the suppressed select functionality includes transmitting geographical location data of the computing device to a server unless a first condition has been satisfied”.
Applicant failed to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as the invention as applicant specifically equates the enabling functionality of transmitting geographical location data to the suppression of functionality.
The specification failed to equate the functionality of transmitting geographical location data to a suppressed functionality. The scope of the claim invention is uncertainly defined.
First of all, Applicant’s specification discloses at FIG. 5 transmitting the location data to a server (520) when a transmission condition has been triggered (525). This is opposite to the claim limitation of transmitting geographical location data of the computing device to a server unless a first condition (the device has traveled a traveled distance greater than a threshold) has been satisfied.
Secondly, applicant’s specification failed to discloses that the suppressed select functionality includes transmitting geographical location data. The suppression of select functionality 415 disclosed in applicant’s specification at Paragraph 0071 includes suppression of the functionality such as notifications and alerts displayed on the lost device and the suppression of the functionality of turning the lost device off which enables the functionality of transmitting the location of the lost device to the server. However, enabling the functionality of transmitting the location of the lost device to a server cannot be equated to a suppression of select functionality. The suppression functionality of turning the lost device off causes the transmission of the location of the lost device. However, applicant equates the enabling functionality of transmitting the location to the claimed suppression functionality.
The base claims 29 and 37 are subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 21. The claims 22-27 and 41 are dependent upon the claim 21 and are rejected due to their dependency. The claims 30-36 are dependent upon the claim 29 and are rejected due to their dependency on the claim 29. The claims 38-40 are dependent upon the claim 37 and are rejected due to their dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 21-27 and 29-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grkov et al. US-PGPUB No. 2012/0196571 (hereinafter Grkov) in view of
Kang US-PGPUB No. 2012/0171998 (hereinafter Kang);
Lagnado et al. US-PGPUB No. 2013/0184010 (hereinafter Lagnado);
Holley et al. US-PGPUB No. 2010/0259386 (hereinafter Holley);
Slack et al. US-PGPUB No. 2010/0279675 (hereinafter Slack) and Guerra et al. US-PGPUB NO. 2012/0042396 (hereinafter Guerra).
Re Claim 21:
Grkov teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising (
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0015 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has stored thereon a set of instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of the method).
Grkov implicitly teaches the claim limitation: receiving a first authenticated command initiating a lost mode on a computing device, wherein the first authenticated command is authenticated using a first password for an account associated with the computing device (
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0117 the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low…on a periodic basis and at Paragraph 0132 that because a lost mobile device may have only a limited amount of energy available from its battery, it is beneficial to minimize the impact of performing a backup and at Paragraph 0312 that if there is no acceptable of the call, the alarm may stop in order to preserve battery life.
Grkov teaches a first password to turn on lost/stolen mode for the device via the remote access web page. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147-0148 the user can use the remote access web page to manually request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn on lost/stolen mode (using the first password in the remote access web page) and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password (first password) on the device 1601. When the remote access password is set on the device, the device generates verification information and a challenge token and transmits them to the server 1602….if the user enters the correct password, the remote access web page generates the authentication credential by hashing the password and sends it to the server
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0075 that the server 111 will only allow the user to perform tasks after he or she has supplied authorized credentials 251. The server 11 may require authentication information such as a user name, password, biometric data, or other security-related information. If the user is authorized, ….the server 11 then generates a remote access web page corresponding to the mobile device 101 that is accessible by the client computer 233….Some of the remote access controls (second authenticated commands) include locating the mobile device 101,….locking or unlocking the mobile device 101).
In other words, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0117 the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low…on a periodic basis and at Paragraph 0132 that because a lost mobile device may have only a limited amount of energy available from its battery, it is beneficial to minimize the impact of performing a backup and at Paragraph 0312 that if there is no acceptable of the call, the alarm may stop in order to preserve battery life. Grkov at Paragraph 0090 that in order to minimize the impact on the mobile device’s battery life and reduce the amount of network traffic, a maximal response timeout is desired and at Paragraph 0117 that the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low….the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server on a periodic basis. The user may configure the time interval by which the device transmits location-related information to the server.
Holley at least suggests the claim limitation: receiving a first authenticated command initiating a lost mode on a computing device, wherein the first authenticated command is authenticated using a first password for an account associated with the computing device (
Holley teaches while being in lost mode, the computing device sends fewer notifications per time period to preserve the battery life. Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have incorporated the teaching of Holley of while being in lost mode sending fewer location notifications or less frequently location notifications by the lost device to the server (e.g., SIP A/S server) in order to maximize the battery life or preserve the battery level into Grkov to have allowed the user to configure the time interval for sending the location data of the lost device. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that by sending less location data to the server the battery life is preserved. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have known that sending the location data periodically and less frequently would minimize the impact on the battery life so as to preserve the battery life.
Slack explicitly teaches the claim limitation: receiving a first authenticated command initiating a lost mode on a computing device, wherein the first authenticated command is authenticated using a first password for an account associated with the computing device (Slack teaches at Paragraph 0054 that a remote management account owner can login to a remote management account by accessing the remote management application and providing login credentials such as a username and password (first password).
Slack teaches at Paragraph 0080-0084 upon receiving a lock command message, a mobile device enters a locked state, such as by locking the screen and requiring the entry of a valid passcode (second password) before access to device functionality…..the lock command interface can prompt the user to input and confirm a new passcode (another embodiment of second password), that will be required to unlock the mobile device after the lock command is executed….the lock command interface also can be configured to prompt the user to enter the current passcode (another embodiment of the first password) for validation. The information entered into the lock command interface can be used to generate the remote lock command message…..the lock command interface can be adapted to prompt the user to input a new passcode (another embodiment of the second password) that conforms to the more complex security constraint that has been enacted and at Paragraph 0084 that once the passcode has been reset and the mobile device has been locked, the newly specified password (another embodiment of the second password) must be entered to unlock the device).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have locked the lost device and to have disabled the function/menu system of the lost device and to have unlocked the lost device when the lost device is located. The security feature of Slack when incorporated into Grkov allows Grkov’s mobile device to have used the first password for the login account and the second password to unlock the mobile device as Grkov’ second password for unlocking the device (see Paragraph 0128) can be reset according to Slack Paragraph 0081-0084. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have operated the lost device in various modes to have disabled/enabled the select functionality associated with the device.
Guerra further teaches the claim limitation:
receiving a first authenticated command initiating a lost mode on a computing device, wherein the first authenticated command is authenticated using a first password for an account associated with the computing device (
Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0039 that if the user loses the mobile device 2, she/he connects to the web page using an alternative communication device and selects the missing deice based on the device’s nickname. This involves performing an IMS authentication process and at Paragraph 0053 that the user selects the device using the previously specified nickname and receives the locking PIN and at Paragraph 0054 the missing mobile device receives the lock instructions, authentications the instruction and then immediately locks the device. If the device is subsequently found by the subscriber and the unlocking code correctly entered, the device is unlocked. Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0036 that when the stolen/lost device is selected to be locked, the subscriber is presented with an automatically generated pin code which can later be used to unlock the device if and when it is located and at Paragraph 0038 if the device is unlocked when it is stolen, the thief may immediately over-ride the locking mechanism to disable it and at Paragraph 0039 that if and when the device is subsequently unlocked by the user, it should send a message to the IMS network informing the network that the device has been unlocked).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have locked the lost device and to have disabled the function/menu system of the lost device and to have unlocked the lost device when the lost device is located. The security feature of Guerra when incorporated into Grkov allows Grkov’s mobile device to have used the first password for the login account and the second password to unlock the mobile device. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have operated the lost device in various modes to have disabled/enabled the select functionality associated with the device.
Grkov implicitly teaches the claim limitation:
in response to receiving the first authenticated command, initiating the lost mode on the computing device (
Grkov teaches a first password to turn on lost/stolen mode for the device via the remote access web page. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147-0148 the user can use the remote access web page to manually request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn on lost/stolen mode (using the first password) and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password (first password) on the device 1601. When the remote access password is set on the device, the device generates verification information and a challenge token and transmits them to the server 1602….if the user enters the correct password, the remote access web page generates the authentication credential by hashing the password and sends it to the server
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0075 that the server 111 will only allow the user to perform tasks after he or she has supplied authorized credentials 251. The server 11 may require authentication information such as a user name, password, biometric data, or other security-related information. If the user is authorized, ….the server 11 then generates a remote access web page corresponding to the mobile device 101 that is accessible by the client computer 233….Some of the remote access controls (second authenticated commands) include locating the mobile device 101,….locking or unlocking the mobile device 101.
Grkov teaches a second password for unlocking the device and to instruct the mobile device to turn off the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that the remote access web page allows the user to select a password (second password) which is required to unlock the device when initiating the lock command 553 and at Paragraph 0148 that when the device is in lost/stolen mode, the user may use the remote access web page to request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn off lost/stolen mode (via second authenticated command)…if the device is locked and the user enters valid authentication information such as a password (second password) on the device to unlock it, the device will automatically turn off lost/stolen mode and notify the server of the lost/stolen mode state and at Paragraph 0153 that the password may be set using a web page generated by the server or via a user interface on the mobile device and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password on the device 1601);
suppressing select functionality of the computing device while the computing device is operating in the lost mode, wherein the suppressed select functionality includes transmitting geographical location data of the computing device to a server unless a first condition has been satisfied, wherein the first condition is satisfied when the computing device has traveled a traveled distance greater than a threshold geographic distance from a last transmitted geographic location, and where the first condition is at least one condition in a set of conditions (
A) Grkov teaches instructing the missing device to enter a lockdown mode where no features work or a lockdown mode to disable the missing device or a lockdown mode to lock the missing device or a lockdown mode to enable the location services or lockdown mode to deactivate the controls of the mobile device including the control key to turn off the device when the device is missing if its distance from a reference location is greater than a threshold value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. The server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0229 that the instructions may include a command for the device to enter a particular lockdown mode. The lockdown mode may block the second user from accessing calendar appointments, voice memos, notes, photos, video, messages (e.g., text messages), settings, music collections, video collections, applications…block the second user from purchasing application programs, block the second user from downloading application programs.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work (e.g. the functionality of turning off the device is suppressed and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
B) Grkov teaches ransmitting the geographical data of the computing device to a server when the device has traveled a distance greater than a threshold.
Grkov’s disclosure at Paragraph 0241 equates the detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen to detecting that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area and vice versa. This is because the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode when it is detected to be in a location outside of a permitted geographical area and the deviation is calculated when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode if it is detected to be in a location area that has been pre-defined by the user to put the device into lost/stolen mode
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, calculating the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation.
Grkov also teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, the server receives a set of locations transmitted by the portable electronic device. This is because the portable electronic device enters a lost/stolen mode when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area and the set of locations were sent by the portable electronic device to the server while the portable electronic device entered the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
The device is put in the lost mode during which the deviation in travel patterns is calculated is the same as the deviation in the travel patterns is calculated during which the device is put in the lost mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates).
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode. Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area, determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location (which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
C) Grkov teaches suppression of Select Functionality when the device is missing or operating in lost mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0208 that determining that the audio transmission should be initiated without a visible notification at the device that the audio transmission has been initiated, determining that the audio transmission should be initiated with suppressing or blocking the message from being displayed on the screen of the device, directing the security module to enter into a lock down mode and at Paragraph 0229 that the instructions may include a command for the device to enter a particular lockdown mode. The lockdown mode may prevent second user 2250 from accessing data stored on the portable electronic device…block the second user from accessing calendar appointments, voice memos, notes, photos, video, messages (e.g., text messages), settings, music collections, video collections, applications…block the second user from purchasing application programs, block the second user from downloading application programs.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0230 that a particular lockdown mode may cause a limited or restricted user interface to be displayed that limits the second user’s access to the portable electronic device features.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work (e.g. the functionality of turning off the device is suppressed). In a second lockdown mode there may be a lock that allows only certain features of the missing device to work such as “call owner” and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device, enable the missing device to place a call to the device owner and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., enable or disable options…the configuration page may include an option for a ring or no ring on the device when the incoming missing device call is received, an option to override volume settings, an option to override ring sounds, an option to override headphone/sound routing, an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically instructs the local software component on the device to go into lost/stolen mode when the use requests for the server to send a remote access command which is indicative of the device being lost or stolen. Commands such as lock may indicate that the user has lost the device or that the device was stolen.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 146 that when the device is in lost/stolen mode, it may hide any user interface components).
Grkov in view of Kang/Lagnado/Simpson teaches
While the computing device is operating in the lost mode, determining a distance that the computing device in lost mode has traveled from the last transmitted geographic location (
Kang teaches at Paragraph [0064] that a method and apparatus for performing a lost mode in a mobile device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, can publicly display information regarding a location where a lost mobile device is located via a social network server.
Lagnado teaches at Paragraph [0018] that a change in location by 1000 m could trigger a new location update to be transmitted.
In view of Kang and Lagnado, Grkov’s device operating in a lost mode is triggered to send a new location to the server whenever there is a change in location by a predetermined threshold and thus while the device operates in a lost mode, a distance between a location of the lost device and the reference location is determined and response to the distance being larger than a predetermined threshold, transmitting the new location to the server.
In other words, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates).
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode. Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area, determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location (which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0146] When the device is lost or stolen, the server can issue a command which puts the device into a lost/stolen mode and at Paragraph 0147 that the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode if it is detected to be in a location area that has been pre-defined by the user to put the device into lost/stolen mode and at Paragraph 0244 that if the device is determined to be outside a certain radius of the respective cities, the server may determine that the device is missing.
When the device is in a location outside a certain radius of a reference location, the device operates in a lost mode and a distance from a last transmitted geographic location (a reference location) has traveled by the device is larger than a predetermined threshold.
In other words, while the device operates in a lost/stolen mode, a distance of a first location from a last transmitted geographic location has traveled is larger than a predetermined threshold.
[0111] In this example, the user selected the "Missing Device" tab 503. The web page displays suggestions for finding and securing the phone based upon the circumstances in which the phone was lost 580. The user can select any of the desired remote access commands including: locate the device 540, play a sound from the device 541, lock the device 542, wipe the device 543, and backup the device 544. This listing of commands is exemplary only, and is not intended to recite all commands that are the subject of the present invention. The user clicks buttons corresponding to the desired actions which causes the action to be performed. Upon clicking a button corresponding to an action, the web page may display a dialog box which requires the user to confirm the action or supply additional information. The dialog box allows the inventive system to prevent accidental actions which could be harmful if done unnecessarily. In this example, some actions have additional options which may be configured by the user. Locate, for example, allows the user to select for how many minutes to locate the device 550. After the server begins attempting to perform the action, its status is displayed. If the device has not yet started the action, it may be cancelled 570. While an action is being performed, the web page may disable the button corresponding to that action until the action is finished.
[0112] 1. Location
[0113] The web page also includes a map 530 that shows the physical location of the mobile device. In an embodiment, the mobile device obtains location-related information and transmits this information back to the server which displays the mobile device location on the map 530. The location-related information can be data from a GPS receiver on the mobile device or any other type of location detection mechanism, including but not limited to Wi-Fi access point signal information, cell-tower signal information, and other radio signal information. The mobile device location is indicated as an icon 532 on the map 530. The location action may be initiated manually from the remote access web page or automatically by the device or server.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116 the device periodically sends location-related information to the server (when the device operates in lost mode). The server processes the information and compares the device's location to a set of location areas pertaining to the device and at Paragraph 0123 that providing the owner of the lost or stolen mobile device with accurate data about its location allows the owner to make careful decisions about the actions to take with respect to the mobile device security.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
Grkov teaches that the deviation is determined while the device is put in lost mode for the following reasons.
The portable electronic device is determined to be a lost or stolen device at the time at which the device was at the second travel pattern. By deduction, the deviation between the first and third travel pattern is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may also determine that the portable electronic device is missing. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0242, if the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing (and the server puts the device into a lost/stolen mode according to Paragraph 0146-0147 of Grkov) and at Paragraph 0255 that the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including at a set of locations (including a second location and a third location in Las Vegas). By deduction, while the device is in lost or stolen mode at the time of the second travel pattern, a deviation between the first and third travel pattern is determined to be greater than a threshold deviation (the device is outside the 100 mile radius). Therefore, the device sends the current location or the third location to the server when the device was put in the lost or stolen mode.
Importantly, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically puts the device into lost/stolen mode and the actions configured to be automatically performed when the device enters lost/stolen mode will only occur when the device enters lost/stolen mode as a result of events, such as the device entering the pre-defined lost/stolen location area, occurring.
Moreover, Grkov also teaches that the server subsequently, and thus responsive to determining that the device’s battery is low or determining that the deviation between the first and second location is greater than a threshold deviation, sending the current location or the third location (meeting the claimed second location) identifying the current geographic location or a third geographic location (meeting the claimed second geographic location) of the device.
[0264] The discussion accompanying FIG. 23 describes a specific implementation of an intelligence server that can detect when the portable electronic device may be missing. In a specific implementation, features of the intelligence server may be implemented on the portable electronic device. This allows for the determination of uncharacteristic behavior at the portable electronic device rather than the server. For example, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116-0117 that the server is configured to notify the user if the device leaves a given location area and the device’s comparison of its current location to known locations for purposes of notification policy changes….the device automatically sends its current location -related information to the server when the device’s battery is low.
Grkov teaches at 0241-0248 that the server makes the determination whether a distance the computing device has traveled from a last transmitted geographics location is beyond a predetermined distance based on the computing device is lost or stolen. For example, if the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 miles radius, the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing. The received location data may include longitude and latitude coordinates.
[0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
[0242] For example, first user 2330 may reside in San Francisco and specify that the permitted or expected area in which the device will be used is a 100 mile radius from the first user's home in San Francisco (i.e., the reference location). If the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing and send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission.
[0243] The reference location may specified by the user when configuring the missing device mobile application. There can be any number of reference locations specified by the user. For example, a user who frequently travels between San Francisco and New York City may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location and New York City as being a second reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
The reference location in San Francisco or New York City as disclosed at Paragraph 0243 is received by the server from the device and thus constitutes the last transmitted geographic location. Specifically, Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0243] that the reference location is San Francisco and the server may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
Moreover, the reference location transmitted by the device is stored at the server.
[0244] Alternatively, if the device is determined to be outside San Francisco or New York City (or outside a certain radius of the respective cities), the server may determine that the device is missing and, based on the device missing, send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission. A reference location may be stored at the server, portable electronic device, or both. A reference location may include or be specified by a mailing address, zip code, area code, city, town, county, or any value or set of values (e.g., longitude and latitude) that can be used to identify a geographical location.
[0245] In another specific implementation, the server determines that the portable electronic device is missing based on detecting that the portable electronic device is within an unpermitted geographical area.
[0246] A particular geographical area may be defined as the area within a circle having a center as a reference location and a radius measured from the center (or reference location) to an edge of the circle. Alternatively, a particular geographical area may be defined as the area outside the circle. It should be appreciated, however, that a geographical area or the outline or boundary of a geographical area may not necessarily have the shape of a circle. The outline of a geographical area can be of any shape. For example, a geographical area may be defined by a zip code, area code, city, town, county, voting district, state, country, time zone, continent, and so forth.
[0247] More particularly, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing based on detecting that the device is within, for example, a particular zip code. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server determines that the location is within a particular geographical area. An outline of the particular geographical area may have a shape other than or that is different from a circle.
[0248] For example, the particular geographical area may be the area within a particular zip code (e.g., a zip code having a high rate of crime). To determine that the location of the portable electronic device is within the particular geographical area (e.g., zip code), the server may correlate the location data with a zip code database. For example, the received location data may include longitude and latitude coordinates. The server may consult the zip code database to determine the corresponding zip code associated with the received coordinates.
[0114] To locate the device, the user clicks on the "Locate" button 540 to request current location-related information from the mobile device. The locate command can be terminated by clicking on the cancel button 572. After receiving the location request, the server transmits a command to the mobile device requesting location-related information. The mobile device receives the location-related information command, obtains the location-related information and transmits the location-related information back to the server. While the device is obtaining location-related information, it may report its progress to the server. The location-related information may include the physical location of the device or data that must be further processed to obtain the physical location. The location-related information may also include accuracy information regarding the physical location or other data reported to the server. The web page displays the status of the mobile device location detection 561. The web page indicates that the system is "locating." The location status will be reported or displayed as "locating" while the location information is being reported by the device, "location unknown" when the location retrieval fails, or "done locating" when the location has finished. If the device reports accuracy information, the map has a zone of confidence 533 around the estimated location to inform the user of the region the device is expected to be within. Such a zone may be represented as a circle around the estimated location. The server may also display multiple locations transmitted by the device to show the movement of the device over a period of time. The multiple locations displayed on the map may show the time the device was at the location and/or display a line connecting the location points in chronological order. In an embodiment, the server can send a command to the device for the device to report location-related information to the server for a period of time. The user may specify the duration of the location on the remote access web page 550. During the time period of the location request, the device periodically sends updated location-related information to the server. To protect user privacy, location information sent by the device and stored on the server may be discarded after a period of time.
[0255] A deviation in travel pattern may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns. The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates, speed or rate of travel, time information, date information, or combinations of these.
The server receives from the portable electronic device a set of locations at which the device as at and the time at which the device was at the locations. It is thus known that the reference location is the transmitted location from the portable electronic device to the server.
Moreover, the travel pattern is embodied as GPS coordinates, the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is the same as the deviation or difference between the first and second GPS locations, the server receives the transmitted locations from the device and the distance/difference/deviation calculated based on the first transmitted location and the second transmitted location. The first transmitted location constitutes the reference location that meets the claimed transmitted geographic location.
);
determining that the first condition has been satisfied based at least in part on the distance and the threshold geographic distance;
responsive to the determining that the first condition has been satisfied, transmitting, to the server, second location data identifying a second geographical location of the computing device (
Kang teaches at Paragraph [0064] that a method and apparatus for performing a lost mode in a mobile device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, can publicly display information regarding a location where a lost mobile device is located via a social network server.
Lagnado teaches at Paragraph [0018] that a change in location by 1000 m could trigger a new location update to be transmitted.
Lagnado thus teaches responsive to determining that the first condition has been satisfied, transmitting to the server a new location update.
In view of Kang and Lagnado, Grkov’s device operating in a lost mode is triggered to send a new location to the server whenever there is a change in location by a predetermined threshold (see Paragraph 0255 of Grkov). According to Lagnado, whenever the distance in travel patterns (GPS coordinates) is larger than a predetermined threshold, the device sends the new location to the server. That is to say, when a distance between a location of the lost device and the previous location is determined to be larger than a predetermined threshold, transmitting the new location to the server.
Grkov also teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, the server receives a set of locations transmitted by the portable electronic device. This is because the portable electronic device enters a lost/stolen mode when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area and the set of locations were sent by the portable electronic device to the server while the portable electronic device entered the lost/stolen mode. When a set of criteria is satisfied (when the device leaves a permitted geographical area), the device sends a set of locations to the server.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
In other words, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates) with the last transmitted GPS location.
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode. Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area (e.g., the device is lying hidden in some bushes), determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location (which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0220 that (while the device is missing and thus operates in the lost mode according to Paragraph 0146 of Grkov), the first user can send a command to the missing device that instructs the missing device to calculate and send its location to the first user at the client.
Grkov teaches a set of conditions include the first condition that the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation and the second condition that the device’s battery is low. Grkov teaches that the server responsive to determining the first condition has been satisfied, sending to the server from the device current location identifying current geographical location of the device.
Grkov teaches that the deviation is determined while the device is put in lost mode for the following reasons.
The portable electronic device is determined to be a lost or stolen device at the time at which the device was at the second travel pattern. By deduction, the deviation between the first and third travel pattern is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may also determine that the portable electronic device is missing. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0242, if the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing (and the server puts the device into a lost/stolen mode according to Paragraph 0146-0147 of Grkov) and at Paragraph 0255 that the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including at a set of locations (including a second location and a third location in Las Vegas). By deduction, while the device is in lost or stolen mode at the time of the second travel pattern, a deviation between the first and third travel pattern is determined to be greater than a threshold deviation (the device is outside the 100 mile radius). Therefore, the device sends the current location or the third location to the server when the device was put in the lost or stolen mode.
Importantly, Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically puts the device into lost/stolen mode and the actions configured to be automatically performed when the device enters lost/stolen mode will only occur when the device enters lost/stolen mode as a result of events, such as the device entering the pre-defined lost/stolen location area, occurring.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations (this also occurs when the device is lost mode). The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
[0264] The discussion accompanying FIG. 23 describes a specific implementation of an intelligence server that can detect when the portable electronic device may be missing. In a specific implementation, features of the intelligence server may be implemented on the portable electronic device. This allows for the determination of uncharacteristic behavior at the portable electronic device rather than the server. For example, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116-0117 that the server is configured to notify the user if the device leaves a given location area and the device’s comparison of its current location to known locations for purposes of notification policy changes….the device automatically sends its current location -related information to the server when the device’s battery is low.
Grkov teaches at 0241-0248 that the server makes the determination whether a distance the computing device has traveled from a last transmitted geographics location is beyond a predetermined distance based on the computing device is lost or stolen. For example, if the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 miles radius, the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing. The received location data may include longitude and latitude coordinates.
[0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
[0242] For example, first user 2330 may reside in San Francisco and specify that the permitted or expected area in which the device will be used is a 100 mile radius from the first user's home in San Francisco (i.e., the reference location). If the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing and send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission.
[0243] The reference location may specified by the user when configuring the missing device mobile application. There can be any number of reference locations specified by the user. For example, a user who frequently travels between San Francisco and New York City may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location and New York City as being a second reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
The reference location in San Francisco or New York City as disclosed at Paragraph 0243 is received by the server from the device and thus constitutes the last transmitted geographic location. Specifically, Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0243] that the reference location is San Francisco and the server may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
Moreover, the reference location transmitted by the device is stored at the server.
[0244] Alternatively, if the device is determined to be outside San Francisco or New York City (or outside a certain radius of the respective cities), the server may determine that the device is missing and, based on the device missing, send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission. A reference location may be stored at the server, portable electronic device, or both. A reference location may include or be specified by a mailing address, zip code, area code, city, town, county, or any value or set of values (e.g., longitude and latitude) that can be used to identify a geographical location.
[0245] In another specific implementation, the server determines that the portable electronic device is missing based on detecting that the portable electronic device is within an unpermitted geographical area.
[0246] A particular geographical area may be defined as the area within a circle having a center as a reference location and a radius measured from the center (or reference location) to an edge of the circle. Alternatively, a particular geographical area may be defined as the area outside the circle. It should be appreciated, however, that a geographical area or the outline or boundary of a geographical area may not necessarily have the shape of a circle. The outline of a geographical area can be of any shape. For example, a geographical area may be defined by a zip code, area code, city, town, county, voting district, state, country, time zone, continent, and so forth.
[0247] More particularly, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing based on detecting that the device is within, for example, a particular zip code. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server determines that the location is within a particular geographical area. An outline of the particular geographical area may have a shape other than or that is different from a circle.
[0248] For example, the particular geographical area may be the area within a particular zip code (e.g., a zip code having a high rate of crime). To determine that the location of the portable electronic device is within the particular geographical area (e.g., zip code), the server may correlate the location data with a zip code database. For example, the received location data may include longitude and latitude coordinates. The server may consult the zip code database to determine the corresponding zip code associated with the received coordinates.
[0114] To locate the device, the user clicks on the "Locate" button 540 to request current location-related information from the mobile device. The locate command can be terminated by clicking on the cancel button 572. After receiving the location request, the server transmits a command to the mobile device requesting location-related information. The mobile device receives the location-related information command, obtains the location-related information and transmits the location-related information back to the server. While the device is obtaining location-related information, it may report its progress to the server. The location-related information may include the physical location of the device or data that must be further processed to obtain the physical location. The location-related information may also include accuracy information regarding the physical location or other data reported to the server. The web page displays the status of the mobile device location detection 561. The web page indicates that the system is "locating." The location status will be reported or displayed as "locating" while the location information is being reported by the device, "location unknown" when the location retrieval fails, or "done locating" when the location has finished. If the device reports accuracy information, the map has a zone of confidence 533 around the estimated location to inform the user of the region the device is expected to be within. Such a zone may be represented as a circle around the estimated location. The server may also display multiple locations transmitted by the device to show the movement of the device over a period of time. The multiple locations displayed on the map may show the time the device was at the location and/or display a line connecting the location points in chronological order. In an embodiment, the server can send a command to the device for the device to report location-related information to the server for a period of time. The user may specify the duration of the location on the remote access web page 550. During the time period of the location request, the device periodically sends updated location-related information to the server. To protect user privacy, location information sent by the device and stored on the server may be discarded after a period of time.
[0255] A deviation in travel pattern may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns. The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates, speed or rate of travel, time information, date information, or combinations of these.
The server receives from the portable electronic device a set of locations at which the device as at and the time at which the device was at the locations. It is thus known that the reference location is the transmitted location from the portable electronic device to the server.
Moreover, the travel pattern is embodied as GPS coordinates, the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is the same as the deviation or difference between the first and second GPS locations, the server receives the transmitted locations from the device and the distance/difference/deviation calculated based on the first transmitted location and the second transmitted location. The first transmitted location constitutes the reference location that meets the claimed transmitted geographic location.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0114 that the multiple locations displayed on the map may show the time the device was at the location and/or display a line connecting the location points in chronological order.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116 that the device periodically sends location-related information to the server. The server processes the information and compares the device’s location to a set of location areas pertaining to the device. If the device is in a location area that pertains to a specific security policy, the server sends a command for the device to change its security policy.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0220 that the first user can send a command to the missing device that instructs the missing device to calculate and send its location to the first user at the client and at Paragraph 0255 that the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations).
Holley implicitly teaches the claim limitation:
determining that the first condition has been satisfied based at least in part on the distance and the threshold geographic distance (
Holley teaches sending the location data less frequently preserves the computing device’s battery life. Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0064 that the agent on the device 50 can trigger a location notification to the subscriber in order to locate the device. This notification can be optimized based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. Also, the agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0074 that the rate of pings/hour is dependent on battery life of the device, e.g., the ping rate is driven based on battery capacity left in the device. In this way, it is possible to optimize the actual notifications sent to the network so as to prolong battery life, while continuing to provide value to the service. For example, the agent on the device can trigger a location notification to the subscriber using the data connection on the phone carrier delivery gateway infrastructure. The agent optimizes transmission of this information based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. The notification, for example, can be 1 ping per sixteen hours on low battery capacity; whereas, 6 pings per hour may be provided by the agent of the device that has a high battery capacity. In embodiments, the example of FIG. 6 is based on an assumption that the device is not plugged into its charger outlet. The agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have incorporated the teaching of Holley of while being in lost mode sending fewer location notifications or less frequently location notifications by the lost device to the server (e.g., SIP A/S server) in order to maximize the battery life or preserve the battery level into Grkov to have allowed the user to configure a large time interval for sending the location data of the lost device less frequently. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that by sending less location data to the server the battery life is preserved. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have known that sending the location data periodically and less frequently would minimize the impact on the battery life so as to preserve the battery life.
Additionally, Holley implicitly teaches the claim limitation: responsive to the determining that the first condition has been satisfied, transmitting, to the server, second location data identifying a second geographical location of the computing device (
Holley teaches sending the location data less frequently preserves the computing device’s battery life. Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0064 that the agent on the device 50 can trigger a location notification to the subscriber in order to locate the device. This notification can be optimized based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. Also, the agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0074 that the rate of pings/hour is dependent on battery life of the device, e.g., the ping rate is driven based on battery capacity left in the device. In this way, it is possible to optimize the actual notifications sent to the network so as to prolong battery life, while continuing to provide value to the service. For example, the agent on the device can trigger a location notification to the subscriber using the data connection on the phone carrier delivery gateway infrastructure. The agent optimizes transmission of this information based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. The notification, for example, can be 1 ping per sixteen hours on low battery capacity; whereas, 6 pings per hour may be provided by the agent of the device that has a high battery capacity. In embodiments, the example of FIG. 6 is based on an assumption that the device is not plugged into its charger outlet. The agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have incorporated the teaching of Holley of sending fewer location notifications or less frequently location notifications by the lost device to the server (e.g., SIP A/S server) in order to maximize the battery life or preserve the battery level into Grkov to have allowed the user to configure a large time interval for sending the location data of the lost device less frequently. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that by sending less location data to the server the battery life is preserved.
Grkov at least suggests: receiving a second authenticated command to terminate the lost mode on the computing device; and upon receipt of the second authenticated command with the first password at the computing device, terminating the lost mode and restoring select functionality (
Grkov teaches a first password to turn on lost/stolen mode for the device via the remote access web page. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147-0148 the user can use the remote access web page to manually request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn on lost/stolen mode (using the first password) and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password (first password) on the device 1601. When the remote access password is set on the device, the device generates verification information and a challenge token and transmits them to the server 1602….if the user enters the correct password, the remote access web page generates the authentication credential by hashing the password and sends it to the server
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0075 that the server 111 will only allow the user to perform tasks after he or she has supplied authorized credentials 251. The server 11 may require authentication information such as a user name, password, biometric data, or other security-related information. If the user is authorized, ….the server 11 then generates a remote access web page corresponding to the mobile device 101 that is accessible by the client computer 233….Some of the remote access controls (second authenticated commands) include locating the mobile device 101,….locking or unlocking the mobile device 101.
B) Grkov teaches a second password for unlocking the device and to instruct the mobile device to turn off the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that the remote access web page allows the user to select a password (second password) which is required to unlock the device when initiating the lock command 553 and at Paragraph 0148 that when the device is in lost/stolen mode, the user may use the remote access web page to request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn off lost/stolen mode (via second authenticated command)…if the device is locked and the user enters valid authentication information such as a password (second password) on the device to unlock it, the device will automatically turn off lost/stolen mode and notify the server of the lost/stolen mode state and at Paragraph 0153 that the password may be set using a web page generated by the server or via a user interface on the mobile device and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password on the device 1601).
Slack explicitly teaches: receiving a second authenticated command to terminate the lost mode on the computing device; and upon receipt of the second authenticated command with the first password at the computing device, terminating the lost mode and restoring select functionality (
Slack teaches at Paragraph 0054 that a remote management account owner can login to a remote management account by accessing the remote management application and providing login credentials such as a username and password (first password).
Slack teaches at Paragraph 0080-0084 upon receiving a lock command message, a mobile device enters a locked state, such as by locking the screen and requiring the entry of a valid passcode (second password) before access to device functionality…..the lock command interface can prompt the user to input and confirm a new passcode (another embodiment of second password), that will be required to unlock the mobile device after the lock command is executed….the lock command interface also can be configured to prompt the user to enter the current passcode (another embodiment of the first password) for validation. The information entered into the lock command interface can be used to generate the remote lock command message…..the lock command interface can be adapted to prompt the user to input a new passcode (another embodiment of the second password) that conforms to the more complex security constraint that has been enacted and at Paragraph 0084 that once the passcode has been reset and the mobile device has been locked, the newly specified password (another embodiment of the second password) must be entered to unlock the device).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have locked the lost device and to have disabled the function/menu system of the lost device and to have unlocked the lost device when the lost device is located. The security feature of Slack when incorporated into Grkov allows Grkov’s mobile device to have used the first password for the login account and the second password to unlock the mobile device as Grkov’ second password for unlocking the device (see Paragraph 0128) can be reset according to Slack Paragraph 0081-0084. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have operated the lost device in various modes to have disabled/enabled the select functionality associated with the device.
Guerra teaches:
receiving a second authenticated command to terminate the lost mode computing device; and upon receipt of the second authenticated command with the first password at the computing device, terminating the lost mode and restoring select functionality (
Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0039 that if the user loses the mobile device 2, she/he connects to the web page using an alternative communication device and selects the missing deice based on the device’s nickname. This involves performing an IMS authentication process and at Paragraph 0053 that the user selects the device using the previously specified nickname and receives the locking PIN and at Paragraph 0054 the missing mobile device receives the lock instructions, authentications the instruction and then immediately locks the device. If the device is subsequently found by the subscriber and the unlocking code correctly entered, the device is unlocked. Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0036 that when the stolen/lost device is selected to be locked, the subscriber is presented with an automatically generated pin code which can later be used to unlock the device if and when it is located and at Paragraph 0038 if the device is unlocked when it is stolen, the thief may immediately over-ride the locking mechanism to disable it and at Paragraph 0039 that if and when the device is subsequently unlocked by the user, it should send a message to the IMS network informing the network that the device has been unlocked).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have locked the lost device and to have disabled the function/menu system of the lost device and to have unlocked the lost device when the lost device is located. The security feature of Guerra when incorporated into Grkov allows Grkov’s mobile device to have used the first password for the login account and the second password to unlock the mobile device. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have operated the lost device in various modes to have disabled/enabled the select functionality associated with the device.
Re Claim 22:
The claim 22 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 1 except additional claim limitation that the set of conditions is based on a heuristic that determines when the locked computing device is to transmit location data identifying the geographical location of the locked computing device to preserve the computing device battery life.
Grkov and Holley further teach the claim limitation that the set of conditions is based on a heuristic that determines when the locked computing device is to transmit location data identifying the geographical location of the locked computing device to preserve the computing device battery life (
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0117 the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low…on a periodic basis and at Paragraph 0132 that because a lost mobile device may have only a limited amount of energy available from its battery, it is beneficial to minimize the impact of performing a backup and at Paragraph 0312 that if there is no acceptable of the call, the alarm may stop in order to preserve battery life.
A) Grkov teaches user configured heuristic that determines when to send the location data.
Grkov at Paragraph 0090 that in order to minimize the impact on the mobile device’s battery life and reduce the amount of network traffic, a maximal response timeout is desired and at Paragraph 0117 that the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low….the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server on a periodic basis. The user may configure the time interval by which the device transmits location-related information to the server.
B) Holley teaches sending the location data less frequently preserves the computing device’s battery life.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0064 that the agent on the device 50 can trigger a location notification to the subscriber in order to locate the device. This notification can be optimized based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. Also, the agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0074 that the rate of pings/hour is dependent on battery life of the device, e.g., the ping rate is driven based on battery capacity left in the device. In this way, it is possible to optimize the actual notifications sent to the network so as to prolong battery life, while continuing to provide value to the service. For example, the agent on the device can trigger a location notification to the subscriber using the data connection on the phone carrier delivery gateway infrastructure. The agent optimizes transmission of this information based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. The notification, for example, can be 1 ping per sixteen hours on low battery capacity; whereas, 6 pings per hour may be provided by the agent of the device that has a high battery capacity. In embodiments, the example of FIG. 6 is based on an assumption that the device is not plugged into its charger outlet. The agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times).
Based on the reasoning above, Grkov in view of Holley teaches the claim limitation while Holley extensively and expressly teaches the claim limitation of “the set of conditions is based on a heuristic that determines when the locked computing device is to transmit location data identifying the geographical location of the locked computing device to preserve the computing device battery life”.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0064 that the agent on the device 50 can trigger a location notification to the subscriber in order to locate the device. This notification can be optimized based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. Also, the agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times.
Holley teaches at Paragraph 0074 that the rate of pings/hour is dependent on battery life of the device, e.g., the ping rate is driven based on battery capacity left in the device. In this way, it is possible to optimize the actual notifications sent to the network so as to prolong battery life, while continuing to provide value to the service. For example, the agent on the device can trigger a location notification to the subscriber using the data connection on the phone carrier delivery gateway infrastructure. The agent optimizes transmission of this information based on the battery level of the device, to maximize battery life. The notification, for example, can be 1 ping per sixteen hours on low battery capacity; whereas, 6 pings per hour may be provided by the agent of the device that has a high battery capacity. In embodiments, the example of FIG. 6 is based on an assumption that the device is not plugged into its charger outlet. The agent can be configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the device a certain number of consecutive times.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have incorporated the teaching of Holley of sending fewer location notifications or less frequently location notifications by the lost device to the server (e.g., SIP A/S server) in order to maximize the battery life or preserve the battery level into Grkov to have allowed the user to configure a large time interval for sending the location data of the lost device less frequently. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that by sending less location data to the server the battery life is preserved.
Re Claim 23:
The claim 23 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 1 except additional claim limitation that the set of conditions is based on a heuristic that determines when the locked computing device is to transmit location data identifying the geographical location of the locked computing device using an inferred preference of the requesting user.
However, Grkov in view of Holley further teaches the claim limitation that the set of conditions is based on a heuristic that determines when the locked computing device is to transmit location data identifying the geographical location of the locked computing device using an inferred preference of the requesting user (
A) Grkov teaches user configured heuristic that determines when to send the location data.
Grkov at Paragraph 0090 that in order to minimize the impact on the mobile device’s battery life and reduce the amount of network traffic, a maximal response timeout is desired and at Paragraph 0117 that the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low….the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server on a periodic basis. The user may configure the time interval by which the device transmits location-related information to the server.
B) Holley teaches sending the location data less frequently preserves the computing device’s battery life.
Holley extensively and expressly teaches the claim limitation. Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0117 the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low…on a periodic basis and at Paragraph 0132 that because a lost mobile device may have only a limited amount of energy available from its battery, it is beneficial to minimize the impact of performing a backup and at Paragraph 0312 that if there is no acceptable of the call, the alarm may stop in order to preserve battery life.
Grkov at Paragraph 0090 that in order to minimize the impact on the mobile device’s battery life and reduce the amount of network traffic, a maximal response timeout is desired and at Paragraph 0117 that the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low….the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server on a periodic basis. The user may configure the time interval by which the device transmits location-related information to the server (user inferred time interval to preserve the battery life).
Holley extensively and expressly teaches the claim limitation. Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the before the filing date of the instant application to allow the user to configure the time interval by which the device transmits location related information according to Grkov to combined with Holley’s continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy according to the user-configured time intervals.
One of the ordinary skill in the art would have known that sending the location data periodically and less frequently would minimize the impact on the battery life so as to preserve the battery life according to the user heuristic time interval.
Re Claim 22:
The claim 22 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 21 except additional claim limitation that in response to receiving the first authenticated command, locking the computing device.
Grkov further teaches the claim limitation that in response to receiving the first authenticated command, locking the computing device (
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work. In a second lockdown mode there may be a lock that allows only certain features of the missing device to work such as “call owner” and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device, enable the missing device to place a call to the device owner and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., enable or disable options…the configuration page may include an option for a ring or no ring on the device when the incoming missing device call is received, an option to override volume settings, an option to override ring sounds, an option to override headphone/sound routing, an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically instructs the local software component on the device to go into lost/stolen mode when the use requests for the server to send a remote access command which is indicative of the device being lost or stolen. Commands such as lock may indicate that the user has lost the device or that the device was stolen).
Re Claim 23:
The claim 23 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 21 except additional claim limitation that the suppressing select functionality includes suppressing functionality to turn off a locked computing device and the instructions cause the locked computing device, while in lost mode, to perform operations to preserve battery life of the locked computing device.
Grkov implicitly teaches the claim limitation that the suppressing select functionality includes suppressing functionality to turn off a locked computing device
(Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0230 that a particular lockdown mode may cause a limited or restricted user interface to be displayed that limits the second user’s access to the portable electronic device features.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work. In a second lockdown mode there may be a lock that allows only certain features of the missing device to work such as “call owner” and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device, enable the missing device to place a call to the device owner and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., enable or disable options…the configuration page may include an option for a ring or no ring on the device when the incoming missing device call is received, an option to override volume settings, an option to override ring sounds, an option to override headphone/sound routing, an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the server automatically instructs the local software component on the device to go into lost/stolen mode when the use requests for the server to send a remote access command which is indicative of the device being lost or stolen. Commands such as lock may indicate that the user has lost the device or that the device was stolen.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 146 that when the device is in lost/stolen mode, it may hide any user interface components); and the instructions cause the locked computing device, while in lost mode, to perform operations to preserve battery life of the locked computing device
(Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work. In a second lockdown mode there may be a lock that allows only certain features of the missing device to work such as “call owner” and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device, enable the missing device to place a call to the device owner and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., enable or disable options…the configuration page may include an option for a ring or no ring on the device when the incoming missing device call is received, an option to override volume settings, an option to override ring sounds, an option to override headphone/sound routing, an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0090 that in order to minimize the impact on the mobile device’s battery life and reduce the amount of network traffic, a maximal response timeout is desired. The mobile device dynamically adjusts the response timeout and at Paragraph 0117 the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low…on a periodic basis and at Paragraph 0132 that because a lost mobile device may have only a limited amount of energy available from its battery, it is beneficial to minimize the impact of performing a backup and at Paragraph 0312 that if there is no acceptable of the call, the alarm may stop in order to preserve battery life).
Guerra teaches the claim limitation that the suppressing select functionality includes suppressing functionality to turn off a locked computing device
(Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0036 that when the stolen/lost device is selected to be locked, the subscriber is presented with an automatically generated pi code which can later be used to unlock the device if and when it is located….switching off the locked device will not be allowed in order to allow tracking of the terminal).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have suppressed the functionality to turn off the locked device when the device is lost/stolen. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have allowed the tracking of the device until it runs out of battery.
Re Claim 24:
The claim 24 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 21 except additional claim limitation that the first authenticated command includes instructions setting a second password as a termination password on the computing device, the termination password defined by a requesting user on a requesting device to terminate the lost mode on the computing device.
Grkov at least suggests the claim limitation: the first authenticated command includes instructions setting a second password as a termination password on the computing device, the termination password defined by a requesting user on a requesting device to terminate the lost mode on the computing device (
Grkov teaches a first password to turn on lost/stolen mode for the device via the remote access web page. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147-0148 the user can use the remote access web page to manually request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn on lost/stolen mode (using the first password) and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password (first password) on the device 1601. When the remote access password is set on the device, the device generates verification information and a challenge token and transmits them to the server 1602….if the user enters the correct password, the remote access web page generates the authentication credential by hashing the password and sends it to the server
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0075 that the server 111 will only allow the user to perform tasks after he or she has supplied authorized credentials 251. The server 11 may require authentication information such as a user name, password, biometric data, or other security-related information. If the user is authorized, ….the server 11 then generates a remote access web page corresponding to the mobile device 101 that is accessible by the client computer 233….Some of the remote access controls (second authenticated commands) include locating the mobile device 101,….locking or unlocking the mobile device 101.
B) Grkov teaches a second password for unlocking the device and to instruct the mobile device to turn off the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that the remote access web page allows the user to select a password (second password) which is required to unlock the device when initiating the lock command 553 and at Paragraph 0148 that when the device is in lost/stolen mode, the user may use the remote access web page to request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn off lost/stolen mode (via second authenticated command)…if the device is locked and the user enters valid authentication information such as a password (second password) on the device to unlock it, the device will automatically turn off lost/stolen mode and notify the server of the lost/stolen mode state and at Paragraph 0153 that the password may be set using a web page generated by the server or via a user interface on the mobile device and at Paragraph 0155 that the user sets the remote access password on the device 1601).
Slack implicitly teaches the claim limitation: the first authenticated command includes instructions setting a second password as a termination password on the computing device, the termination password defined by a requesting user on a requesting device to terminate the lost mode on the computing device.
In other words, Slack teaches at Paragraph 0054 that a remote management account owner can login to a remote management account by accessing the remote management application and providing login credentials such as a username and password (first password).
Slack teaches at Paragraph 0080-0084 upon receiving a lock command message, a mobile device enters a locked state, such as by locking the screen and requiring the entry of a valid passcode (second password) before access to device functionality…..the lock command interface can prompt the user to input and confirm a new passcode (another embodiment of second password), that will be required to unlock the mobile device after the lock command is executed….the lock command interface also can be configured to prompt the user to enter the current passcode (another embodiment of the first password) for validation. The information entered into the lock command interface can be used to generate the remote lock command message…..the lock command interface can be adapted to prompt the user to input a new passcode (another embodiment of the second password) that conforms to the more complex security constraint that has been enacted and at Paragraph 0084 that once the passcode has been reset and the mobile device has been locked, the newly specified password (another embodiment of the second password) must be entered to unlock the device.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have locked the lost device and to have disabled the function/menu system of the lost device and to have unlocked the lost device when the lost device is located. The security feature of Slack when incorporated into Grkov allows Grkov’s mobile device to have used the first password for the login account and the second password to unlock the mobile device as Grkov’ second password for unlocking the device (see Paragraph 0128) can be reset according to Slack Paragraph 0081-0084.
One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have operated the lost device in various modes to have disabled/enabled the select functionality associated with the device.
Guerra teaches the claim limitation:
the first authenticated command includes instructions setting a second password as a termination password on the computing device, the termination password defined by a requesting user on a requesting device to terminate the lost mode on the computing device (
Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0039 that if the user loses the mobile device 2, she/he connects to the web page using an alternative communication device and selects the missing deice based on the device’s nickname. This involves performing an IMS authentication process and at Paragraph 0053 that the user selects the device using the previously specified nickname and receives the locking PIN and at Paragraph 0054 the missing mobile device receives the lock instructions, authentications the instruction and then immediately locks the device. If the device is subsequently found by the subscriber and the unlocking code correctly entered, the device is unlocked. Guerra teaches at Paragraph 0036 that when the stolen/lost device is selected to be locked, the subscriber is presented with an automatically generated pin code which can later be used to unlock the device if and when it is located and at Paragraph 0038 if the device is unlocked when it is stolen, the thief may immediately over-ride the locking mechanism to disable it and at Paragraph 0039 that if and when the device is subsequently unlocked by the user, it should send a message to the IMS network informing the network that the device has been unlocked).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the instant application to have locked the lost device and to have disabled the function/menu system of the lost device and to have unlocked the lost device when the lost device is located. The security feature of Guerra when incorporated into Grkov allows Grkov’s mobile device to have used the first password for the login account and the second password to unlock the mobile device. One of the ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have operated the lost device in various modes to have disabled/enabled the select functionality associated with the device.
Re Claim 25:
The claim 25 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 24 except additional claim limitation that presenting, at a locked computing device, a prompt for the termination password to be entered; receiving, at the locked computing device, input of the termination password; and upon receipt of the termination password at the locked computing device, terminating the lost mode on the locked computing device, unlocking the locked computing device, and restoring the select functionality.
Grkov further teaches the claim limitation that presenting, at a locked computing device, a prompt for the termination password to be entered; receiving, at the locked computing device, input of the termination password; and upon receipt of the termination password at the locked computing device, terminating the lost mode on the locked computing device, unlocking the locked computing device, and restoring the select functionality (Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that the remote access web page can be used to unlock the mobile device to restore the normal functionality….the mobile device may also allow the entry of authentication information such as a password to allow the user to unlock the device without requiring access to the remote access web page….the remote access web page allows the user to select a password which is required to unlock the device when initiating the lock command 553. The password on the remote access web page may be initially populated with a default value,
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0278 that FIG. 35 shows a screen shot of a window 3501 displaying a missing device web page 3505 provided by the web application. This web page may be displayed on the screen of the client computer after the user has been authenticated. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0279 that missing device web page 3505 provides a graphical user interface that allows the user to contact each portable electronic device that the user is authorized to access.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147-0148 the user can use the remote access web page to manually request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn on lost/stolen mode. When the device is in lost/stolen mode, the user may use the remote access web page to request for the server to instruct the mobile device to turn off lost/stolen mode. If the device is locked and the user enters valid authentication information such as a password on the device to unlock it, the device will automatically turn off lost/stolen mode and notify the server of the lost/stolen mode state).
Re Claim 26:
The claim 26 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 25 except additional claim limitation that the operations further comprising: determining an amount of time lapsed after transmission of the second location data; and transmitting, to a requesting device, third location data identifying a third geographical location of the locked computing device and including a time at which the locked computing device was at the third geographic location.
Grkov further teaches the claim limitation that the operations further comprising: determining an amount of time lapsed after transmission of the second location data; and transmitting, to a requesting device, third location data identifying a third geographical location of the locked computing device and including a time at which the locked computing device was at the third geographic location (
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0096 that the server expires cached responses after a given period of time or upon certain events, such as a device becoming disabled or stolen and at Paragraph 0114-0115 that the web page displays the status of the mobile device location detection 561. The web page indicates that the system is locating. The location status will be reported or displayed as locating while the location information is being reported by the device….The server may also display multiple locations transmitted by the device to show the movement of the device over a period of time…The user may specify the duration of the location on the remote access web page 550. During the time period of the location request, the device periodically sends updated location related information to the server….The location information can be useful in determining if the mobile device is lost or stolen…..If the system detects that the mobile device is located in an area unknown to the user this information may suggests that the mobile device is stolen and at Paragraph 0149 that the server sends the email when the device is in lost/stolen mode and the user has not turned it off after a period of time. When the user locks the device from the remote access web page, lost/stolen mode is automatically turned on. If the user does not turn off lost/stolen mode, the server emails the user after a predetermined time period such as 1 hour. .
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0220 that the first user can send a command to the missing device that instructs the missing device to calculate and send its location to the first user at the client and at Paragraph 0255 that the server receives from the portable electronic device ravel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations….a travel pattern may include….time information, date information).
Re Claim 27:
The claim 27 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 26 except additional claim limitation that the first authenticated command includes a message, initiating the lost mode includes displaying the message on a locked computing device, and the message is configured to enable the locked computing device to contact the requesting device.
Grkov further teaches the claim limitation that the first authenticated command includes a message, initiating the lost mode includes displaying the message on a locked computing device, and the message is configured to enable the locked computing device to contact the requesting device (Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0085 that the client computer 233 requests a command for the mobile device 101 from a web page generated by the server 111, the client computer transmits the request to the server 401 and the server transmits an indication message to the device 402. The indication message instructs the mobile device 101 to connect to the server 111 and the mobile device 101 responds by connecting to the server and at Paragraph 0297-0303 that a message is displayed on the display or electronic screen of the missing portable electronic device. The message indicates to the second user that the missing device belongs to the first user…an invitation is displayed for the second user to accept the incoming communication signal. The message includes the following text, “The owner of this device is trying to locate this phone. Click to answer”….instructions that may accompany the incoming communication signal, or an identifier accompanying the incoming signal, e.g., first identifier=accept automatically, second identifier=provide notification).
(The set of conditions)
Grkov at Paragraph 0116 that the server is configured to notify the user if the device leaves a given location area (a condition is satisfied) and the device periodically sends location-related information to the server and at Paragraph 0117 that the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server on a periodic basis (a first condition being the condition that the device leaves a given location area and the device sends location on a periodic basis (if a period of time passed since the last location), i.e., sending the geographic location unknown to the user to the server after a period of time specified by the user).
(The heuristics of determining) Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0116 that the device periodically sends location-related information to the server. The server processes the information and compares the device’s location to a set of location areas pertaining to the device. If the device is in a location area that pertains to a specific security policy, the server sends a command for the device to change its security policy.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0096 that the server expires cached responses after a given period of time or upon certain events, such as a device becoming disabled or stolen and at Paragraph 0114-0115 that the web page displays the status of the mobile device location detection 561. The web page indicates that the system is locating. The location status will be reported or displayed as locating while the location information is being reported by the device….The server may also display multiple locations transmitted by the device to show the movement of the device over a period of time…The user may specify the duration of the location on the remote access web page 550. During the time period of the location request, the device periodically sends updated location related information to the server….The location information can be useful in determining if the mobile device is lost or stolen…..If the system detects that the mobile device is located in an area unknown to the user this information may suggests that the mobile device is stolen and at Paragraph 0149 that the server sends the email when the device is in lost/stolen mode and the user has not turned it off after a period of time. When the user locks the device from the remote access web page, lost/stolen mode is automatically turned on. If the user does not turn off lost/stolen mode, the server emails the user after a predetermined time period such as 1 hour.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0220 that the first user can send a command to the missing device that instructs the missing device to calculate and send its location to the first user at the client and at Paragraph 0255 that the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations….a travel pattern may include….time information, date information), the heuristic based at least in part on an inferred preference of the requesting user (
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0115-0116 that the user may input addresses or coordinates of locations known to the user such as the user’s home, office or known areas associated with the user such as schools and houses of friends and relatives. A location can be defined by recording the coordinates through the mobile device or by entering the location manually. Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0114-0115 that the user may specify the duration of the location on the remote access web page 550).
A) Grkov teaches user configured heuristic that determines when to send the location data.
Grkov at Paragraph 0090 that in order to minimize the impact on the mobile device’s battery life and reduce the amount of network traffic, a maximal response timeout is desired and at Paragraph 0117 that the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server when the device’s battery is low….the device automatically sends its current location-related information to the server on a periodic basis. The user may configure the time interval by which the device transmits location-related information to the server.
B) Holley teaches sending the location data less frequently preserves the computing device’s battery life.
Holley extensively and expressly teaches the claim limitation. Holley teaches at Paragraph 0016 and Paragraph 0025, Paragraph 0044, Paragraph 0064, Paragraph 0074 and Paragraph 0076 that a mobile device comprises an agent configured to provide continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the before the filing date of the instant application to allow the user to configure the time interval by which the device transmits location related information according to Grkov to combined with Holley’s continuous notifications regarding location information of the device to an infrastructure and configured to take into account a battery life of the mobile device when providing the continuous notifications such that fewer notifications will be provided per time period for a battery with lower life expectancy than a battery with higher life expectancy according to the user-configured time intervals.
Re Claim 29:
The claim 29 is in parallel with the claim 21 in a method form. The claim 29 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 21.
Re Claim 30:
The claim 30 is in parallel with the claim 22 in a method form. The claim 30 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 22.
Re Claim 31:
The claim 31 is in parallel with the claim 23 in a method form. The claim 31 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 23.
Re Claim 32:
The claim 32 is in parallel with the claim 24 in a method form. The claim 32 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 24.
Re Claim 33:
The claim 33 is in parallel with the claim 29 in a method form. The claim 33 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 25.
Re Claim 34:
The claim 34 is in parallel with the claim 33 in a method form. The claim 34 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 26.
Re Claim 35:
The claim 35 is in parallel with the claim 34 in a method form. The claim 35 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 27.
Re Claim 36:
The claim 36 is in parallel with the claim 28 in a method form. The claim 36 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 28.
Re Claim 37:
The claim 37 is in parallel with the claim 21 in the form of an apparatus claim. The claim 37 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 21.
Moreover, Gikov further teaches the claim limitation of the computing device comprising: a positioning system (e.g., a GPS receiver on the mobile device at Paragraph 0113); a wireless transceiver (e.g., Paragraph 0068 citing “the mobile device 101 receives data through an RF transceiver 116”); one or more processors coupled to the positioning system and the wireless transceiver; memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to [perform the operations of the claim 21] (Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0015 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has stored thereon a set of instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of the method).
Re Claim 38:
The claim 38 is in parallel with the claim 22 in a form of an apparatus claim. The claim 38 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 22.
Re Claim 39:
The claim 39 is in parallel with the claim 23 in a form of an apparatus claim. The claim 39 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 23.
Re Claim 40:
The claim 40 is in parallel with the claim 24 in a form of an apparatus claim. The claim 40 is subject to the same rationale of rejection as the claim 24.
Re Claim 41:
The claim 41 encompasses the same scope of invention as that of the claim 21 except additional claim limitation that the operations further comprising: while the computing device is operating in the lost mode, transmitting, to a server, first location data identifying a first geographical location of the computing device; and wherein the first geographical location is the last transmitted geographical location, and wherein determining the distance that the computing device in lost mode has traveled from the last transmitted geographical location is based at least in part on the first geographical location of the computing device.
However, Grkov further teaches the claim limitation that the operations further comprising: while the computing device is operating in the lost mode, transmitting, to a server, first location data identifying a first geographical location of the computing device; and wherein the first geographical location is the last transmitted geographical location, and wherein determining the distance that the computing device in lost mode has traveled from the last transmitted geographical location is based at least in part on the first geographical location of the computing device (
[0242] For example, first user 2330 may reside in San Francisco and specify that the permitted or expected area in which the device will be used is a 100 mile radius from the first user's home in San Francisco (i.e., the reference location). If the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing and send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. The server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches when the device is in Las Vegas, NV (device is operating in the lost mode when the device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius), the device still sends the location to the server as Grkov teaches at Paragraph that the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device and compares the location (e.g., in Las Vegas) to a reference location (e.g., San Francisco) and the server determines that the device is missing when distance between the location and a reference location is greater than 100 miles..
[0242] For example, first user 2330 may reside in San Francisco and specify that the permitted or expected area in which the device will be used is a 100 mile radius from the first user's home in San Francisco (i.e., the reference location). If the portable electronic device is determined to be outside the 100 mile radius such as in Las Vegas, Nev., the server can make a determination that the portable electronic device is missing and send a command to the device that instructs the device to initiate an audio transmission.
[0243] The reference location may specified by the user when configuring the missing device mobile application. There can be any number of reference locations specified by the user. For example, a user who frequently travels between San Francisco and New York City may establish San Francisco as being a first reference location and New York City as being a second reference location. The server, upon receiving a location of the device, can determine whether the device is in San Francisco or New York City. If the device is in San Francisco or New York City, the server may determine that the device is not missing.
The reference location in San Francisco or New York City as disclosed at Paragraph 0243 is received by the server from the device and thus constitutes the last transmitted geographic location.
A) Grkov teaches instructing the missing device to enter a lockdown mode where no features work or a lockdown mode to disable the missing device or a lockdown mode to lock the missing device or a lockdown mode to enable the location services or lockdown mode to deactivate the controls of the mobile device including the control key to turn off the device when the device is missing if its distance from a reference location is greater than a threshold value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. The server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0229 that the instructions may include a command for the device to enter a particular lockdown mode. The lockdown mode may block the second user from accessing calendar appointments, voice memos, notes, photos, video, messages (e.g., text messages), settings, music collections, video collections, applications…block the second user from purchasing application programs, block the second user from downloading application programs.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0183 that the device owner may select from among several different lockdown modes. For example, in a first lockdown mode there may be a lock where no features work (e.g. the functionality of turning off the device is suppressed and at Paragraph 0197 that there can be a third code in the text message that instructs the missing device to enter a particular lockdown mode, e.g., disable the missing device and at Paragraph 0325 that the configuration page allows the device owner to specify options, e.g., an option to enable or disable location services, an option to lock the missing device, an option to lock the device into a specific lockdown mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0128 that if the user believes that the mobile device is not within audible range and wants to recover it, a lock command 542 may be issued to the device. The lock command 542 deactivates the controls of the mobile device….In the locked state, the functional control based upon the input keys is eliminated….The mobile device cannot be used to make phone calls, transmit text messages, display information, player media or perform any other normal mobile device functionality.
Grkov teaches enabling the functionality of transmitting the geographical data of the computing device to a server when the device has traveled a distance greater than a threshold.
Grkov’s disclosure at Paragraph 0241 equates the detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen to detecting that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area and vice versa. This is because the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode when it is detected to be in a location outside of a permitted geographical area and the deviation is calculated when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0147 that the device will automatically enter lost/stolen mode if it is detected to be in a location area that has been pre-defined by the user to put the device into lost/stolen mode
Grkov teaches at Paragraph [0241] In a specific implementation, the server makes the determination based on detecting that the portable electronic device is lost or stolen. For example, as discussed above, the server may detect that the portable electronic device is outside a permitted geographical area. In a specific implementation, the server receives location data from the portable electronic device indicating a location of the portable electronic device. The server calculates a distance between the location and a reference location. If the distance is greater than a threshold value, the server determines that the device is missing. The threshold value can be a user-configurable value.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that, the missing device mobile app program may include an intelligence module that can determine whether the device is missing. As discussed above in connection with FIG. 23, the determination may be based on the device being within a particular geographical area, outside a particular geographical area, a comparison of device usage patterns, a comparison of device travel patterns, or combinations of these.
Grkov teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, calculating the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation.
Grkov also teaches when the portable electronic device is missing, the server receives a set of locations transmitted by the portable electronic device. This is because the portable electronic device enters a lost/stolen mode when the device is located outside of a permitted geographical area and the set of locations were sent by the portable electronic device to the server while the portable electronic device entered the lost/stolen mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0255 that deviation in travel pattern (GPS coordinates) may indicate that the portable electronic device is missing, e.g., is being used by a different person having different travel patterns or routes, or is not being used because, for example, the device is lying hidden in some bushes. In a specific implementation, the server receives from the portable electronic device travel information including a set of locations at which the device was at and the time at which the device was at the locations. The server calculates a set of travel patterns (GPS coordinates). The server compares a first travel pattern with a second travel pattern. If the deviation or difference between the first and second travel patterns is greater than a threshold deviation, the server may determine that the portable electronic device is missing. A travel pattern may include GPS coordinates.
The device is put in the lost mode during which the deviation in travel patterns is calculated is the same as the deviation in the travel patterns is calculated during which the device is put in the lost mode.
Grkov teaches at Paragraph 0264 that the determination may be based on the device being outside a particular geographical area and comparison of device travel patterns (GPS coordinates).
It is noted that when device travel patterns are found outside a particular geographical area, the distance between the device location and the reference location is larger than a predetermined threshold. It is also noted when the device is outside a particular geographical area, the device operates in the lost mode. Therefore, Grkov implicitly teaches while the device is operating in the lost mode outside of the geographical area, determining a distance that the device has traveled from a first geographical location to a second geographic location which has been explicitly taught at Paragraph 0255).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIN CHENG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7665. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
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/JIN CHENG WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2617