Method and apparatus for use in securing an electronic device such as a cell phone
US7454169B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 2002 |
| Grant date | Nov 18, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 22, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W88/02
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus which may be used to help prevent electronic devices, including cell phones, from operating with software copied from (and only authorized for use by or on) another device. A further aspect is a device, including a cell phone, for example, that employs any of such methods and apparatus. Aspects of the present invention compare a program identifier (associated with software stored in a device) to a reference identifier for the device, so as to determine whether the software is authorized for use with that device. Some embodiments respond to the comparison substantially in hardware, so that the software being checked is less able to prevent the device from being disabled in the event that the program identifier and the reference identifier do not match one another.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.