System and method for disabling and/or enabling a device
US9047494B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jun 2, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W12/63
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Operation of a device may be enabled or disabled by an instruction that may be given in a variety of ways. For example, a device (e.g., a car) may be equipped with a mechanism that disables (“kills”) and/or enables (“unkills”) some or all of the functionality of the car upon receipt of an appropriate instruction. The instruction could be given remotely. For example, the instruction could be given remotely from a wireless telephone by sending appropriate messages through a network. An instruction to re-enable operation of the device could also be given remotely. The honoring of kill and/or unkill instructions could be predicated on some type of authentication, such as the identity of the device from which the instruction is issued, a password, a biometric identification, the location from which the instruction is issued, or some other factor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.