User Equipment Covert Low-Power State for Shutdown Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The risk of theft of electronic devices, such as smartphones, increases with their rising value, leading to the loss of sensitive data and financial information, as thieves can disable location-tracking applications by shutting down the device.
Innovation Solution
A covert low power mode is implemented in the device that maintains location communication by selectively powering down certain components and emulating a full shutdown, allowing the device to transmit its location while conserving battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the device shuts down completely to conserve battery life, then energy consumption is reduced, but location tracking capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into different operational modes: full shutdown mode for maximum energy savings and covert low power mode for maintained tracking. The segmentation allows the device to choose the appropriate mode based on security conditions, resolving the contradiction between energy conservation and tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between full shutdown and covert low power mode based on authentication status. The state manager continuously monitors device state and adjusts power consumption accordingly, making the energy-saving strategy adaptive rather than static.
2Reliability
If the device remains fully operational to maintain location tracking, then tracking capability is preserved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of full operational mode, the system implements partial action by maintaining only the minimum necessary components (processor, transceiver, GPS) in the covert low power mode. This partial operation suffices for location tracking while dramatically reducing overall energy consumption compared to full operation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the device shuts down to prevent unauthorized access, then security is improved, but the ability to communicate location is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful effect of unauthorized shutdown attempts into a beneficial security feature. When authentication fails, the device enters covert low power mode that appears as a complete shutdown to unauthorized users but actually maintains location tracking capability, thus converting the threat into a protective measure.
Solution Approach 2:
The state manager acts as an intermediary between the power management system and the tracking components. It mediates the contradiction by implementing authentication checks before enabling full shutdown, and by managing the covert low power mode that selectively enables tracking while maintaining the appearance of shutdown.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the device implements authentication checks before shutdown, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication check is performed preliminarily before the shutdown process begins. The state manager evaluates the authentication status in advance and pre-determines the appropriate power mode, avoiding the need for complex runtime authentication decisions during critical shutdown operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of maintaining covert communications by a user equipment, including determining whether a user-initiated shutdown of a user equipment (UE) was initiated by an authorized user, providing a notification to a processor configured to remain ON in response to determining that the user-initiated shutdown was not initiated by an authorized user, transitioning the UE to a covert low power mode managed by a state manager in response to the notification, where the covert low power mode supplies power to one or more transceivers, and transmitting a location of the UE while in the covert low power mode.