Mobile Terminal Remote Data Erasure via SMS and Internet

Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile devices lack effective mechanisms to prevent personal privacy information from being disclosed when lost or stolen, as existing protection mechanisms only secure the device from unauthorized use but not from information exposure if the SIM card is used in another phone.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mobile terminal with a non-transitory storage medium containing instructions to connect to a network, receive a pre-defined message or command, and erase predetermined information, lock the device, or format memory cards, ensuring that only authorized access can restore functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protection password for SIM card is set to prevent illegal use, then device security is improved, but information disclosure risk remains when SIM card is used in another unlocked phone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice securityVSAvoidinformation disclosure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring erasable information storage and establishing binding relationships between device identifiers and information identifiers before loss occurs. When a lost report is received, the system can immediately erase the bound information without requiring physical access to the device, thus preventing information disclosure while maintaining device usability through password protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary mechanism - a server that mediates between the user and the lost device. The server receives lost reports, identifies the target device through device identifiers, and executes information erasure operations remotely. This intermediary enables secure information protection without compromising device functionality or requiring direct interaction with the physical device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If personal privacy information is stored in mobile phone, then user convenience is improved, but privacy disclosure occurs when device is lost or stolen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidprivacy disclosure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring erasable information storage and establishing binding relationships between device identifiers and information identifiers before loss occurs. When a lost report is received, the system can immediately erase the bound information without requiring physical access to the device, thus preventing information disclosure while maintaining device usability through password protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments information into erasable and non-erasable portions, and further segments the protection mechanism into device-level password protection and remote information erasure. This segmentation allows the device to remain functional for authorized users while enabling selective removal of sensitive information when loss is reported, thus balancing convenience with privacy protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If SIM card is kept in different unlocked phone, then device accessibility is improved, but privacy information becomes visible to third party

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice accessibilityVSAvoidprivacy visibility to third party

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary mechanism - a server that mediates between the user and the lost device. The server receives lost reports, identifies the target device through device identifiers, and executes information erasure operations remotely. This intermediary enables secure information protection without compromising device functionality or requiring direct interaction with the physical device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring erasable information storage and establishing binding relationships between device identifiers and information identifiers before loss occurs. When a lost report is received, the system can immediately erase the bound information without requiring physical access to the device, thus preventing information disclosure while maintaining device usability through password protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9854444B2Apparatus and methods for preventing information disclosure

Publication Date: 2017.12.26 XIAOMI INC

AI summary

The present application is directed to apparatuses and methods for preventing information disclosure. According to example embodiments of the present application, after a mobile terminal of a user is lost, a first short message may be sent to the mobile terminal through a short message network. When the mobile terminal determines that the received short message is the first short message, user information stored in the mobile terminal may be erased by the mobile terminal.