Mobile Terminal Remote Data Erasure and Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile phones lack effective mechanisms to prevent personal privacy information from being disclosed when the device is lost or stolen, as existing protection mechanisms only secure the SIM card and do not adequately protect data stored on the device.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mobile terminal with a non-transitory storage medium containing instructions to connect to a network, receive a pre-defined short message or command, and erase predetermined information, including locking the device to prevent unauthorized access, and formatting memory cards, while also reporting position information to a server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protection password for SIM card is set, then the mobile phone security is improved, but the personal privacy information stored in the mobile phone or card is still visible to third parties when SIM card is used in a different unlocked phone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemobile phone securityVSAvoidpersonal privacy information disclosure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the protection mechanism into two independent layers: SIM card security (existing password protection) and device data security (new remote wiping capability). This allows the SIM card to remain protected while adding a separate protection layer for device-stored information, resolving the contradiction by addressing both security aspects independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the mobile phone with remote management capabilities and pre-defining the data erasure protocol. When the phone is lost, the owner can immediately trigger the remote wiping function without needing to physically access the device, preventing privacy information disclosure before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If remote erasure function is implemented, then personal privacy information protection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprivacy information protectionVSAvoidprotection mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a network server as an intermediary between the mobile phone owner and the lost device. The server handles the complex remote management operations, data verification, and erasure execution, allowing the phone itself to remain relatively simple while achieving sophisticated protection through the intermediary system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the mobile phone to automatically execute data erasure operations when triggered remotely. The device autonomously identifies the erasure command, locates protected data, and performs deletion without requiring user intervention or complex manual procedures, simplifying the overall system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9344882B2Apparatus and methods for preventing information disclosure
Publication Date: 2016.05.17 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.