Process for capturing and transmitting window screen display data

1. A method performed by an electronic host device to facilitate recovery thereof when the electronic host device is stolen, the method comprising:

capturing, in a memory of the electronic host device, multiple sequences of screen displays, each sequence corresponding to a different window displayed on a display of the electronic host device, each screen display captured in response to an action performed by a user of the electronic host device;

generating a compressed representation of each sequence of screen displays; and

transmitting the compressed representations of the sequences of screen displays over a network from the electronic host device to a computer system;

wherein said capturing comprises:

keeping a respective file open for each of the windows, and updating the respective file with screen display data captured from the corresponding window when a screen display of the corresponding window changes; and

in response to a first of said files reaching a predetermined size, closing the first file while the corresponding window is still open and starting a new file for said corresponding window.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting each compressed representation comprises transmitting the closed first file while the corresponding window is still open.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising closing a second of said files in response to the window corresponding to said second file being closed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of files is kept open for one of the windows, each of said plurality of files corresponding to a different website accessed via said one window.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmission of a compressed representation is started in response to closure of a corresponding window.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by execution of instructions by the electronic host device, logging, and transmitting to the computer system, keystrokes detected on the electronic host device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the keystrokes are recorded in one or more files which are different from the files corresponding to the windows.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in response to the electronic host device receiving, over a network, a message generated in response to a reported theft of the electronic host device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in response to detection of a threshold number of unsuccessful password entry attempts on the electronic host device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by execution of instructions by the electronic host device, transmitting location information to the computer system, said location information reflecting a current location of the electronic host device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said capturing, generating and transmitting are performed by the electronic host device under control of executable instructions that run on the electronic host device in a stealth mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions comprise a module that is operative to begin running on the electronic host device at startup, before an operating system of the electronic host device begins running.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the sequences of screen displays comprises:

detecting a click or keystroke action performed by the user in a first window;

determining whether the click or keystroke action caused the first window to become closed; and

in response to determining that the click or keystroke action did not cause the first window to become closed, generating a screen capture corresponding to the click or keystroke action.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting a subsequent click or keystroke action that causes the first window to become closed; and

in response to determining that the subsequent click or keystroke action caused the first window to become closed, initiating said transmission of a file corresponding to the first window.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein each screen display is captured in response to a respective user action performed on the electronic host device by a user whose actions are being monitored by executable software that runs on the electronic host device in a stealth mode.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores executable instructions that direct an electronic host device to perform a method for facilitating recovery of the electronic host device when the electronic host device is stolen, the method comprising:

concurrently maintaining open on the electronic host device at least a first file that corresponds to a first window and a second file that corresponds to a second window;

updating the first file with window shot data captured from the first window in response to user actions that cause a display in the first window to change;

updating the second file with window shot data captured from the second window in response to user actions that cause a display in the second window to change; and

in response to the first file reaching a threshold size, and while the first window remains open:

closing the first file and transmitting the first file on a computer network to a computer system, to thereby communicate to the computer system a representation of a sequence of window shots taken from the first window; and

opening a third file that corresponds to the first window.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the representation of the sequence of window shots is compressed.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising closing and transmitting the second file in response to the second window being closed.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first file is one of a plurality of files maintained open for said first window, each of said plurality of files corresponding to a different respective website accessed via the first window.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the method comprises capturing an initial window shot of the sequence at a first resolution, and capturing at least one subsequent window shot of the sequence at a second resolution that is lower than the first resolution.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein updating the first file comprises:

detecting a click or keystroke action performed by the user in the first window;

determining whether the click or keystroke action caused the first window to become closed; and

in response to determining that the click or keystroke action did not cause the first window to become closed, generating a window shot corresponding to the click or keystroke action.