Electronic devices and corresponding methods for establishing geofencing for enhanced security modes of operation
One or more sensors of an electronic device detect either authorization of an authorized user or a cessation of physical contact between an authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device. A location detector determines a location of the electronic device when the authorization of the authorized user occurs or where the cessation of physical contact occurs. A geofence manager establishes a geofence about the location in response to detecting the authorization of the authorized user or the cessation of physical contact. One or more processors operate the electronic device in a normal mode of operation while the electronic device remains within the geofence and in an enhanced security mode of operation when the electronic device exits the geofence.
1. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting, with one or more sensors, a cessation of physical contact between an authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device;
determining, with a location detector, a location of the electronic device when the cessation of physical contact occurs;
establishing, with a geofence manager, a geofence about the location in response to the cessation of physical contact between the authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device;
operating, by one or more processors operable with the geofence manager, the electronic device:
in a normal mode of operation while each of the following occurs: the electronic device remains within the geofence; and the electronic device remains in an unlocked mode of operation; and the electronic device remains in physical contact with the authorized user; and
in an enhanced security mode of operation when the electronic device exits the geofence.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting, with one or more motion sensors, a stationary state of the electronic device, wherein the establishing the geofence about the location occurs only when the one or more motion sensor detect the stationary state.
3. The method of claim 2 , the enhanced security mode of operation precluding both a factory reset of the electronic device and an erasure of data from the electronic device.
4. The method of claim 2 , the enhanced security mode of operation disabling all visual output devices, all audio output devices, and all haptic devices of the electronic device.
5. The method of claim 2 , the enhanced security mode of operation increasing a number of authorized user identification factors required to return to the normal mode of operation by requiring an imager of the electronic device to capture one or more images and also requiring entry of a predefined code to return to the normal mode of operation when the one or more images depict more than one person.
6. The method of claim 2 , the enhanced security mode of operation disabling user interface output devices of the electronic device while maintaining operation of one or more input devices of the electronic device, the user interface output devices comprising all visual output devices, audio output devices, and haptic output devices, the one or more input devices comprising one or more of an imager, a microphone, a geo-locator, a wireless communication circuit, and a motion detector, further comprising monitoring an environment of the electronic device using the one or more input devices.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising emulating, with the user interface output devices of the electronic device, a powered OFF state of the electronic device while monitoring an environment of the electronic device using the one or more input devices.
8. The method of claim 2 , further comprising delivering, while in the enhanced security mode of operation, an output drawing attention to a biometric input, wherein the output comprises an animation on a display.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising emitting a loud screaming sound when the electronic device exits the geofence.
10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising making a gallery application, a phone application, an email application, and a device usage history application invisible when the electronic device has exited the geofence.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, with the one or more sensors while the electronic device remains within the geofence, a recurrence of the physical contact between the authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device; and
terminating, with the geofence manager, the geofence about the location in response to the recurrence of the physical contact between the authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting, with the one or more processors and the one or more sensors, the authorized user standing near an unidentifiable person, further comprising reducing, with the geofence manager, a radius of the geofence in response to detecting the authorized user standing near the unidentifiable person.
13. An electronic device, comprising:
one or more sensors;
a location detector;
a geofence manager;
an audio output device; and
one or more processors operable with the one or more sensors, the location detector, and the geofence manager;
the one or more processors causing the geofence manager to establish a geofence about a location of the electronic device detected by the location detector when the one or more sensors detect a cessation of physical contact between an authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device; and
the one or more processors causing the electronic device to transition from a normal mode of operation to an enhanced security mode of operation when one of the following occurs:
the one or more sensors detect the electronic device exiting the geofence; or
the electronic device enters a locked mode of operation; or
the one or more sensors detect the cessation of the physical contact between the authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device;
wherein the one or more processors cause the audio output device to emit an audible alarm when the electronic device is operating in the enhanced security mode of operation; and wherein the electronic device operates in the normal mode of operation while each of the following occurs: the electronic device remains within the geofence; and the electronic device remains in an unlocked mode of operation; and the electronic device remains in physical contact with the authorized user.
14. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising one or more motion detectors, the one or more processors causing the geofence manager to move the geofence with the electronic device from the location when the one or more motion detectors detect motion of the electronic device from the location while in the normal mode of operation.
15. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein a default radius of the geofence is thirty feet.
16. The electronic device of claim 13 the one or more processors causing the geofence manager to expand a default radius of the geofence when the location detected by the location detector when the one or more sensors detect the cessation of physical contact between the authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device is a known location.
17. The electronic device of claim 16 , the one or more processors causing the geofence manager to reduce the default radius when the location detected by the location detector when the one or more sensors detect the cessation of physical contact between the authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device is an unknown location.
18. A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
authenticating, with one or more sensors, an authorized user of the electronic device and the electronic device;
determining, with a location detector, a location of the electronic device when authentication of the authorized user occurs;
establishing, with a geofence manager, a geofence about the location in response to authentication of the authorized user in response to the authenticating, with the one or more sensors, the authorized user of the electronic device;
operating, by one or more processors operable with the geofence manager, the electronic device in a normal mode of operation while each of the following occurs:
the electronic device remains within the geofence; and
the electronic device remains in an unlocked mode of operation; and
the electronic device remains in physical contact with the authorized user; and
requiring reauthentication of the authorized user when any one or more of the following occur:
the electronic device exits the geofence; or
the electronic device enters a locked mode of operation; or
the physical contact of the electronic device with the authorized user ceases.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
operating the electronic device in an enhanced security mode of operation when the electronic device exits the geofence;
receiving incorrect user credentials while operating in the enhanced security mode of operation; and
entering a hard lockdown mode of operation in response to receiving the incorrect user credentials.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising requiring the reauthentication of the authorized user upon one or more motion sensors detecting a cessation of motion of the electronic device, and causing, by the one or more processors, the electronic device to enter an enhanced security mode of operation upon failing to reauthenticate the authorize user after reauthentication of the authorized user is required when the any one or more of the following occur:
the electronic device exits the geofence; or
the electronic device enters the locked mode of operation; or
the physical contact of the electronic device with the authorized user ceases;
wherein an enhanced security mode of operation disables financial applications, health applications, fitness applications, email applications, social media applications, and text applications.