System and method for controlling the power states of a mobile computing device

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

a memory device for storing a control policy defining a functional configuration of the mobile computing device;

a processor configured to place the mobile computing device in one of plural states based on a validation result of the control policy;

an RFID component including an RF transceiver and RFID memory, wherein the memory device includes the RFID memory;

a power controller configured for controlling a power state of the mobile computing device,

wherein the processor is configured to:

execute an operating system runtime policy module (OSRPM) for retrieving the control policy from the RFID memory and evaluating the control policy for expired, corrupted, or malicious instructions; and

execute a power control module for communicating with the power controller,

wherein when the control policy is valid, the processor is configured to:

determine, via the OSRPM, whether the control policy allows a power on state; and

when the control policy allows a power on state, keep the power controller in a power on state; or

when the control policy does not allow the power on state:

control the power controller to enter a power off state and stop communication between the OSRPM and the power control module; and

force the power controller to power off via the power control module.

2. The mobile computing device according to claim 1 , wherein during a boot sequence the processor is configured to execute a first firmware application for retrieving the control policy from the RFID memory and evaluating the control policy for expired, corrupted, or malicious instructions.

3. The mobile computing device according to claim 2 ,

wherein when the control policy is valid, the processor is configured to execute the first application for:

determining whether a valid control policy allows boot up of the mobile computing device; and

when boot up is allowed, initiating an operating system (OS) application; or

when boot up is not allowed, controlling the power controller to enter a power off state.

4. The mobile computing device according to claim 2 , wherein when the control policy is not valid, the processor is configured to execute the first firmware application for:

determining whether a wipe threshold is expired; and

when the wipe threshold is exceeded, dumping encryption keys from trusted memory and initiating a disk wipe; or

when the wipe threshold is not expired, controlling the power controller to enter a power off state.

5. The mobile computing device according to claim 1 , wherein when the control policy is not valid, the processor is configured to determine whether a wipe threshold is expired via the power control module, and when the wipe threshold is expired, the processor is configured to:

execute the OSRPM to initiate a reboot of the mobile computing device and stop communication with the power control module;

execute the boot control program;

initiate the first boot loader in the boot control program; and

dump encryption keys from trusted memory and initiate a disk wipe via the first boot loader.

6. The mobile computing device according to claim 1 , comprising:

an interface for communicating with remote devices on a network,

wherein during a boot sequence the processor is configured to execute a first firmware application the processor for retrieving the control policy from a remote device on the network, storing the control policy in the memory device, and evaluating the control policy for expired, corrupted, or malicious instructions.

7. The mobile computing device according to claim 6 ,

wherein when the control policy is valid, the processor is configured to execute the first firmware application for:

determining whether a valid control policy allows boot up of the mobile computing device; and

when boot up is allowed, initiating an operating system (OS) application; or

when boot up is not allowed, controlling the power controller to enter a power off state.

8. The mobile computing device according to claim 6 , wherein when the control policy is not valid, the processor is configured to execute the first firmware application for:

determining whether a wipe threshold is expired; and

when the wipe threshold is expired, dumping encryption keys from trusted memory and initiating a disk wipe; or

when the wipe threshold is not expired, controlling the power controller ( 120 ) to enter a power off state.

9. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a memory device for storing a control policy defining a functional configuration of the mobile computing device;

an RFID component and RFID memory, wherein the memory device includes the RFID memory;

a processor configured to place the mobile computing device in one of one of plural states based on a validation result of the control policy;

a power controller configured for controlling a power state of the mobile computing device; and

an interface for communicating with remote devices on a network,

wherein the processor is configured to execute an operating system runtime policy module (OSRPM) for retrieving the control policy from the RFID memory or a remote device on the network, storing the control policy in the memory device when retrieved from the remote device, execute a power control module for communicating with the power controller, and evaluating the control policy for expired, corrupted, or malicious instructions,

wherein when the control policy is valid, the processor is configured to:

determine, via the OSRPM, whether the control policy allows a power on state; and

when the control policy allows a power on state, keep the power controller in a power on state; or

when the control policy does not allow the power on state:

control the power controller to enter a power off state and stop communication between the OSRPM and the power control module; and

force the power controller to power off via the power control module.

10. The mobile computing device according to claim 9 , comprising:

wherein when the control policy is valid, the processor is configured to execute a first firmware application for:

determining whether a valid control policy allows boot up of the mobile computing device; and

when boot up is allowed, initiating an operating system (OS) application; or

when boot up is not allowed, controlling the power controller to enter a power off state.

11. The mobile computing device according to claim 9 , wherein if the control policy is not valid, the processor is configured to execute a first firmware application for:

determining whether a wipe threshold is expired; and

when the wipe threshold is exceeded, dumping encryption keys from trusted memory and initiating a disk wipe; or

when the wipe threshold is not expired, controlling the power controller to enter a power off state.

12. The mobile computing device according to claim 9 , wherein when the control policy is not valid, the processor is configured to determine whether a wipe threshold is expired via the power control module, and when the wipe threshold is expired, the processor is configured to:

execute the OSRPM to initiate a reboot of the mobile computing device and stop communication with the power control module;

execute a boot control program;

initiate a first firmware application in the boot control program; and

dump encryption keys from trusted memory and initiate a disk wipe via the first firmware application.

13. A method of controlling a power state of a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device having a memory device and a processor configured to execute the method via at least one of a plurality of programming modules, wherein the mobile computing device includes an RFID component and a power controller, the memory device includes an RFID memory of the RFID component, and the plurality of programming modules includes an operating system runtime policy module (OSRPM) for execution by the processor and a power control module for execution by the processor to control a power state of the power controller, the method comprising:

storing a control policy in the memory device, the control policy defining a functional configuration of the mobile computing device;

retrieving the control policy from the memory device for validation; and

placing the mobile computing device in one of plural states based on whether the control policy is valid,

retrieving the control policy from the RFID memory for validation via the OSRPM,

wherein validation of the control policy comprises:

determining, via the OSRPM, whether the control policy includes at least one of expired, corrupted, and malicious instructions, and

when the control policy is valid:

determining, via the OSRPM whether a valid control policy allows a power on state of the mobile computing device; and

maintaining the power on state via the OSRPM if allowed by the control policy; or

via the OSRPM, initiating a power off event and stopping communication between the OSRPM and the power control module; and

pulling power from the power controller via the power control module.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of programming modules includes a boot control program for execution by the processor, the method comprising:

executing the boot control program to initiate boot up of the mobile computing device; and

executing a first firmware application in a boot sequence of the boot control program,

wherein retrieving the control policy from the memory device, comprises:

requesting, via the first firmware application, the control policy stored in the RFID memory.

15. The method according to claim 14 , comprising:

determining whether a valid control policy allows boot up of the mobile computing device; and

when boot up of the mobile computing device is allowed, initiating an operating system (OS) application via the first firmware application; or

when boot up of the mobile computing device is not allowed, forcing a power off of the mobile computing device via the first firmware application.

16. The method according to claim 14 , comprising:

determining whether a wipe threshold has expired; and

when the control policy is not valid and the wipe threshold is expired:

dumping encryption keys from trusted memory via the first firmware application; and

initiating a disk wipe via the first firmware application program; or

when the control policy is not valid and the wipe threshold is not expired:

forcing a power off of the mobile computing device via the first firmware application.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein:

when a wipe threshold is expired and the control policy is not valid, the method comprising:

via the OSRPM, initiating a reboot of the mobile computing device and stopping communication with the power control module;

executing the boot sequence via the boot control program;

initiating the first firmware application via the boot control program; and

via the first firmware application, dumping encryption keys from trusted memory via the first firmware application and initiating a disk wipe via the first firmware application; or

when the wipe threshold is not expired and the control policy is not valid, the method comprising:

via the OSRPM, initiating a power off event and stopping communication between the OSRPM and the power control module; and

pulling power from the power controller via the power control module,

wherein the wipe threshold defines a maximum allowed elapsed time since a last communication between the OSRPM and the power control module.