Patent ID: 8362901
Filing Date: 2013-01-29
Classification: G06F,G08B

Abstract:
1. A system for facilitating the retrieval of stolen electronic devices, the system comprising: a computer data repository containing data that specifies, for each of a plurality of geographic regions, a set of surveillance methods that are permissible in the respective region, wherein at least some of the geographic regions have different respective sets of permissible surveillance methods than others; and a computer system that is operable to communicate with the devices over a computer network, said computer system programmed to use received information regarding a device that is reported as stolen, including information regarding a location of the device, in combination with said data in the computer data repository, to cause the device to initiate surveillance according to the set of permissible surveillance methods corresponding to said location, thereby converting the device into a surveillance device that surveils a potential thief according to geographic region dependent surveillance methods when the potential thief uses the device.