Patent ID: 8387084

Claim:
A method for detecting unauthorized use of a user equipment device, the method comprising: transmitting, using communications circuitry of a handheld device, an instruction to the user equipment device directing the user equipment device to display a unique identifier associated with the user equipment simultaneously with media content; after transmitting the instruction to the user equipment device, automatically capturing an image of the media content and unique identifier simultaneously displayed on a display screen coupled to the user equipment device using camera equipment of the handheld device; automatically processing the image with the handheld device to extract the unique identifier from the image; and cross-referencing, using the handheld device, the extracted unique identifier with user account information associated with the user equipment device to determine whether use of the user equipment device is unauthorized, wherein cross-referencing comprises: utilizing circuitry of the handheld device to identify a geographical location of the user equipment device based on GPS information received by the handheld device or user entered location information; identifying an authorized location in which the user equipment device is authorized for use based on the user account information; and determining whether the geographical location of the user equipment device is within an authorized range of the authorized location.