The Patents have broad coverage for applications involving device access control, and specifically claim technology that enables the remote disablement of misappropriated or unlicensed devices that contain integrated circuits (ICs).Among the devices covered by the Patents are PCs, cell phones, home electronics, including game consoles and entertainment systems, printers, personal identity cards and documents, security devices, bank cards, automobiles and other types of devices.
In the case of intelligent mobile devices, such as laptops, PDAs and smart phones, SoftVault's technology addresses a major vulnerability affecting literally millions of devices by preventing unauthorized access to confidential or proprietary data. In addition, the SoftVault design provides a powerful deterrent to theft of the devices themselves, as they can be rendered useless, having no practical resale value.
Companies that provide or plan to introduce time- or usage-based payment models, such as pay-per-use, for controlling access to their hardware can use the inventions claimed in the Patents to enable hardware by using embedded agents that communicate with a server computer.Hardware can be enabled for a specific period (e.g., trial period) to allow the user to determine whether he or she wants to pay for the product.If the user chooses not to pay, the invention allows the company to remotely disable the hardware.
Another embodiment of the invention provides device manufacturers, such as PC vendors, with the ability to ship preinstalled components in a disabled state that can later be remotely activated.This can provide hardware manufacturers with a compelling marketing advantage by facilitating real-time hardware upgrades without the typical downtime and installation burdens faced by end users and administrators when dealing with aftermarket equipment purchases.
