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Security for Lost or Misplaced device – iLocate

Security for Lost or Misplaced device – iLocate

In this fast moving world, people are always in rush. People usually carry few necessities with them, and we cannot separate mobile phones from these. For one or another reason, it sometime happens that people misplace or lose the thing, and one cannot easily afford losing the thing like mobile. People always want the mobile to be with them.

iLocate Output Screens

Purpose behind developing the iLocate is to provide its user to track their lost or misplaced mobile.

Misplaced mobile

A simple text message from a friend’s mobile will make users mobile to ring (even if it is on Silent mode) if phone is misplaced within reachable range.

Lost mobile

Sometimes user loses his mobile and he/she may not able to locate it through making it ‘ringing’ because mobile may not be within a reachable range. At those times application can serve the user by following ways:

iLocate Use case Diagram

A simple text message from friend’s mobile will help user to receive his phone’s GPS location information on friend’s mobile as a URL. By clicking or opening this link user will be able to see the current location of his/her mobile on Google Map.

If SIM change takes place on user’s mobile, iLocate will notify about this SIM change activity by sending text messages to friend’s mobile numbers.

Following are terms used throughout this documentation:

Pass code

Pass code is a keyword that user of application sets when he uses the application for the first time. This code is then used by user for subsequent login to the application. User can’t access application without having pass code. User may change pass code any time.

iLocate User Interface Deisgn

Whitelist

White list is a list of mobile numbers of user’s friends. User may add to, remove from or change numbers defined in this list. Once user adds a number to this list, this number is recognized as a Trusted Number by iLocate, and user of this number is a Trusted User. This means that only a trusted user can send codewords from his/her trusted mobile so that application can prevent unwanted users from misusing the features of application.

Friends

A friend is a trusted user whose number exists as an entry in white list. Friend and trusted user are names that may be used interchangeably.

Codewords

A codeword is a keyword that user has defined for taking a desired action when his/her mobile receives that codeword to his/her mobile, from a trusted number. iLocate has currently two kind of codewords.

  1. GPS Codeword: A GPS codeword is a keyword that user has defined within iLocate. When a trusted user sends this codewords from his/her trusted mobile to user’s number as a text message, application recognizes it and generates a link that can help user to view his/her location on Google Map. This link is sent back to trusted user’s mobile so that he/she can locate user’s mobile on Map.
  1. Ringer Codeword: A Ringer codeword is another keyword that user has defined within application. When user’s loses his/her mobile within a reachable range but due to the current profile on the mobile he/she may not be able to locate mobile, at these times a friend may help user by sending a simple text messages (we call it Ringer codeword) that will make user’s mobile ringing.

These codewords are configurable by user of application once he/she is logged in.

SIM change notification receiver

SIM change notification receiver is another list of mobile numbers of user’s friends. User may add to, remove from and change numbers defined in this list. Once user adds a number to this list, application notifies on these numbers by sending text messages when SIM change takes place on user’s mobile. Numbers in this list are also termed as Trusted Numbers.

Implementation:

  1. Setting application pass-code at first use
  2. Asking pass-code to enter System
  3. Application prompts when user selects small pass-code
  4. Application’s main user interface
  5. Codeword setups- to set/modify codewords
  6. Whitelist- list of trusted user numbers
  7. SIM change setup- to add/update SIM change notification receiver
  8. Prompts when user leaves pass-code setup activity
  9. Error message on setting invalid pass-code
  10. Prompts when any updates are made
  11. Alerts when user leaves any activity without saving details
  12. Received message on friend’s mobile when he sends codeword to get for user’s location information
  13. User’s location is shown on the map when friend clicks on the link sent as a message through iLocate
  14. Defined friends receives notification as a text message when user’s mobile’s SIM is changed

Tools and Technologies 

+ Software:

Android Platform v2.1 and later

Development tools:

Android SDK:     includes all power features of java adding to it more specific APIs for android development.

Eclipse IDE 3.7:  IDE, with ADT (Android Development Tools) plug-in, provides features specific to develop, debug and deploy the Android Apps.

SQLite: A database engine helps to create self-contained, cross- platform databases for Gadgets.

+Hardware:

ARM processor: Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) –SoC used in Android devices.

User Manual

Introduction

This application will help an Android user to track the lost or misplaced mobile. If user misplaces a mobile which is currently in silent/vibrate mode, he may change the phone mode to ‘ringing’ by using another mobile with facility of sending text message. Also if user loses mobile he may find current GPS location of his mobile through another mobile. It notifies mobile user on SIM change via text message on another predefined mobile. This application also restricts unauthenticated change in App-Settings by using password protection.

Users of this guide

This User manual is intended to be used by user’s of iLocate application on the android mobile having Android platform version 2.2 or later. It provides a complete set of instructions for an iLocate user to demonstrate each individual feature of iLocate user.

Functional Description

iLocate comes with the set of features to locate your lost or misplaced android mobile. User may find his mobile by turning off the silent mode by sending simple code as a text message to make his mobile ring.

User may also locate his device on map by requesting the mobile’s current location through sending a simple preconfigured code as text message from another trusted device to user’s mobile. In response user will get a link as a text message on a trusted device which will show user’s mobile’s current location on map.

User can choose specific numbers to receive the command from by maintaining a list called – ‘Whitelist’.

User will receive notifications on preconfigured trusted mobile numbers; about any SIM change activity on user’s mobile by configuring the SIM change setup.

Instruction Sections

Getting stated

(User may get the application by visiting <x.com>/iLocate). Installation may take time depending on your device and data connection. Once you are done with installation you are ready to GO.

First use

After installation you can run the application by going in to main menu and launch the application by clicking iLocate icon as shown in Figure 1.1. Application will prompt the password (Figure 1.2) to be used for login. This is asked only once when you first time or when password is not set.

After setting the password you will be redirected to pass through activity (Figure 1.3). Enter the password you set here and click Ok. On correct password entry you will get the main interface of iLocate (Figure 1.4).

Defining Whitelist

White list is a list of numbers which are allowed to send the codewords on user’s mobile. We will refer them as Trusted Users or Whitelist.

To define or update Whitelist, Go to Whitelist from main menu (Figure 2.1). You may add up to 5 contacts. Click on Update after you are done.

Now iLocate will recognize these numbers as trusted ones and will allow to command user’s device.

Configuring the commands

Go to Codeword setup from main menu.

Define Ringer codeword and GPS codeword.

Ringer codeword will cause user’s device to switch to General profile and make it Ring for some time, upon receiving Ringer codeword.

GPS codeword will cause user’s mobile to generate a link defining its current location and cause it send it to the trusted user’s mobile as a text message.

SIM change setup

This feature allows you to define mobile numbers which will receive notification if SIM change takes place on iLocate user’s mobile.

To define or modify your SIM change notification receiver’s mobile number, go to SIM change setup (figure 2.3) from main menu. You are allowed to enter up to 2 mobile numbers.

iLocate will notify these defined notification receiver about any SIM change on user’s mobile via a Text message.

Changing application pass code

Once you are logged in, you can change your password. To change password, go to Application settings from main menu, simply replace password with new one. You must select password that is at least 4 characters long.

Future Enhancement:

We have included very basic features that required for application to work. Some advancement in futures may possible for better features and better user experience.

Dynamic entries for contacts & fetching contacts from mobile instead of manual typing:

This version of iLocate has fixed number of allowable contact numbers for White list and SIM change list. Advance controls may be used to add or remove text fields as per user’s need. Also application may allow user to fetch contact from People list itself and selecting accordingly.

Connecting using internet

Application may be extended to make a use of internet to allow the device to be located through another device by trusted users (already registered with application) and to track movements of user’s device.

Related Projects

132 Replies to “Security for Lost or Misplaced device – iLocate”

    1. if you are a developer please do it yourself. it’s simple project. Try reffering broadcast receiver and service in android.

      Reply

      1. Tell me the software requirements and wt are the application required to create this app if possible help me or send the sample code

        Reply

    1. if you are a developer please do it yourself. it’s simple project. Try reffering broadcast receiver and service in android.

      Reply

  29. can you plz send me datails and source code of Bank account monitoring Android project and
    Security for Lost or Misplaced device – iLocate

    Reply

  31. please send me source code its urgent kindly send if anyone got the source then mail me on my id i will be thankfull.

    Reply

  105. Will it work on online only , if it is offline how the gps address link will be sent to the friend

    Reply

  110. Hi frndz..the project idea is awesomee…can anybody send me the source code and other implementation details of it.

    Reply

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