2013 International Conference on Machine Intelligence and
Research
A Proof of Concept for Offline
Laptop Tracking
Abhilash Kumar K
Department of Information Science & Engineering
St. Joseph Engineering College
Mangalore, India
abhilashglow@gmail.com
Abstract—Losing a laptop is not only limited to its cost.
However it also includes loss of sensitive information stored in
it. In case of a theft, the precious data may fall into the wrong
hands. Available laptop tracking software solutions require the
laptop to be connected to internet which is usually in the form
of Wi-Fi connection. Thus, it proves useless if there is no
internet connection. The main objective of the offline laptop
tracking system is to track a stolen laptop without making use
of internet. In any developing country like India, wireless
internet connectivity is limited to residences or organizations
for personal use and its availability in public places is almost
nil. Unlike all internet dependent tracking solutions, the
proposed solution successfully meets the needs of laptop users
in places on globe where the availability of internet as such is
restricted.
Keywords-laptop tracking; offline tracking; GPS based
laptop tracking
I. INTRODUCTION
As the number of electronic thefts continues to rise,
many software tools help to retrieve gadgets back. Since
laptops are mobile and small in size, laptop thefts are no
exception. It results in loss of hardware and software along
with essential data. Thieves may have access to personal
information stored on the laptop. Many methods to protect
data and prevent laptop thefts have been developed, like
alarms and laptop locks. Also, there are software solutions
which assist in tracking stolen laptops. But the problem with
these software solutions is that they rely on internet usage.
Thus the need to find a solution to track lost or stolen laptops
even when they are not connected to the internet has
emerged.
Apart from meeting the basic goal of tracking stolen
laptops, the offline laptop tracking system also provides a
few auxiliary services like capturing the image of the thief,
locking a particular drive of the laptop and ringing an alarm
notifying others about its actual owner all in an offline mode.
The system maintains a server which stores personal
information of different users who have registered
themselves for the laptop tracking facility. The server
allocates Laptop id, a unique number as a reference to each
laptop. The communication between the user, the server and
the laptop occurs through GSM (Global System for Mobile
978-0-7695-5013-8/13 $31.00 © 2013 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/ICMIRA.2013.17
Research
and Advancement
Antony P J
Department of Computer Science & Engineering
KVG College of Engineering
Sullia, D.K., India
antonypjohn@gmail.com
communications) modems and the registered mobile
numbers.
Offline laptop tracking system allows the owner of the
laptop to take different decisions like locking an important
drive of the system and capturing the image of the thief in
addition to finding the position of the system from time to
time during the entire tracking procedure. It is an efficient
and better alternative to the existing laptop tracking systems
as the procedure is simpler, efficient, less time consuming
and at the same time has the capability to track stolen laptops
thereby preventing confidential information saved in the
computer from being misused. The offline laptop tracking
system proposed in this paper has been successfully
implemented and tested.
II. PROCEDURE
The basic outline of the system is that on one side, there
will be a laptop which needs to be tracked. The laptop will
have a GSM modem and a GPS (Global Positioning System)
receiver attached to it [1] through a microcontroller circuit.
On the other side i.e. service provider’s side there will be a
server which has one GSM modem attached to it. The
modular design is shown in Fig.1.
The person who wants to avail this service will have to
register with the service provider. While registering, the user
has to specify a username, e-mail address, mobile number, a
drive on the system containing sensitive data which needs to
be locked in case of a theft and the mobile number
corresponding to the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)
which will be in the GSM modem of the laptop to be tracked.
The service provider maintains and updates information
that is saved on the server [2]. The user’s details will be
stored in a registration table in the database. Each time the
laptop is turned on, an ON message in the form of SMS
(Short Message Service) will be sent to the GSM modem
connected to the server from the GSM modem of the laptop.
Sequence diagram for this is shown in Fig. 3.
Once the user finds that the laptop is lost, he will have to
send LOST as a text message [3] to the server. The
application running on the server side will insert the contents
corresponding to that user into a table called LostList in the
database.
As mentioned, every time the laptop is switched on [4], a
message will be sent to the server [5]. The application
53
  Offline Laptop Tracking

Server Lost laptop

User interface Communication Tracking Communication Lock

module module module function

Registration
Fetch Capture image
coordinates

Send Receive Send Receive

message message message message

Figure 1. Modular design diagram of oflline laptop tracking system

running on the server machine will check the LostList in the
database which contains the details of all the lost laptops for
existence of this particular laptop which sent the ON
message. The sequence diagram for this is shown in Fig. 4.
If the lost laptop details are present in the LostList of the
database, the application will send a text message [6] to the
lost laptop which initiates the security activities.
Fig. 2 depicts the overall functioning of the offline laptop
tracking system. The various components of the system are
as explained below.
• Service provider: The service provider becomes the
administrator who maintains and updates the server
information.
• Laptop registration: User is supposed to enter a
username along with mobile number, e-mail address
and a drive name which is to be locked in case the
laptop is lost. On successful registration an
acknowledgement is sent to the laptop user that the
registration is successful.
• Lost status update: Once the laptop is lost, user
needs to send LOST message to the server from the
registered mobile number.
• SMS invoke: Each time the laptop is turned on, a
• Important drive specified during registration is
locked. The drive can be unlocked once the
laptop is obtained back.
• Server Response: When server finds the lost laptop,
it sends a response to the user about the tracked
laptop through the administrator [7]. The system is
developed in such a way that the security activities
take place in a cyclic manner repeatedly. Hence even
if the thief keeps moving from the place where the
coordinates were once fetched and sent, it will be
sent again from new locations repeatedly along with
the thief’s image till the laptop is retrieved back.
• Extended security activity: As a part of the security
activity, a siren can be made to beep by sending a
text message to the GSM modem connected to the
laptop [8]. This can be done at any intervals of time
depending on the requirements.

3. ‘LOST’ SMS
6. Laptop tracked successfully
2. Confirmation of successful registration
 User


message is sent to server from the laptop. This is Service Provider

done via GSM modem of the lost laptop. This is an
inherent activity hidden from the user.
• Security activities: Once the server finds that the lost
laptop has been turned on, it sends a message to the
GSM modem of the lost laptop which makes the
1. Registration Laptop
microcontroller initiate the following activities.
• Current location of the laptop is obtained using 4. Fetch coordinates, lock
drive and capture image
the GPS receiver and sent as a text message to 5. Send coordinates &
the administrator. image

• The current user’s photo is captured using the 

webcam and mailed. Figure 2. Offline laptop tracking system

54
  : Laptop : Server : Database end

Procedure: read_sms
/*This procedure reads incoming message and adds the data
to respective databases based on the message received*/
begin
Laptop ON
Create an object of list view item class
Set parameters index, sent and sender
Check for “Laptop id” in LostList msg-> add parameter to db
Select the msg sender component from message
if (msg is “LOST”)
“Laptop id” is not in LostList begin
Select LaptopID from tbl_registry database where mobile
number equals to sender number
Insert LaptopID into tbl_lostlist
end
else if (msg is “ON”)
Figure 3. Sequence diagram when laptop is not lost begin
Call send_sms
end
III. PSEUDOCODE end
The program for offline laptop tracking system is coded
in C#. The time_tick module is the entry point of the Procedure: send_sms
program and other function modules are called based on the /*Here the database is checked to see if the laptop is in the
order of invocation by the calling function. lost_list and if so, as a response, ‘$’ is sent to the stolen
laptop*/
Procedure: time_tick begin
//This procedure is the entry point of the program Select reg_laptopID from tbl_lostlist which is in
begin tbl_registry and the gps number equals sender’s mobile
Set strcommand to read unread sms number
Pass strcommand and port information to read_sms

 : User : Laptop : Server : Database

Laptop LOST

Laptop on
Check if “Laptop id” is in
LostList
Request to Capture coordinates and
Confirmation message
image 

Send coordinates and

image

Figure 4. Sequence diagram when laptop is lost

55
 Assign the result of the query to a string qry /*In this procedure the various parameters are set to send
if (count(qry)>0) a mail. The captured image is added as an attachment and
begin the message is sent to the specified mail address*/
Reply ‘$’ to sender begin
end Define sender’s and recipient’s mail address
end Define body as null
Define mail subject
Procedure: form1_load Create msg object of mail class and pass parameters
/*The procedure reads the serial data from the hardware Pass login_id and password
and on receiving LOCK signal from the microcontroller Create atch object of Attachment class and pass image
calls the drive locking and image capturing procedures*/ location as parameter
begin Pass atch as parameter for msg
Read serial_data Send mail
if (LOCK) end
Call drive_lock
Set preview window and specify length and width IV. RESULTS
Create an object of bitmap class called bm The offline laptop tracking system meets all the
call image_capture requirements that an ideal laptop tracking system should
Save the image on disk meet. The following are some of the benefits of this system:
Call send_mail • Existing software solutions such as Prey [9],
end
LaptopCop [10] etc use internet to track stolen or
lost laptops. This means, being connected to internet
Procedure: drive_lock
//Locking of drive is performed in the lost laptop (usually through Wi-Fi) is a must. Using proposed
begin system, stolen laptops can be tracked even if they
if (drive to be locked is specified) are not connected to internet and it is meant to meet
begin the needs of users of a developing country like
Convert drive name to be locked to 32-bit integer number India.
Set register path to explorer and set default register • The system is user friendly.
permission • The system is more reliable and provides failure
Create new object of registry parameter class free operation on a real time basis [11].
Set access permission and specify registry path • The system requires very little user interaction.
previously mentioned • Success rate is high since GSM network is widely
Copy contents of explorer.exe into explor.bat spread.
Traverse to register path of explorer
• Accuracy is better than existing system which uses
Set drive value to NoviewOnDrive
IP (Internet Protocol) address to obtain the
Find process “explorer.exe”
Kill explorer approximate location coordinates.
Create new object of process class
Load explor.bat to the object created The system also comes with a few limitations. They are:
Run explorer.bat • The laptop must be in a location that has good
Delete explorer.bat network reception for the GSM modem to operate
end flawlessly.
end • In the proposed system, the feature of sending the
image of the thief requires internet connection.
Procedure: image_capture However, obtaining the coordinates and locking the
/*Here the image capture parameters are set and the drive is made possible without making use of
image is captured*/ internet.
begin • The GPS receiver must have a clear view of the sky
Initialize image capture parameters to receive signal from the satellites.
Create fimage object of bitmap class • The GSM modem and GPS receiver which runs on
Create data object of Idata class
the battery of the laptop whenever the laptop is not
Copy image from clipboard to data
plugged into a power source, depletes the battery
Return image
End very soon.

Procedure: send_mail In order to analyze the efficiency of offline laptop

tracking system, a comparison between the existing laptop
tracking system and the proposed system is made in Table I.

56
 TABLE I. COMPARISION BETWEEN EXISTING LAPTOP A snapshot of the map showing the location of the laptop
TRACKING SYSTEM AND PROPOSED SYSTEM
can be sent as an MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
Parameter Existing System Proposed system from the stolen laptop instead of sending the plain
coordinates using SMS feature. The image of the thief which
is sent using e-mail in the implemented system can be
Locating Location is found Global instead sent to the user using MMS feature which makes the
methodology out using IP Positioning system completely independent of internet.
addresses. Does System that uses
not guarantee satellites to
The concept of offline tracking can be extended to track
accuracy. pinpoint the any hand held device. It indeed becomes easier in the case of
location with smart phones and tablets since these devices have built-in
accuracy up to 10 GPS. The functionality provided by GSM modem can be
meters. equated to cellular service available on these devices if any.
Internet Requires internet Internet is not
to perform required.
tracking without REFERENCES
which it is
[1] S. Manoharan, “On GPS Tracking of Mobile Devices,” Proc. Fifth
useless.
International Conference on Networking and Services, 2009 (ICNS
Success rate Very less. Guaranteed 09), pp. 415-418, doi: 10.1109/ICNS.2009.103.
Because it works tracking as GSM [2] S.S. Chakole, V.R. Kapur andY.A. Suryawanshi, “ARM Hardware
only if access to network is Plaform for Vehicular Monitoring and Tracking,” Proc. 2013
internet is available almost International Conference on Communication Systems and Network
available. everywhere Technologies (CSNT), pp. 757-761, doi: 10.1109/CSNT.2013.162.
worldwide. [3] R.E. Anderson, A. Poon, C. Lustig, W. Brunette, et.al, “Building a
Remote Available because Not possible, as transportation information system using only GPS and basic SMS
monitoring of internet. GSM network is infrastructure,” Proc. 2009 International Conference on Information
used. and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD), pp.
233-242, doi: 10.1109/ICTD.2009.5426678.
Drive locking Possible only if Possible without [4] Hu Jian-ming, Li Jie and Li Guang-Hui, “Automobile Anti-theft
access to internet making use of System Based on GSM and GPS Module,” Proc. 2012 Fifth
is available. internet. International Conference on Intelligent Networks and Intelligent
Systems (ICINIS), pp. 199-201, doi: 10.1109/ICINIS.2012.86.
Tamper proof Easily tampered Cannot be
as the program tampered since [5] N. Ananthanarayanan, “Intelligent vehicle monitoring system using
can be uninstalled the devices will wireless communication,” Proc. 2013 International Conference on
or formatted. be embedded Advances in Technology and Engineering (ICATE), pp. 1-5, doi:
within the laptop. 10.1109/ICAdTE.2013.652472.
[6] G.S.P. Ganesh, B. Balaji, T.A.S. Varadhan, “Anti-theft tracking
system for automobiles (Autogsm),” Proc. 2011 International
V. CONCLUSION Conference on Anti-Counterfeiting, Security and Identification
The offline laptop tracking system is an efficient and (ASID), pp. 17-19, doi: 10.1109/ASID.2011.5967406.
effective way to track stolen laptops. Keeping aside the [7] U. Farooq , T. ul Haq, M. Amar, M.U. Asad and A. Iqbal, “GPS-
GSM Integration for Enhancing Public Transportation Management
drawbacks of the system, the tracking is still possible without Services,” Proc. Second International Conference on Computer
making use of internet which meets the basic requirement. Engineering and Applications (ICCEA), 2010 (Volume:2), pp. 142-
Since internet is not used for the tracking process, the system 147, doi: 10.1109/ICCEA.2010.183.
is well suitable for developing countries like India where use [8] P.B. Fleischer, A.Y. Nelson, R.A. Sowah and A. Bremang, “Design
and development of GPS/GSM based vehicle tracking and alert
of Wi-Fi technology is limited and its availability in public system for commercial inter-city buses,” Proc. 2012 IEEE 4th
places is nil. Hence it can totally outperform the existing International Conference on Adaptive Science & Technology
system in all possible domains thereby giving rise to a new (ICAST), pp. 1-6, 10.1109/ICASTech.2012.6381056.
technology for the new generation laptops and other hand [9] Prey project, [online] available at, http://support.preyproject.com/,
held devices. Retreived: 26 April 2013.
[10] Laptop Cop software, [online] available at,
VI. FUTURE ENCHANCEMENTS http://www.laptopcopsoftware.com/features.html, Retreived: 26 April
2013.
The offline laptop tracking system has been successfully [11] R.K. Moloo, V.K. Digumber, “Low-Cost Mobile GPS Tracking
implemented as a prototype where in the devices were Solution,” Proc. 2011 International Conference on Business
externally connected to the laptop for testing system Computing and Global Informatization (BCGIN), pp. 516-519, doi:
functionality. But as an enhancement, they can be embedded 10.1109/BCGIn.2011.136.
inside the laptop. GPS receivers with stronger reception [12] Tian Zhihong, Yang Jinsheng and Zhang Jianguo, “Location-based
Services Applied to an Electric Wheelchair Based on the GPS and
capability can be used. Also, coarse location can be obtained GSM Networks,” Proc. International Workshop on Intelligent
using GSM tower triangulation thereby aiding the location Systems and Applications, 2009 (ISA 2009), pp. 1-4, doi:
detection process [12]. 10.1109/IWISA.2009.5072945.

57