Electronic apparatus and method of selectively applying security mode according to exceptional condition in mobile device

• US 10,111,098 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2018
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmartIP LLC
• Original Assignee: Seungman Kim
• Inventors: Kim, Seungman
• Primary Examiner(s): Osifade, Idowu O
• Application Number:
  US15/972,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20180255459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 171 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile device includes a display unit to display a screen to set the mobile device in a security mode and a condition as a safe zone in the security mode, a user interface to receive a user input to activate the mobile device, and a control unit to selectively apply the security mode in response to the user input when a current condition is identical to the set condition, and a method thereof.

Claims

1. A method of a mobile device which is configured to photograph an object and includes a display unit having a panel to display a photographing object, the method comprising:

receiving a user input, and wirelessly communicating with an external network to transmit or receive a data signal;

changing the mobile device from a power saving mode to a normal mode by using a switch;

setting a password as a security mode, and setting an exceptional condition as a safe zone of the security mode, wherein the exceptional condition comprises a wireless communication condition and an area condition; and

not displaying a screen to receive the password on the display unit and changing the mobile device from the power saving mode to the normal mode without the password as the safe zone of the security mode when the mobile device is in the area condition and when the mobile device wirelessly communicates with the external network according to the wireless communication condition, and displaying the screen on the display unit and changing the mobile device from the power saving mode to the normal mode by receiving the password as a security check process of the security mode when the mobile device is not in the area condition or when the mobile device does not wirelessly communicate with the external network according to the wireless communication condition, by using a control processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless communication condition comprises a wireless connection between the mobile device and the external network to transmit or receive the data signal; and

the area condition comprises an area in which the mobile device is located.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the area condition is associated with the data signal of the external network in the wireless communication condition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the area condition comprises a home or an environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the area condition comprises an area defined by a line.

6. The method device of claim 1, wherein:

the area condition comprises a house location;

the displaying the screen comprises displaying the screen when the mobile device is not in the house location; and

the not displaying the screen comprises not displaying the screen when the mobile device is in the house location and when the mobile device wirelessly communicates with the external network according to the wireless communication condition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the external network comprises at least one network using at least one of a WIFI device, a wireless communication station, a carrier service station, a service provider, a wireless communication device, a network, another mobile device, a home appliance, a vehicle, and a medical device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a sensor to detect a motion of the mobile device or to detect a motion or image of a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the exceptional condition is set after the password is set or input in the security mode.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to display the screen or not when the mobile device is changed from the power saving mode to the normal mode after the exceptional condition is set.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the not displaying and displaying the screen includes performing the security check process of the security mode in response to an operation of the switch when a location of the mobile device does not match an area of the area condition or when the mobile device is not connected to the external network according to the wireless communication condition.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the not displaying the screen comprises not displaying the screen to skip the security check process of the security mode in response to an operation of the switch when a location of the mobile device matches an area of the area condition and when the mobile device is connected to the external network according to the wireless communication condition.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an unlock message section according to an operation of the switch,

wherein the not displaying the screen comprises not displaying the screen in response to the unlock operation when a location of the mobile device is in an area of the area condition and when the interface of the mobile device wirelessly communicates with the external network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the external network comprises a plurality of external devices; and

the wireless communication condition comprises a combination of the plurality of external devices to transmit or receive the data signal.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a menu to indicate a connection state of the external network in which the mobile device wirelessly communicates with the external network to transmit or receive the data signal.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the screen to receive the password when the area condition is to be set or when the area condition is to be changed.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication condition comprises a wireless communication method between the mobile device and the external network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the interface wirelessly communicates with a plurality of external networks; and

the wireless communication condition comprises a combination of the plurality of external networks to transmit or receive the data signal.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the setting the wireless communication condition comprises selecting the external network as the exceptional condition;

the setting the area condition comprises selecting an area as the exceptional condition; and

the not displaying the screen comprises not displaying the screen on the display unit to receive the password and to change the mobile device from the power saving mode to the normal mode without the password as the safe zone of the security mode when the mobile device is located at the selected area and when the mobile device is connected to the selected external network according to the wireless communication condition.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-readable codes as a program to execute the method of claim 1.