Mobile terminal apparatus

• US 20040224665A1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kokubo, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• 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 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/553 Data upload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile terminal apparatus checks if a user is a proper user based on the operation of the user and, if the result of authentication is negative, uploads predetermined data, which is part of data stored in a memory, to a predetermined server. After the transmission is completed, the mobile terminal apparatus erases the uploaded data from the memory. It is also possible to instruct the mobile terminal apparatus to upload and erase data from an external source using an electronic mail or a telephone tone signal sequence. This may protect data contained in mobile terminal apparatus that has been lost, from a person who improperly attempts to access the data.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data;

communication means for communicating data via a communication network;

authentication means for checking if a user is a proper user based on an operation by said user; and

controller for transmitting specified data among data stored in said storage means to a specified server via said communication means when a result of authentication by said authentication means is negative, and erasing said specified data from said storage means.

2. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising specifying means for specifying said specified data.

3. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said authentication is performed by said authentication means when a user attempts to access said specified data.

4. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data erasing process performed after transmittal to said server is suppressed depending upon type of said data.

5. A mobile terminal apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data;

communication means for communicating an electronic mail via a communication network; and

controller for transmitting specified data to a specified server when a specified instruction is received via said received electronic mail and erasing said specified data from said storage means after said transmission is completed.

6. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said controller transmits data to said server only when at least one of the following conditions (A) and (B) is fulfilled:

(A) Information regarding a sender of said electronic mail matches previously registered sender information;

(B) Said electronic mail is received a specified number of times during a specified period of time.

7. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said data erasing process performed after transmittal to said server is suppressed depending upon type of said data.

8. A mobile terminal apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data;

answering means for automatically answering an incoming telephone call;

receptor for receiving a tone signal input at time of said automatic answering;

and

controller for transmitting specified data to a specified server when receiving a specified series of tone signals, and erasing said specified data from said storage means after said transmission is completed.

9. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said data erasing process performed after transmittal to said server is suppressed depending upon type of said data.

10. A mobile terminal apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data;

communication means for communicating data via a communication network;

authentication means for checking if a user is a proper user based on an operation by said user; and

controller for transmitting specified data included in data stored in said storage means to a specified server via said communication means when a result of authentication by said authentication means is negative.

11. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said controller inhibits execution of said authentication process of said authentication means at least for a period of time, when a result of authentication by said authentication means is negative.

12. The mobile terminal apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of said authentication means, wherein operation is shifted to an authentication means of higher complexity among said plurality of said authentication means when a result of authentication by said authentication means is negative.

13. A mobile terminal apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data;

authentication means for checking if a user is a proper user based on an operation by said user when a user attempts to access predetermined or specified data among data stored in said storage means; and

controller for inhibiting execution of said authentication process of said authentication means at least for a period of time, when a result of authentication by said authentication means is negative.

14. A mobile terminal apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data;

a plurality of authentication means for checking if a user is a proper user based on an operation by said user when a user attempts to access predetermined or specified data among data stored in said storage means; and

controller for shifting operation to an authentication means of higher complexity among said plurality of said authentication means when a result of authentication by said authentication means is negative.