Mobile phone terminal, program management method, and computer program for the same

• US 20060095916A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nishida, Tetsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence

Abstract

In order to provide a mobile phone terminal which is capable, when changing over between an application program which is implemented as standard and a downloaded program which is not implemented as standard which have been started together, of restarting programs in an order which the user anticipate. An execution unit performs any of the procedures of execution, temporary suspension, and termination of programs by storing, in an execution state storage unit, information for programs which consist of static applets and downloaded applets. A management unit, when the activation of a static applet is requested in a situation that a downloaded applet is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being executed, along with storing the downloaded applet in the execution state storage unit as being in a temporarily suspended state, and generating a dummy applet, also stores the dummy applet in the execution state storage unit as being in a temporarily suspended state, and next starts the static applet with the program execution unit.

Claims

1. A mobile phone terminal capable of executing a managed program and an unmanaged program, comprising:

a program execution unit which performs any of procedures of activation, suspension, and termination of the managed program and the unmanaged program which are stored in an execution state storage unit; and

a program management unit which, when execution of the managed program is requested while the unmanaged program is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being activated, along with storing the unmanaged program in the program execution unit as being in a suspended state in the execution state storage unit, generating a substitutional program which is a dummy program and corresponds to the unmanaged program, and storing the substitutional program in the execution state storage unit as being in a suspended state, after that, activates the managed program in the program execution unit.

2. A mobile phone terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a restart information storage unit which, in a situation in which activation of another program is requested while the managed program in the execution state storage unit is being activated, when the managed program is terminated and the another program is activated, along with terminating the managed program, stores restart information for subsequently restarting the managed program, and wherein

the program management unit, when putting into activated state the substitutional program which has been in suspended state, refers to the restart information storage unit and, if restart information is stored, restarts the managed program in the program execution unit corresponding to the restart information.

3. A mobile phone terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the program management unit, when it has referred to the restart information storage unit due to activation of the substitutional program which has been in suspended state, if corresponding restart information is not stored, then terminates the substitutional program in the program execution unit.

4. A mobile phone terminal according to claims 1, wherein

the managed program is a program which is originally installed and managed by the program management unit, and the unmanaged program is a program which is additionally installed by an operation of a user.

5. A mobile phone terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the program management unit, if the substitutional program is forcibly terminated by the program execution unit, requests the program execution unit to delete the provisional program which is stored in the execution state storage unit.

6. A mobile phone terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the mobile phone terminal is further capable of activating an idle screen program which displays an idle screen in a state in which communication is being awaited, and

the program management unit, when activating another program in a state in which the idle screen program is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being activated, along with storing in the restart information storage unit restart information for restarting the idle screen program which is being activated, also starts the another program in the program execution unit after terminating the idle screen program.

7. A program management method which is applied to a mobile phone terminal which includes:

an execution state storage unit; and

a program execution unit which performs any of procedures of execution, suspension, and termination of programs by storing a managed program and an unmanaged program in the execution state storage unit;

the program management method comprising;

a step of, when activation of a managed program is requested in a state in which an unmanaged program is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being activated, along with storing the program which is in the program execution unit as being in a suspended state in the execution state storage unit, also generating a substitutional program;

a step of storing the substitutional program in the execution state storage unit as being in a suspended state; and

a step of, after having put the substitutional program into suspended state, starting the managed program in the program execution unit.

8. A program management method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a step of, in a situation in which activation of another program is requested while the managed program in the execution state storage unit is being activated, when the managed program is terminated and the another program is activated, along with terminating the managed program, storing restart information for subsequently restarting the managed program;

a step of, when putting into activated state the substitutional program which has been in suspended state, judging whether or not the restart information is stored, and restarting the managed program in the program execution unit corresponding to the restart information if the restart information is stored.

9. A program management method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a step of, when the substitutional program which has been in suspended state is activated, judging whether or not restart information is stored, terminating the substitutional program in the program execution unit if corresponding restart information is not stored.

10. A program management method according to claim 7, wherein

the managed program is a program which is originally installed and managed, and the unmanaged program is a program which is additionally installed by an operation of a user.

11. A program management method according to claim 7, further comprising:

a step of, if the substitutional program is forcibly terminated by the program execution unit, requesting the program execution unit to delete the provisional program which is stored in the execution state storage unit.

12. A program management method according to claim 7, wherein

the mobile phone terminal is further capable of activating an idle screen program which displays an idle screen in a state in which communication is being awaited, further comprising:

a step of, when activating another program in a state in which the idle screen program is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being activated, along with storing restart information for restarting the idle screen program which is being activated, also starting the another program in the program execution unit after terminating the idle screen program.

13. A computer program product in a computer readable medium of a computer included in a mobile phone terminal which has:

an execution state storage unit; and

a program execution unit which performs any of procedures of execution, suspension, and termination of programs by storing a managed program and an unmanaged program in the execution state storage unit, the computer program comprising;

first instructions for, when the execution of the managed program is requested in a situation in which the unmanaged program is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being activated, along with making the program execution unit to store the program as being in a suspended state in the execution state storage unit, generating a substitutional program;

second instructions for storing the substitutional program in the execution state storage unit as being in a suspended state; and

third instructions for, after having put the substitutional program into a suspended state, starting the managed program in the program execution unit.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

fourth instructions for, in a situation in which activation of another program is requested while the managed program in the execution state storage unit is being activated, when the managed program is terminated and the another program is activated, along with terminating the managed program, storing restart information for subsequently restarting the managed program;

fifth instructions for, when putting into activated state the substitutional program which has been in suspended state, judging whether or not the restart information is stored, and restarting the managed program in the program execution unit corresponding to the restart information if the restart information is stored.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14, further comprising:

seventh instructions for, when the substitutional program which has been in suspended state is activated, judging whether or not restart information is stored, terminating the substitutional program in the program execution unit if corresponding restart information is not stored.

16. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein

the managed program is a program which is originally installed and managed, and the unmanaged program is a program which is additionally installed by an operation of a user.

17. A computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising:

eighth instructions for, if the substitutional program is forcibly terminated by the program execution unit, requesting the program execution unit to delete the provisional program which is stored in the execution state storage unit.

18. A computer program product according to claim 13, wherein

the mobile phone terminal is further capable of activating an idle screen program which displays an idle screen in a state in which communication is being awaited, further comprising:

ninth instructions for, when activating another program in a state in which the idle screen program is stored in the execution state storage unit as a program which is being activated, along with storing restart information for restarting the idle screen program which is being activated, also starting the another program in the program execution unit after terminating the idle screen program.