Method and system for restricting use of additional functions in a mobile terminal

• US 20060240809A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yu, Bong-Ju
• Granted Patent: US 7,798,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• 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 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method of restricting the use of at least one additional function in a mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal generates new data by executing an additional function of the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal encrypts the data with currently received location information, upon receipt of a restriction signal, stores the encrypted data, and upon request for reading of the stored data decrypts the stored data with currently received location information.

Claims

1. A method of restricting the use of at least one additional function in a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

generating new data by executing an additional function of the mobile terminal;

receiving a restriction signal;

encrypting the new data with currently received location information, and storing the encrypted data; and

decrypting the stored data with currently received location information, upon request for reading of the stored data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, if the decryption fails, providing a decryption failure message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction signal is received from a mobile communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted additional function is image photographing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted additional function is moving picture photographing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted additional function is large-volume data download.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted additional function is voice recording.

8. A method of restricting the use of at least one additional function in a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

broadcasting by a base transceiver subsystem (BTS) a restriction signal in a restriction area;

notifying by the mobile terminal a user of the restriction area, upon receipt of the restriction signal in the restriction area;

generating new data by executing an additional function of the mobile terminal;

encrypting the data with currently received location information, upon receipt of a restriction signal, and storing the encrypted data by the mobile terminal; and

decrypting the stored data with currently received location information by the mobile terminal, upon request for reading of the stored data.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of, if the decryption fails, providing a decryption failure message by the mobile terminal.

10. A system for restricting the use of at least one additional function of a mobile terminal, comprising:

a base transceiver subsystem (BTS) for broadcasting a restriction signal in a restriction area; and

a mobile terminal for generating new data by executing an additional function of the mobile terminal, upon receipt of a restriction signal encrypting the data with currently received location information, storing the encrypted data, and upon request for reading of the stored data decrypting the stored data with currently received location information.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a signal generator for receiving the restriction signal and broadcasting the restriction signal to a restriction area.

12. A method of restricting the use of at least one additional function in a mobile terminal, comprising the steps of:

generating new data by executing an additional function of the mobile terminal;

encrypting the new data with current location information, and storing the encrypted data; and

decrypting the stored data with current location information, upon request for reading of the stored data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the location information is received from a mobile communication network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional function is image photographing.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional function is moving picture photographing.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional function is voice recording.