Mobile information terminal executing application program

• US 20070135105A1
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Bitou, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

In order to control the resetting operation, a mobile phone is provided with a CPU capable of executing an application program, a power switch to receive an instruction for switching power between the ON state and the OFF state, and a reset detecting circuit to output a resetting signal for rebooting the CPU when the power switch is closed for a predetermined period of time. The CPU outputs a state signal denoting either a resettable state or a non-resettable state of the CPU. The reset detecting circuit includes an AND element to output to a resetting circuit a high signal (resetting signal) on condition that the state signal denotes the state of the CPU as resettable. The resetting circuit outputs to the CPU a low signal (resetting signal) upon input of the high signal (resetting signal) from the reset detecting circuit.

Claims

1. A mobile information terminal comprising:

a controlling portion capable of executing an application program;

a switch to receive an instruction for switching power between an ON state and an OFF state; and

a resetting portion to output a resetting signal for rebooting said controlling portion when said switch is closed for a predetermined period of time, wherein;

said controlling portion includes a state-signal outputting portion to output a state signal denoting either a resettable state or a non-resettable state of said controlling portion; and

said resetting portion includes a judging portion to output to said controlling portion said resetting signal on condition that said state signal denotes the resettable state of said controlling portion.

2. mobile information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said resetting portion includes:

a capacitor; and

a delay circuit to supply constant current to said capacitor while said switch is closed and to output said resetting signal while the capacity of said capacitor is above a predetermined capacity.

3. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said judging portion further includes a resetting-signal invalidating portion to, upon output of said resetting signal to said controlling portion, invalidate a resetting signal input continuously from said delay circuit.

4. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controlling portion switches power to an OFF state when said delay circuit outputs a resetting signal immediately after booting of said controlling portion.

5. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said delay circuit causes said capacitor to discharge while said switch is opened.

6. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controlling portion further includes:

a measuring portion to measure a period of time for closure of said switch; and

a power-off portion to turn power into an OFF state upon closure of said switch for a predetermined period of time, wherein

said delay circuit has a longer period of time from commencement of condensation of said capacitor to attainment of said predetermined capacity than said predetermined period of time for closure of said switch.

7. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said state-signal outputting portion outputs a state signal denoting the non-resettable state of said controlling portion upon input of said resetting signal.

8. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a switching circuit to output a signal donating ON when said switch is closed and output a signal donating OFF when said switch is opened, wherein

said state-signal outputting portion further includes a switch changing portion to detect an output from said switching circuit at predetermined time intervals and to output said state signal denoting the non-resettable state of said controlling portion while said switch changing portion detects the signal donating ON output from said switching circuit.

9. The mobile information terminal according to claim 8, wherein:

said controlling portion further includes an opening-time changing portion to output said state signal denoting the resettable state of said controlling portion upon detection of a change of the signal denoting ON to the signal denoting OFF output from said switching circuit; and

said opening-time changing portion has higher priority for being executed by said controlling portion than at least said switch changing portion.

10. The mobile information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said delay circuit has a longer period of time from commencement of condensation of said capacitor to attainment of said predetermined capacity than each of said time intervals for said switch changing portion to detect an output from said switching circuit.