Information Device

• US 20110025626A1
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Inami, Akiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,638,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for executing an application program is disclosed. One or more icons are displayed on a touch panel. If a user'"'"'s fingerprint is authenticated on the touch panel, an application program is given access to designated personal information. The application program is then executed using the designated personal information, if the detected action is an information-designated start operation.

Claims

1. An information device comprising:

a storage module operable to store;

one or more fingerprints corresponding to one or more fingers of a user respectively; and

designated information associated with each of the fingerprints respectively;

a touch panel operable to;

display one or more icons;

detect fingerprint information from a finger touching the touch panel to obtain a detected fingerprint information;

detect an action of the finger touching a selected icon; and

a control module operable to;

authenticate the detected fingerprint information, if the detected fingerprint information is associated with the designated information; and

execute an application program corresponding to the selected icon with using the designated information to obtain a designated execution, if the detected fingerprint is authenticated and if the action is an information-designated start operation.

2. The information device according to claim 1, wherein the storage module further comprises personal information of a plurality of persons, wherein the designated information corresponds to the personal information of one of the persons.

3. The information device according to claim 1, wherein the control module is further operable to execute an application program corresponding to the selected icon without using the designated information to obtain a normal execution, if the action is a normal start operation.

4. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises touching the selected icon with the finger followed by the finger moving into a predetermined region of the touch panel while the finger is touching the touch panel.

5. The information device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined region comprises an area of the touch panel outside a display region of the icons.

6. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises the finger touching the selected icon followed by the finger moving longer than a predetermined distance while the finger is touching the touch panel.

7. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises the finger touching the selected icon, followed by the finger moving faster than a predetermined speed while the finger is touching the touch panel.

8. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises the finger touching the selected icon, followed by the finger moving in a predetermined shape while the finger is touching the touch panel.

9. The information device according to claim 3, wherein:

a first action comprises one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation; and

a second action comprises one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation that is not the first action.

10. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time longer than a predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time shorter than the predetermined period of time.

11. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time shorter than a predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time longer than the predetermined period of time.

12. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon a plurality of times within a first predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon once within a second predetermined period of time.

13. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon once within a first predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon a plurality of times within a second predetermined period of time.

14. The information device according to claim 13, wherein:

the first action and the second action comprise the finger moving within a predetermined region longer than the predetermined distance while the finger is touching the touch panel; and

the control module is further operable to instruct the touch panel to display the selected icon at a destination of the finger, if the touch panel detects the finger moving outside the predetermined region while the finger is touching the touch panel.

15. The information device according to claim 1, wherein:

the touch panel is further operable to;

display a first selection screen thereon; and

detect a first permission to perform the designated execution; and

the control module is further operable to perform the designated execution, if the first permission is detected.

16. The information device according to claim 15, wherein:

the touch panel is further operable to;

display thereon a second selection screen operable to approve the designated information; and

detect a second permission from the user, if the first permission is detected; and

the control module is further operable to perform the designated execution, if the second permission is detected.

17. The information device according to claim 16, wherein:

the touch panel is further operable to;

display thereon a third selection screen operable to permit the normal execution; and

detect a third permission from the user, if the second action is detected; and

the control module is further operable to execute the application program without using the designated information, if the third permission is detected.

18. A method for operating an information device, the method comprising:

obtaining fingerprint information from a user finger touching a touch panel;

authenticating the fingerprint information, if the fingerprint information is associated with designated information stored in the information device;

detecting an information-designated start operation of the user finger touching a selected program icon displayed on the touch panel; and

executing an application program corresponding to the selected program icon using the designated information, if the fingerprint information is authenticated.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a normal start operation of the user finger using the touch panel; and

executing the application program corresponding to the selected program icon without using the designated information.

20. A non transitory computer readable medium comprising program code for operating an information device, the program code comprising:

obtaining fingerprint information from a user finger touching a touch panel;

authenticating the fingerprint information, if the fingerprint information is associated with designated information stored in the information device;

detecting an information-designated start operation of the user finger touching a selected program icon displayed on the touch panel; and

executing an application program corresponding to the selected program icon using the designated information, if the fingerprint information is authenticated.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, further comprising program code comprising:

detecting a normal start operation of the user finger using the touch panel; and

executing the application program corresponding to the selected program icon without using the designated information.