Mobile telephone device system having steal prevention function

• US 5,646,977 A
• Filed: 11/29/1995
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Koizumi, Fumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/563,943
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 379/62, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 364/449
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

In a mobile telephone device having a preassigned call number and comprising a power supply unit, a keyboard section, a display section, a power key, and a control section, the mobile telephone device transmits, on position registration operation, a position registration signal including the preassigned call number to the base station and receives an information signal from the base station as a result of the position registration operation. The information signal is for representing whether or not the preassigned call number coincides with that of a stolen mobile telephone device. The control section invalidates the operation of the keyboard and the power key and stops display of the display section and then transmitting an alarm signal to the base station on reception of the information signal representing the fact that the preassigned call number coincides with that of the stolen mobile telephone device.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone device having a preassigned call number and comprising:

a power supply unit for supplying electric power through a power supply line and removably attached to a body of said mobile telephone device;

a keyboard section;

a display section;

a power key for instructing power supply from said power supply unit; and

a control section connected to said keyboard section, said display section, and said power key for controlling operation of said keyboard section, said display section, and said power key;

said mobile telephone device transmitting, on position registration operation for registering said preassigned call number to said base station, a position registration signal including said preassigned call number to said base station and receiving an information signal from said base station as a result of said position registration operation, said information signal being for representing whether or not said preassigned call number coincides with that of a stolen mobile telephone device;

said control section invalidating the operation of said keyboard and said power key and stopping display of said display section and then transmitting an alarm signal to said base station on reception of said information signal representing the fact that said preassigned call number coincides with that of said stolen mobile telephone device.

2. A mobile telephone device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary battery;

a charging circuit connected between said power supply unit and said auxiliary battery for charging said auxiliary battery from said power supply unit; and

a switch section connected to said auxiliary battery and said control section for making said auxiliary battery to supply electric power through said power supply line.

3. A mobile telephone device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

an overcurrent protection circuit connected between said power supply unit and said auxiliary battery for protecting said auxiliary battery from overcurrent.

4. A mobile telephone device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said control section puts said switch section into an on state when a predetermined key in said keyboard section is pushed or when it receives said information signal representative of the fact that said preassigned call number coincides with that of said stolen mobile telephone device.

5. A steal prevention system comprising:

a mobile telephone device having a preassigned call number and comprising a power supply unit for supplying electric power through a power supply line and removably attached to a body of said mobile telephone device, a keyboard section, a display section, a power key for instructing power supply from said power supply unit, and a control section connected to said keyboard section, said display section, and said power key for controlling operation of said keyboard section, said display section, and said power key; and

a base station for connecting said mobile telephone device to a telephone network;

said mobile telephone device transmitting, on position registration operation for registering said preassigned call number to said base station, a position registration signal including said preassigned call number to said base station;

said base station comprising a memory unit which memorizes a particular call number that is of a stolen mobile telephone device and a decision means supplied with said particular call number and said preassigned call number included in said position registration signal for deciding whether or not said preassigned call number coincides with said particular call number, said base station transmitting, to said mobile telephone device, an information signal representing whether or not said preassigned call number coincides with said particular call number;

said control section invalidating the operation of said keyboard and said power key and stopping display of said display section and then transmits an alarm signal to said base station on reception of said information signal representing the fact that said preassigned call number coincides with said particular call number.

6. A steal prevention system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said mobile telephone device further comprises:

an auxiliary battery;

a charging circuit connected between said power supply unit and said auxiliary battery for charging said auxiliary battery from said power supply unit; and

a switch section connected to said auxiliary battery and said control section for making said auxiliary battery to supply electric power through said power supply line.

7. A steal prevention system claimed in claim 6, wherein said mobile telephone device further comprises:

an overcurrent protection circuit connected between said power supply unit and said auxiliary battery for protecting said auxiliary battery from overcurrent.

8. A steal prevention system as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein said control section puts said switch section into an on state when a predetermined key in said keyboard section is pushed or it receives said information signal representative of the fact that said preassigned call number coincides with said particular call number.