Mobile telephone power key lock function

• US 5,812,954 A
• Filed: 11/27/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Henriksson, Hannu
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US08/562,762
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 455/38.2, 455/38.3, 455/574, 455/565, 455/550, 455/343, 455/103, 379/200
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of this invention is disclosed for operating a mobile phone (10) of a type having a power-on key and a plurality of other keys. The method includes the steps of: (a) defining at least one key to represent a secondary power-on key; (b) during a time that the mobile telephone is in an off-state, sensing that the power-on key has been activated; and (c) placing the mobile phone in a partially on-state. The method further includes the steps of: (d) determining, within a predetermined period of time, if the at least one secondary power-on key has been activated; and (e) if it is determined that the at least one secondary power-on key has not been activated within the predetermined period of time, the method restores the mobile phone to the off-state. In one embodiment of this invention the step of defining includes the sub-steps of: presenting a message to a user for prompting the user to depress a key; and in response to the user depressing a key, storing an identity of the depressed key as the secondary power-on key.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile phone of a type having a key pre-defined as a power-on key and a plurality of other keys, comprising the steps of:

defining at least one of the keys to represent a secondary power-on key;

during a time that the mobile phone is in an off-state, sensing that the power-on key has been activated;

placing the mobile phone in a partially on-state;

determining, within a predetermined period of time, if the at least one secondary power-on key has been activated; and

if the step of determining indicates that the at least one secondary power-on key has not been activated within the predetermined period of time, restoring the mobile phone to the off-state.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of defining includes the step of:

in response to the user depressing a key, storing an identity of the depressed key as the secondary power-on key.

3. A mobile phone of a type having a key pre-defined as a power-on key and a plurality of other keys, said mobile phone comprising:

a memory for storing an identity of at least one key that is specified for functioning as a secondary power-on key; and

power control means having inputs coupled to the power-on key, to the plurality of other keys, and to the memory, said power control means comprising,

means, responsive to the power-on key being activated during a time that the mobile phone is in an off state, for placing the mobile phone in a partially on-state; and

means for determining, within a predetermined period of time when the mobile phone is in the partially on-state, if the at least one secondary power-on key has been activated and, if not, for restoring the mobile phone to the off-state.

4. A mobile phone as set forth in claim 3, and further comprising:

means for presenting a message to a user for prompting the user to depress a key; and

in response to the user depressing a key, for storing within said memory an identity of the depressed key as the secondary power-on key.

5. A mobile phone as set forth in claim 3, wherein said mobile phone is further comprised of a battery for providing operating power to said mobile phone, and wherein said means for placing the mobile phone in a partially on-state has an input coupled to said battery for placing the mobile phone in the partially on-state only when a voltage of said battery exceeds a predetermined minimum threshold.

6. A mobile phone as set forth in claim 3, wherein said predetermined period of time is established by timer means reaching a predetermined value.

7. A mobile phone as set forth in claim 6, wherein said determining means is comprised of a programmable control means, wherein said timer means is coupled to said power-on key and is enabled to operate by said power-on key being activated, and wherein said timer means is coupled to said programmable control means for being periodically reset by said programmable control means.

8. A mobile phone as set forth in claim 7, wherein said programmable control means is responsive to said at least one secondary power-on key being activated, when the mobile phone is in the partially on-state, for preventing an output of said timer means from equalling said predetermined value.

9. A mobile phone as set forth in claim 3, wherein said at least one secondary power-on key is selected from a group consisting of said power-on key and said plurality of other keys.

10. A method for operating a mobile phone of a type having a primary power-on key and a plurality of other keys, comprising the steps of:

in response to an input from a user, defining one of the other keys to represent a secondary power-on key;

during a time that the mobile phone is in an off-state, sensing that the primary power-on key has been activated and, in response, placing the mobile

phone in a partially on-state only if it is determined that a power supply voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage;

determining, within a predetermined period of time after placing the mobile phone in the partially on-state, if the secondary power-on key is activated; and

if the secondary power-on key is not activated within the predetermined period of time, restoring the mobile phone to the off-state;

else, if the secondary power-on key is activated within the predetermined period of time, placing the mobile phone in a fully on-state.