Mobile computer and a method for controlling in a mobile computer

• US 5,978,919 A
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Harashima, Takahiro, Doi, Miwako
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamdan, Wasseem H.
• Application Number:
  US08/912,173
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/188.01, 395/187.01, 395/750.01, 395/750.06, 380/3, 380/4, 380/23, 380/25, 713/200, 713/202, 713/201
• US Class Current: 726/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication

Abstract

A mobile computer includes an input section to input a password and an operation indication, and a password memory section to store the password to confirm the authorization of a user. Features of the mobile computer of the present invention are a security confirmation section and an unauthorized use prevention section. The security confirmation section requests the user to input the password when the operation indication for moving from one a screen of activation time to another screen is inputted by the input section. The unauthorized use prevention section turns off the power supply of the mobile computer if the input password requested by the security confirmation section does not coincide with the password stored in the password memory section.

Claims

1. A mobile computer, comprising:

a power supply for the mobile computer;

an input means for inputting a password and an operation indication for moving from one screen of activation time to another screen;

a password memory for storing the password to confirm use authorization of a user;

a correspondence table for storing a plurality of indication items of application to display more detailed information on the screen;

security confirmation means for requesting the user to input a password when the operation indication coincides with one of the indication items stored in said correspondence table; and

unauthorized use prevention means for turning off the power supply if the input password requested by said security confirmation means does not coincide with the password stored in said password memory.

2. The mobile computer according to claim 1,

wherein said unauthorized use prevention means includes means for recording data of unauthorized use in predetermined area if the input password requested by said security confirmation means does not coincide with the password stored in said password memory means, and

wherein said security confirmation means includes means for requesting the user to input a password, if the data of the unauthorized use is recorded when the power supply is turned on.

3. The mobile computer according to claim 2,

wherein said unauthorized use prevention means includes means for deleting the data of unauthorized use from the predetermined area if the input password requested by said security confirmation means coincides with the password stored in said password memory, when the data of unauthorized use is recorded in the predetermined area.

4. The mobile computer according to claim 1,

wherein said unauthorized use prevention means includes means for recording security check finish data if the input password requested by said security confirmation means coincides with the password stored in said password memory.

5. The mobile computer according to claim 4,

wherein said security confirmation means includes means for not requesting the user to input the password, when the operation indication for moving from one screen to another screen is inputted by said input means, if the security check finish data is recorded.

6. A mobile computer, comprising:

input means for inputting a plurality of kinds of operation indication and concrete parameter in correspondence with the operation indication;

a history memory for storing the operation indication and the concrete parameter in correspondence with the operation indication in order of input;

extraction means for extracting the operation indication and the concrete parameter from said history memory by unit of level, wherein the operation indication to activate an application is upper level and the operation indication to activate a detailed program in the application is lower level;

an extracted history memory for storing the operation indication and the concrete parameter by unit of the level extracted by said extraction means; and

format means for formatting the operation indication and the concrete parameter stored in said extracted history memory in a readable document format according to the level.

7. The mobile computer according to claim 6,

further including communication means for sending information to and receiving information from another computer, and

means for sending the extracted operation indication and attached information through said communication means.

8. A method for controlling a mobile computer, comprising the steps of:

storing a password to confirm a user authorization;

storing a plurality of indication items of application to display more detailed information on a screen;

inputting an operation indication for moving from one screen of activation time to another screen;

requesting the user to input the password when the operation indication coincides with one of the stored indication items;

receiving the password of the user; and

turning off a power supply of the mobile computer if the received password does not coincide with the stored password.

9. A method for controlling a mobile computer, comprising the steps of;

inputting a plurality of kinds of operation indication and concrete parameter in correspondence with the operation indication;

storing the operation indication and the concrete parameter in correspondence with the operation indication in order of input in a machine readable memory;

extracting the operation indication and the concrete parameter from the machine readable memory by unit of level, wherein the operation indication to activate an application is upper level and the operation indication to activate a detailed prigram in the application is lower level;

storing the extracted operation indication and the extracted concrete parameter by unit of the level in a machine readable memory; and

formatting the extracted operation indication and the extracted concrete parameter stored in the machine readable memory in a readable document format according to the level.

10. A computer readable memory containing computer readable instructions, comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to store a password to confirm the authorization of a user;

instruction means for causing a computer to store a plurality of indication items of an application to display more detailed information on a screen;

instruction means for causing a computer to input an operation indication for moving from one screen of activation time to another screen;

instruction means for causing a computer to request the user to input the password when the operation indication coincides with one of the stored indication items;

instruction means for causing a computer to receive a password of the user; and

instruction means for causing a computer to turn off a power supply of a mobile computer if the received password does not coincide with the stored password.

11. A computer readable memory containing computer readable instructions, comprising:

instruction means for causing a computer to input a plurality of kinds of operation indication and concrete parameter in correspondence with the operation indication;

instruction means for causing a computer to store the operation indication and concrete parameter in correspondence with the operation indication in order of input;

instruction means for causing a computer to extract the operation indication and the concrete parameter from the stored operation indication and the stored concrete parameter by unit of level, wherein the operation indication to activate an application is upper level and the operation indication to activate a detailed program in the application is lower level;

instruction means for causing a computer to store the extracted operation indication and the extracted concrete parameter by unit of level; and

instruction means for causing a computer to format the extracted operation indication and the extracted concrete parameter in a readable document format according to the level.