Mobile telephone and method for registering and using special symbols as a password in same

• US 6,351,634 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Shin, Jang-Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US09/324,422
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/566, 455/575, 455/550, 345/156, 345/173, 345/179, 345/14, 345/17, 345/26, 379/93.19, 379/916, 379/903, 379/93.03, 380/247, 380/250
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A mobile telephone is provided which includes a touch screen, character recognition means for recognizing data inputted via the touch screen, and a processing unit for receiving at least one secret symbol inputted via the touch screen while the mobile telephone is in a password registration mode. The processing unit providing the at least one secret symbol to the character recognition means for recognizing the at least one secret symbol and generating feature data corresponding thereto. The processing unit stores the feature data in a database to register the at least one secret symbol as a password. The processing unit further compares the stored feature data with feature data corresponding to data inputted via the touch screen for determining whether the inputted data is substantially similar to the at least one secret symbol while the telephone is in a password identification mode. A method is also provided for registering a secret symbol as a password. A method is further provided for identifying a secret symbol inputted via the touch screen as the correct password.

Claims

1. A method for registering a secret symbol as a password in a digital mobile telephone having a display, a touch screen, character recognition means for recognizing data inputted via the touch screen, a secret symbol data base, and a central processing unit, the method comprises the steps of:

placing the mobile telephone in a password registration mode;

generating touch screen data upon application of pressure onto the touch screen while in the password registration mode to enter the secret symbol;

providing the character recognition means with the touch screen data;

generating feature data corresponding to the touch screen data by driving the character recognition means, wherein the feature data represents at least two physical features of the touch screen data;

and storing the feature data into the secret symbol data base.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen data comprises coordinate data and status data, the coordinate data includes a series of X-axis and Y-axis coordinate values corresponding to pressure points on the touch screen which had pressure applied upon during entry of the secret symbol, the status data including data relating to a number of strokes of the secret symbol.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feature data comprises coordinate data corresponding to the X- and Y-axis coordinates of the secret symbol, directional data corresponding to directions of movement in entering the secret symbol, and stroke data corresponding to a series of strokes defining the secret symbol.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secret symbol consists of one of at least one character, a signature, a numeral, a picture, and a combination thereof, which a user of the mobile telephone intends to use as the password.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the mobile telephone in an idle state if pressure has not been applied upon the touch screen after a predetermined time limit.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the character recognition means with the touch screen data includes providing the character recognition means with a secret symbol message informing the character recognition means that said touch screen data includes data corresponding to a symbol intended to be registered as the secret symbol.

7. A method for identifying a secret symbol which has been registered as a password in a digital mobile telephone having a display, a touch screen, character recognition means for recognizing data inputted via the touch screen, a secret symbol data base, and a central processing unit, the method comprises the steps of:

placing the mobile telephone in a password identification mode;

generating touch screen data and a password symbol message upon application of pressure onto the touch screen while in the password identification mode to enter at least one secret symbol as the password, the password symbol message providing a confirmation that the touch screen data includes the at least one secret symbol intended to be identified as the password;

providing the character recognition means with the touch screen data and the password symbol message;

generating feature data corresponding to the touch screen data by driving the character recognition means, wherein the feature data represents at least two physical features of the touch screen data;

comparing feature data stored within the secret symbol data base with the generated feature data and providing a resultant value; and

placing the mobile telephone in a predetermined function service mode in accordance with the comparing step.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined function service mode includes enabling a locking function to prevent use of at least one service provided by the mobile telephone.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the mobile telephone is placed in the predetermined function service mode if a difference between the resultant value and a predetermined threshold value is greater than a predetermined value.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying an information message on the display requesting re-entry of a secret symbol if the difference between the resultant value and the predetermined threshold value is greater than the predetermined value.

11. A method for registering and identifying a secret symbol as a password for use in a mobile telephone having a touch screen and character recognition means for recognizing data inputted via the touch screen, said method comprising the steps of:

processing a symbol character inputted via the touch screen by the character recognition means while the telephone is in a secret symbol registration mode;

storing feature data generated in said processing step in a memory, wherein the feature data represents at least two physical features of data inputted via the touch screen;

comparing the stored feature data with feature data corresponding to data inputted via the touch screen while the telephone is in a secret symbol identification mode; and

performing at least one service function according to a result of the comparing step.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said secret symbol consists of one of at least one character, a signature, a numeral, a picture, and a combination thereof, which a user of the mobile telephone intends to use as the password.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one service function includes enabling a locking function to prevent use of at least one service provided by the mobile telephone.

14. A mobile telephone comprising:

a touch screen;

character recognition means for recognizing data inputted via the touch screen; and

a processing unit for receiving at least one secret symbol inputted via the touch screen while the mobile telephone is in a password registration mode, said processing unit providing said at least one secret symbol to the character recognition means for recognizing the at least one secret symbol and generating feature data corresponding thereto, the processing unit storing the feature data in a database to register the at least one secret symbol as a password, said processing unit further comparing the stored feature data with feature data corresponding to data inputted via the touch screen for determining whether the inputted data is substantially similar to the at least one secret symbol while said telephone is in a password identification mode, wherein the feature data represents at least two physical features of data inputted via the touch screen.

15. The mobile telephone according to claim 14, wherein said at least one secret symbol consists of at least one character, a signature, a numeral, a picture, and a combination thereof, which a user of the mobile telephone intends to use as the password.

16. The mobile telephone according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit initiates at least one service function based upon comparing the stored feature data with feature data corresponding to data inputted via the touch screen.

17. The mobile telephone according to claim 16, wherein said at least one service function includes enabling a locking function to prevent use of at least one service provided by the mobile telephone.