Portable terminal apparatus and communication method thereof

• US 6,606,662 B2
• Filed: 06/09/1998
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagasaki, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANG, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US09/093,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/229, 709/227, 709/202, 709/203, 382/187, 382/115, 395/326, 713/201, 713/202, 340/825.34, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/375
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

The authorization of a user is performed in such a way that the user inputs one or more characters to a portable terminal apparatus using a pen input apparatus, and the handwriting of the input character(s) is compared with the handwriting of the authorized user, which is stored (e.g., in a flash ROM) in advance. When it is determined that the portable terminal apparatus is being used by an unauthorized user, a communication device is activated, and the server is notified of the fact that the portable terminal apparatus is being used by the unauthorized user.

Claims

1. A portable terminal apparatus, comprising:

memory for storing handwriting information of an authorized user and a password of the authorized user;

communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus;

handwriting information input means for inputting handwriting information of a current user;

first judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the handwriting information of the current user with the handwriting information of the authorized user;

determining means for determining whether a request for displaying a password input screen has been made by the user;

password input means for inputting a password of the current user on the displayed password input screen when said determining means determines that the request has been made;

second judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the password of the current user with the password of the authorized user; and

informing means for automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using said communication means when said first judgment means and said second judgment means judge the current user is not the authorized user.

2. A portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said handwriting information input means includes pen input means and inputs the handwriting information of the current user by using said pen input means.

3. A portable terminal apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the handwriting information of the authorized user is handwriting features of the authorized user, and wherein said first judgment means extracts features of the handwriting of the current user from the handwriting information of the current user input by pen input means, and judges whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the handwriting features of the current user with the handwriting features of the authorized user.

4. A portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said informing means does not inform the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus when at least one of said first judgment means and said second judgment means judge the current user is the same as the authorized user.

5. A portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means is adapted to communicate with the external apparatus over a network.

6. A portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request for displaying the password input screen is made by drawing a predetermined mark by said handwriting information input means.

7. A portable terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the request for displaying the password input screen is made by pressing a specified combination of buttons.

8. A communication method for use with a portable terminal apparatus comprising memory for storing handwriting information of an authorized user and a password of the authorized user, and communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus, and handwriting information input means for inputting handwriting information of a current user, and password input means for inputting a password of the current user on a password input screen, said communication method composing:

a first judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the handwriting information of the current user with the handwriting information of the authorized user;

a determining step, of determining whether a request for displaying the password input screen has been made by the user;

a second judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the password of the current user with the password of the authorized user; and

an informing step, of automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using the communication means when it is judged in said first judgment step and said second judgment step that the current user is not the authorized user.

9. A communication method according to claim 8, wherein the handwriting information input means inputs the handwriting information of the current user by using pen input means.

10. A communication method according to claim 9, wherein the handwriting information of the authorized user is handwriting features of the authorized user, and wherein said first judgment step includes extracting the features of the handwriting of the current user from the handwriting information of the current user input by pen input means, and judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the handwriting features of the current user with the handwriting features of the authorized user.

11. A communication method according to claim 8, wherein the communication means communicates with the external apparatus over a network.

12. A communication method according to claim 8, wherein said informing step is not performed to inform the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus when it is judged in at least one of said first judgment step and said second judgment step that the current user is the same as the authorized user.

13. A communication method for use with a portable terminal apparatus comprising memory for storing character recognition rate for handwriting information of an authorized user and a password of the authorized user, and communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus, and handwriting information input means for inputting handwriting information of a current user, and password input means for inputting a password of the current user on a password input screen, said communication method comprising:

a character recognition step, of character-recognizing the handwriting information input using the information input means and calculating a character recognition rate for handwriting information of the current user;

a first judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the character recognition rate of the current user with the character recognition rate of the authorized user;

a determining step, of determining whether a request for displaying a password input screen has been made by the user;

a second judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the password of the current user with the password of the authorized user; and

an informing step, of automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using the communication means when it is judged in said first judgment step and said second judgment step that the current user is not the authorized user.

14. A communication system, comprising:

a portable terminal apparatus; and

a server, said portable terminal apparatus and said server performing communication,

wherein said portable terminal apparatus comprises;

memory for storing handwriting information of an authorized user and a password of the authorized user;

handwriting information input means for inputting handwriting information of a current user;

first judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the handwriting information of the current user with the handwriting information of the authorized user;

determining means for determining whether a request for displaying a password input screen has been made by the user;

password input means for inputting a password of the current user on the displayed password input screen when said determining means determines that the request has been made;

second judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the password of the current user with the password of the authorized user; and

informing means for automatically informing the server about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus when said first judgment means and said second judgment means judge the current user is not the authorized user, and

wherein said server comprises;

receiving means for receiving the unauthorized use information; and

transmission means for transmitting predetermined data to said portable terminal apparatus.

15. A communication system according to claim 14, comprising a plurality of such portable terminal apparatus, and wherein said server further comprises identification means for identifying the portable terminal apparatus which informs the unauthorized use information received by said receiving means, and wherein said transmission means transmits predetermined data to the portable terminal apparatus identified by said identification means.

16. A communication system according to claim 14, wherein said transmission means transmits a warning message.

17. A communication system according to claim 14, wherein said transmission means transmits an application program for locking execution of the application within said portable terminal apparatus.

18. A communication system according to claim 14, wherein said server further comprises position determination means for determining the position of said portable terminal apparatus, and wherein said transmission means transmits the data indicating the position determined by said position determination means together with a warning message.

19. A communication system according to claim 14, wherein said portable terminal apparatus and said server perform communication over a network.

20. A portable terminal apparatus, comprising:

memory for storing information of an authorized user;

communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus;

information input means for inputting information of a current user;

judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the information of the current user with the information of the authorized user;

informing means for automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using said communication means when said judgment means judges the current user is not the authorized user; and

executing means for executing a data deletion program which deletes the data within the portable terminal apparatus if the data deletion program is transmitted from the external apparatus in response to the unauthorized use informed by said informing means.

21. A portable terminal apparatus, comprising:

memory for storing information of an unauthorized user and a data deletion program for deleting the data within the portable terminal apparatus;

communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus;

information input means for inputting information of a current user;

judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the information of the current user with the information of the authorized user;

informing means for automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using said communication means when said judgment means judges the current user is not the authorized user; and

executing means for executing the stored data deletion program which deletes the data within the portable terminal apparatus if a subprogram for activating the stored data deletion program is transmitted from the external apparatus in response to the unauthorized use informed by said informing means.

22. A communication method for use with a portable terminal apparatus comprising memory for storing information of an authorized user, and communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus, and information input means for inputting information of a current user, said communication method comprising:

a judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the information of the current user with the information of the authorized user;

an informing step, of automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using said communication means when it is judged in said judgment step that the current user is not the authorized user; and

an executing step, of executing a data deletion program which deletes the data within the portable terminal apparatus if the data deletion program is transmitted from the external apparatus in response to the unauthorized use informed in said informing step.

23. A communication method for use with a portable terminal apparatus comprising memory for storing information of an authorized user and a data deletion program for deleting the data within the portable terminal apparatus, and communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus, and information input means for inputting information of a current user, said communication method comprising:

a judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the information of the current user with the information of the authorized user;

an informing step, of automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using said communication means when it is judged in said judgment step that the current user is not the authorized user; and

an executing step, of executing the stored data deletion program which deletes the data within the portable terminal apparatus if a subprogram for activating the stored data deletion program is transmitted from the external apparatus in response to the unauthorized use informed in said informing step.

24. A portable terminal apparatus comprising:

memory for storing character recognition rate for handwriting information of an authorized user and a password of the authorized user;

communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus;

handwriting information input means for inputting handwriting information of a current user;

character recognition means for character-recognizing the handwriting information input by said information input means and calculating a character recognition rate for handwriting information of the current user;

first judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the character recognition rate of the current user with the character recognition rate of the authorized user;

determining means for determining whether a request for displaying a password input screen has been made by the user;

password input means for inputting a password of the current user on the displayed password input screen when said determining means determines that the request has been made;

second judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the password of the current user with the password of the authorized user; and

informing means for automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus by using said communication means when said first judgment means and said second judgment means judge the current user is not the authorized user.

25. A communication system, comprising:

a portable terminal apparatus; and

a server, said portable terminal apparatus and said server performing communication,

wherein said portable terminal apparatus comprises;

memory for storing information of an authorized user, data and a data deletion program for deleting the data;

information input means for inputting information of a current user;

judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the information of the current user with the information of the authorized user; and

informing means for automatically informing the server about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus when said judgment means judges the current user is not the authorized user, and

wherein said server comprises;

receiving means for receiving the unauthorized use information; and

transmission means for transmitting, to said portable terminal apparatus, a subprogram for activating the data deletion program stored.

26. A computer-readable medium storing a program for use with a computer comprising memory for storing handwriting information of an authorized user, and a password of the authorized user, and communication means for performing communication with an external apparatus, and handwriting information input means for handwriting inputting information of a current user, and password input means for inputting a password of the current user on a password input screen, said program comprising:

a first judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the handwriting information of the current user with the handwriting information of the authorized user;

a determining step, of determining whether a request for displaying the password input screen has been made by the user;

a second judgment step, of judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the password of the current user with the password of the authorized user; and

an informing step, of automatically informing the external apparatus about an unauthorized use of the computer by using the communication means when it is judged in said judgment step that the current user is not the authorized user.

27. A communication system, comprising:

a portable terminal apparatus; and

a server, said portable terminal apparatus and said server performing communication,

wherein said portable terminal apparatus comprises;

memory for storing information of an authorized user;

information input means for inputting information of a current user;

judgment means for judging whether the current user is the authorized user by comparing the information of the current user with the information of the authorized user; and

informing means for automatically informing the server about an unauthorized use of the portable terminal apparatus when said judgment means judges the current user is not the authorized user, and

wherein said server comprises;

receiving means for receiving the unauthorized use information; and

transmission means for transmitting, to said portable terminal apparatus, a data deletion program which deletes the data within the portable terminal apparatus.