Mobile communication terminal in which start operation is simplified

• US 6,832,103 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Namiki, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTEE, JOY KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US09/838,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20010034247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/574, 455/558, 455/411, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25, 380/249, 380/270, 380/42, 380/43, 713/168, 713/172, 713/151, 713/202, 713/310, 713/320, 713/323, 713/324, 713/330, 713/200
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal includes an IC card, a power supply, and a control section. The IC card stores an identification number. The power supply supplies power to the mobile communication terminal. The control section can set the mobile communication terminal to a communication possible state when the power is supplied from the power supply and an entered identification number is coincident with the identification number stored in the IC card. Also, the control section can set the mobile communication terminal to the communication possible state depending on a power down time period without an entering operation of the identification number when the supply of the power to the mobile communication terminal is stopped and then recovered.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

an IC card which stores an identification number;

a power supply which supplies power to said mobile communication terminal;

a control section which can set said mobile communication terminal to a communication possible state when said power is supplied from said power supply and an entered identification number is coincident with said identification number stored in said IC card, and can set said mobile communication terminal to the communication possible state depending on a power down time period without an entering operation of said identification number when the supply of said power to said mobile communication terminal is stopped and then recovered.

2. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein while said power is supplied from said power supply, said control section reads out said identification number from said IC card;

said mobile communication terminal further comprises;

a storage section; and

an encrypting section which encrypts the read out identification number using a random number,

stores the encrypted identification number in said storage section, and holds said random number.

3. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, further comprising:

a detecting section which detects said power down of said power supplied from said power supply to generate a power down signal, and detects recovery of said power supplied from said power supply to generate a power recovery signal; and

a measuring section which starts counting of said power down time period in response to said power down signal and stops the counting of said power down time period, and

wherein said control section reads out said encrypted identification number from said storage section, decrypts said encrypted identification number using said random number held in said encrypting section, when the counted power down time period between said power down and said power recovery is shorter than a predetermined time period, and sets said mobile communication terminal to said communication possible state when said decrypted identification number is coincident with said identification number stored in said IC card.

4. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein said measuring section deletes said random number held in said encrypting section, when the counted power down time period after said power down is equal to or longer than the predetermined time period.

5. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, further comprising a backup power supply, and wherein said storage section and said encrypting section are operable based on power supplied from said backup power supply when the supply of said power from said power supply is down.

6. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, further comprising a backup power supply, and wherein said storage section, said encrypting section, said detecting section and said measuring section are operable based on power supplied from said backup power supply when the supply of said power from said power supply is down.

7. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said IC card is composed of a SIM card.

8. A method of setting a mobile communication terminal to a communication possible state, comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying power from a power supply;

(b) entering an identification number from an operation unit;

(c) comparing the entered identification number with an identification number stored in an IC card;

(d) setting said mobile communication terminal to said communication possible state when said power is supplied from said power supply and an entered identification number is coincident with said identification number stored in said IC card; and

(e) setting said mobile communication terminal to said communication possible state depending on a power down time period without said (b) entering step when the supply of said power from said power supply is downed and then recovered.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said (d) setting step comprises the steps of:

(f) reading out said identification number from said IC card while said power is supplied from said power supply;

(g) encrypting the read out identification number using a random number;

(h) storing the encrypted identification number in a storage section; and

(i) holding said random number.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said (e) setting step comprises the steps of:

said power down of said power supplied from said power supply to generate a power down signal;

detecting the recovery of said power supplied from said power supply to generate a power recovery signal;

counting of said power down time period in response to said power down signal and stops the counting of said power down time period;

reading out said encrypted identification number from said storage section;

decrypting said encrypted identification number using said random number held in said encrypting section, when the counted power down time period between said power down and said power recovery is shorter than a predetermined time period; and

setting said mobile communication terminal to said communication possible state when said decrypted identification number is coincident with said identification number stored in said IC card.

11. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein said (e) setting step further comprises the steps of:

deleting said random number held in said encrypting section, when the counted power down time period after said power down is equal to or longer than the predetermined time period.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said IC card is composed of a SIM card.