Method for preventing illegal use of mobile communication terminal

• US 7,099,699 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Ho Joong
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches, Randy
• Application Number:
  US09/987,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20020058497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/411, 455/419, 455/410, 455/421, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/551, 455/571, 455/572, 455/565, 455/566, 340/571, 340/653
• US Class Current: 455/565
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means

Abstract

A method for preventing an illegal use of a mobile communication terminal includes the steps of: transmitting a short message service (SMS) message to a lost terminal when a user requests a phone-locking service; and analyzing the received SMS message to set a phone-locking state for the lost terminal. When a terminal is lost, an SMS message containing a ciphered string is transmitted to the lost terminal to set a phone-locking or forcefully turn off an LCD power, so that the lost terminal can be prevented from illegally using by a third party or a stranger and user'"'"'s personal information can be effectively prevented from leaking.

Claims

1. A method for preventing use of a mobile communication terminal comprising:

transmitting a short message service (SMS) message to the mobile communication terminal when a user requests a phone-locking service;

receiving the SMS message at the mobile communication terminal; and

analyzing the received SMS message to set a phone-locking state for the mobile communication terminal by turning off a display power;

wherein the display power off state setting comprises;

controlling a GPIO port of an mobile station modem and cutting off power applied to the display; and

converting a data variable of a memory as the applied power is cut off to prevent the power to the display when power to the terminal is subsequently provided.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the SMS message includes a header and a ciphered string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the phone-locking function comprises:

checking whether a ciphered string is contained in the received SMS message;

discriminating a type of the ciphered string; and

setting the mobile communication terminal to a phone-locking state, if the ciphered string is for a phone-locking state.

4. A method for preventing use of a mobile communication terminal comprising:

transmitting an SMS message to the mobile communication terminal from an exchange when a phone-locking service is requested;

receiving the SMS message at the mobile communication terminal;

analyzing the received SMS message and turning off a display power by the mobile communication terminal; and

storing an indication to keep the display power off while maintaining power to remaining portions of the mobile communication terminal;

wherein the display power off state setting comprises;

controlling a GPIO port of a MSM and cutting off power applied to the display; and

converting a data variable of a memory as the applied power is cut off to prevent the power to the display when power to the terminal is subsequently provided.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the SMS message includes a header and a ciphered string.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the display power turning off step comprises:

checking whether a ciphered string exists in the SMS message;

discriminating a type of the ciphered string contained in the SMS message; and

turning off the display power, if the type of the ciphered string is for a display power off use.

7. A method for preventing use of a mobile communication terminal comprising:

a first step in which when a user requests a phone-locking service, an SMS message is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal; and

a second step in which the received SMS message is analyzed to set a phone lock function by a display power off function, wherein the display power off setting comprises;

controlling a general purpose input/output (GPIO) port of a mobile station modem (MSM) and cutting off power to the display, and

converting a data variable of a memory to prevent the power to the display when power to the terminal is subsequently provided.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the SMS message includes a header and a ciphered string.

9. The method of claim 7, where the second step comprises:

checking whether a ciphered string is contained in the SMS message;

discriminating a type of the ciphered string contained in the SMS message; and

setting a phone-lock function or display power off function according to the discriminated ciphered string type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the phone-lock function setting comprises:

reading a lock code if the ciphered string is for a phone-lock function;

enabling a variable value for the phone-lock function; and

setting the phone-lock function based on the read lock code and displaying the phone-lock function on the mobile communication terminal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein, if no ciphered string is contained in the SMS message, a general SMS message processing is performed.

12. A method for preventing use of a mobile communication terminal comprising:

receiving an SMS message from a base station;

checking whether a ciphered string exists in the received SMS message;

discriminating a type of the ciphered string if a ciphered string exists in the SMS message, and processing a general SMS message if a ciphered string does not exist in the received SMS message; and

setting a phone-locking state or turning off a display power off state for the mobile communication terminal according to the discriminated ciphered string type, wherein the display power off state setting comprises;

cutting off power applied to the display, and controlling a GPIO port of an MSM;

converting a data variable of a memory as the applied power is cut off to prevent the power to the display when power to the terminal is subsequently provided.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the SMS message includes a header and a ciphered string.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the phone-locking state setting comprises:

reading a lock code from the memory if a ciphered string is for the phone-locking state;

enabling a variable value for the phone-locking state; and

setting the phone-locking state on the basis of the read lock code and displaying the phone-locking state on the mobile communication terminal.

15. An apparatus for preventing use of a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

receiving means for receiving an SMS message from a base station;

checking means for checking whether a ciphered string exists in a received SMS message;

discriminating means for discriminating a type of the ciphered string if a ciphered string exists in the SMS message, and processing a general SMS message if a ciphered string does not exist in the received SMS message;

setting means for setting a phone-locking state using a display power off state for the mobile communication terminal according to the discriminated ciphered string type; and

storing means for storing an indication to keep the display power off while maintaining power to remaining portion of the mobile communication terminal in the display power off state, wherein the setting means includes control means for controlling a GPIO port of a MSM.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the received message includes a ciphered string.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, comprising:

means for controlling a GPIO portion of a mobile station modem and cutting off power applied to the display; and

means for converting a data variable of a memory as the applied power is cut off to prevent the power to the display when power to the terminal is subsequently provided.