Mobile information device, method of controlling mobile information device, and program

• US 7,224,996 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/365,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/572, 455/575.3, 455/67.13, 455/466, 455/423, 455/573, 455/63.4, 455/574, 455/550, 455/575.1, 379/388.02, 45/671.6
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile information device has an operation unit which detects an operation by a user, a detection unit which detects a predetermined state when operated by the user, and a control unit which validates or invalidates the operation of the operation unit, depending on whether the predetermined state is detected or not.

Claims

1. A mobile information device comprising:

a power source;

an operation unit which detects a mobile device operation by the user,

a detection unit which detects a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when the mobile device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

a control unit which controls such a transition point as to transit from a first state to a second state in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said control unit cuts off said power source when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and also cuts off said power source when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

2. A mobile information device comprising:

a display unit controlling brightness of a display;

an operation unit which detects a mobile device operation by a user;

a detection unit which detects a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when the mobile device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

a control unit which controls the brightness of the display in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said control unit decreases the brightness of the display when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and decreases the brightness of the display when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

3. A mobile information device according to claim 2, wherein said control unit controls a period for keeping the brightness of the display in accordance with whether the user hand holding state is detected.

4. A mobile information device comprising:

a power source;

an operation unit which detects a mobile device operation by a user;

a display unit supplied with electricity from said power source;

a detection unit which detects a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when the mobile device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

a control unit which controls such a transition point as to transit from a first state to a second state in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein the transition point is a point of cutting off said power source to stop the electric supply to said display unit, and

wherein said control unit stops the electric supply to said display unit when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and stops the electric supply to said display unit when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

5. A mobile information device comprising:

an operation unit which detects a mobile device operation by a user;

a detection unit which detects a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when the mobile device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

a control unit which controls a performance speed in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said control unit decreases the performance speed when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and decreases the performance speed when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the handholding state.

6. A mobile information device according to claim 5, wherein said control unit controls a period of keeping the performance speed in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected.

7. A mobile information device comprising:

a processing unit which executes one or more processing programs;

an operation unit which detects a mobile device operation by a user;

a detection unit which detects a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when the mobile device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

a control unit which starts or terminates a specified processing program in said processing unit in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected

wherein said control unit starts or terminates the processing program when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and starts or terminates the processing program when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user hand holding state.

8. A mobile information device according to claim 7, wherein said control unit controls such a keeping period as to keep an executed state or a stopped state of the processing program in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected.

9. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to make a computer control a mobile information device including a power source, by:

detecting a mobile device operation by a user;

detecting a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when said mobile information device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

controlling a power source cut-off point as to stop an electric supply from said power source in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said controlling involves cutting off said power source when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and also cutting off said power source when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

10. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to make a computer control a mobile information device including a display unit controlling brightness of a display, by:

detecting a mobile device operation by a user;

detecting a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when said mobile information device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

controlling the brightness of the display in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said controlling involves decreasing the brightness of the display when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and also decreasing the brightness of the display when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

11. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program according to claim 10, wherein said controlling involves controlling a period of keeping the brightness of the display in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected.

12. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to make a computer control a mobile information device including a display unit and a power source for supplying electricity to said display unit, by:

detecting a mobile device operation by a user;

detecting a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when said mobile information device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

controlling a power source cut-off point as to stop an electric supply to said display unit in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said controlling involves stopping the electric supply to said display unit when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and also stopping the electric supply to said display unit when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

13. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to make a computer control a mobile information device including a performance unit controlling a performance speed, by:

detecting a mobile device operation by a user;

detecting a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when said mobile information device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

controlling the performance speed in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said control involves decreasing the performance speed when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and also decreasing the performance speed when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

14. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program according to claim 13, further comprising a period of keeping the performance speed in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected.

15. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to make a computer control a mobile information device including a processing unit for executing a processing program, by:

detecting a mobile device operation by a user;

detecting a user handholding state of the mobile device according to a probe current measurement based upon the user, when said mobile information device is operated by the user according to the mobile device operation; and

controlling so as to start or terminate a specified processing program in said processing unit in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected,

wherein said controlling involves starting or terminating the processing program when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a first period in the user handholding state, and also starting or terminating the processing program when said operation unit does not detect the mobile device operation by the user for duration of a second period if not in the user handholding state.

16. A storage medium readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program according to claim 15, wherein said controlling involves controlling such a keeping period as to keep an executed state or stopped state of the processing program in accordance with whether the user handholding state is detected.