Mobile terminal, method of controlling the same, and computer program of the same

• US 7,366,497 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nagata, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phuong, Dai
• Application Number:
  US10/995,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20050113071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/415
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• 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 telephone (1), when being folded, is set in a lock state by an opening/closing detection and lock mechanism (50), and then a control circuit (30) stops supply of an electric power to a fingerprint authentication unit (60). In this state, upon detection of an incoming call from an external apparatus, the control circuit (30) restarts the supply of the electric power to the fingerprint authentication unit (60), and when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the fingerprint authentication unit (60), instructs the opening/closing detection and lock mechanism (50) to carry out an unlocking operation.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal provided with lock function and an authentication unit, in which manipulation of the mobile terminal is inhibited when the lock function is locked and the lock function is unlocked to allow a manipulation of the mobile terminal when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit, the mobile terminal comprising:

a control circuit which starts supply of an electric power to the authentication unit only in response to an incoming call when the lock function is locked and unlocks the lock function when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit,

wherein said control circuit supplies the electric power to the authentication unit over a predetermined period of time only in response to the incoming call, unlocks the lock function when the user is authenticated as a legitimate user within the predetermined period of time by the authentication unit, and stops the supply of the electric power to the authentication unit when the authentication by the authentication unit is not carried out within the predetermined period of time.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit informs the user that the electric power is supplied to the authentication unit by utilizing at least one of a sound, light, and a vibration.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit is a fingerprint authentication unit for carrying out user authentication based on results of comparison of information representing a fingerprint which is newly read during the supply of the electric power with fingerprint information of the legitimate user which is registered in advance.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the lock function includes a mechanical lock mechanism which regulates an opening/closing manipulation by a user for a plurality of chassis constituting a main body of the mobile terminal.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the lock function electronically regulates an input manipulation for the mobile terminal by a user.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising detection means for detecting the incoming call from an external apparatus.

7. A mobile terminal comprising:

lock means for locking and unlocking the mobile terminal;

an authentication unit, wherein manipulation of the mobile terminal is inhibited when the lock means is locked and the lock means is unlocked to allow manipulation of the mobile terminal when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit; and

control means for starting supply of an electric power to the authentication unit only in response to an incoming call when the lock means is locked and for unlocking the lock means when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 7, further comprising detection means for detecting the incoming call from an external apparatus.

9. A mobile terminal, comprising:

authentication means for authenticating whether a user is a legitimate user of the mobile terminal;

lock means for inhibiting and allowing manipulation of the mobile terminal;

lock control means for inhibiting manipulation of the mobile terminal by said lock means and for unlocking said lock means to allow manipulation of the mobile terminal when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by said authentication means;

detection means for detecting an incoming wireless call from an external apparatus; and

a power supply control unit which starts supply of an electric power to said authentication means only in response to detection of an incoming wireless call by said detection means when said lock means is locked.

10. A method of controlling a mobile terminal provided with lock function and an authentication unit, in which manipulation of the mobile terminal is inhibited when the lock function is locked and the lock function is unlocked to allow manipulation of the mobile terminal when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying electric power to the authentication unit for a predetermined period of time only in response to an incoming call when the lock function is locked;

unlocking the lock function when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit within the predetermined period of time,

stopping the supply of the electric power to the authentication unit when the authentication by the authentication unit is not carried out within the predetermined period of time.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of the mobile terminal detecting the incoming call from an external apparatus.

12. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for operation control for a mobile terminal provided with a lock function and an authentication unit, in which manipulation of the mobile terminal is inhibited when the lock function is locked and the lock function is unlocked to allow manipulation of the mobile terminal when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit, the computer program causing a computer to implement the steps of:

supplying electric power to the authentication unit for a predetermined period of time only in response to an incoming call when the lock function is locked,

unlocking the lock function when a user is authenticated as a legitimate user by the authentication unit within the predetermined period of time,

stopping the supply of the electric power to the authentication unit when the authentication by the authentication unit is not carried out within the predetermined period of time.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein the computer program further implements the step of the mobile terminal detecting the incoming call from an external apparatus.