Coordinated operation method, and communication terminal device

• US 8,375,079 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Masahiko, Aoki, Kazuo, Matsumura, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORMAN, JAMES Q
• Application Number:
  US11/785,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 713/193, 380/231
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

An application load unit of a host unit loads an application main body of an engine application which has been acquired to an engine unit. Subsequently, when an execution command for the application main body is issued by the user, an execution decision means within an application execution control unit of the host unit refers to application management information, and decides whether or not it is possible to execute the application main body. If the result of this decision is affirmative, an execution command transmission means within the application execution control unit sends an execution command for the application main body to the engine unit. As a result, processing related to the engine application is apportioned between the host unit and the engine unit in an appropriate manner.

Claims

1. A coordinated operation method, comprising:

(a) providing a cellular phone including two processors in an interior of the cellular phone, the processors further including

a host processor which performs processing related to communication with an exterior of the cellular phone, and

an engine processor which is dedicated to screen display processing and audio data output processing of a work and which executes the work under management of said host processor,

wherein the processors operate in a coordinated manner;

(b) an acquisition process in which said host processor acquires a main body portion of said work and also acquires work management information related to a utilization limit, including an execution limit for said work;

(c) a work load process in which said host processor loads said main body portion of said work into said engine processor;

(d) a work execution decision process in which, in response to a work execution command from a user, said host processor refers to said work management information, and decides whether or not said work can be executed;

a work execution command transmission process in which, if the result of the decision in said work execution decision process is affirmative, said host processor sends an execution command for said work to said engine processor;

the engine processor outputting an engine display image signal (BID) as a display image signal (MID) if a signal level of a host output control signal (HCT) of the execution command is below a predetermined level, and a signal level of an engine output control signal (ECT) is above the predetermined level;

the host processor outputting the host display image signal (HID) as the display image signal (MID) if the signal level of the host output control signal (HCT) is below the predetermined level, and the signal level of the engine output control signal (ECT) is also below the predetermined level; and

executing said work.

2. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1,

wherein the host processor, when initialized, sets the signal level of the host output control signal (HCT) to the predetermined level.

3. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1,

wherein, if the signal level of the host output control signal (HCT) of the execution command is at the predetermined level, and it is being specified by the host output control signal that the host display image signal (HID) should be selected, then, irrespective of the signal level of an engine output control signal (ECT), outputting the host display image signal as the display image signal;

and

wherein, if the signal level of the host output control signal is not at the predetermined level, then selecting one of the host display image signal and the engine display image signal (EID) as the display image signal according to the signal level of the engine output control signal.

4. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized in that a decision is made in said work execution decision process, after acquisition of said work, if information of a number of times execution limit is included in said work management information, as to whether or not the cumulative number of times of execution of said work does not conflict with said number of times for execution limit.

5. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, along with a decision being made in said work execution decision process, after acquisition of said work, if information of a time period for execution limit is included in said work management information, as to whether or not the cumulative time period of execution of said work does not conflict with said time period for execution limit, there are further comprised, in parallel with executing said work:

a cumulative time period of execution monitoring process of said host processor totaling the cumulative time period of execution of said work, and monitoring the excess of said time period of execution limit over the totaled result;

a work forcible stoppage command process of said host processor sending a stop command to said engine processor if, during said cumulative time period of execution monitoring process, it has been detected that said totaled result has exceeded said time period for execution limit; and

a work forcible stoppage process of said engine processor stopping the execution of said work upon receipt of said work stop command.

6. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, if a work region code for limiting the region in which execution permission is given is included in said work management information, then, in said work execution decision process, a decision is made as to whether or not a terminal region code which is imparted to said communication terminal device matches said work region code.

7. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized by further comprising:

a work reproduction decision process of said host processor, in response to a reproduction command for said work from the user, referring to said work management information, and deciding whether or not said work can be reproduced; and

a work reproduction process of said host processor reproducing said work, if the result of this decision in said work reproduction decision process is affirmative.

8. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized by further comprising:

a work transmission decision process of said host processor, in response to a transmission command for said work from the user, referring to said work management information, and deciding whether or not said work can be transmitted; and

a work transmission process of said host processor transmitting said work, if the result of this decision in said work transmission decision process is affirmative.

9. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized by further comprising:

a work modification decision process of said host processor, in response to a modification command for the main body of said work from the user, referring to said work management information, and deciding whether or not the main body of said work can be modified; and

a work modification process of said host processor modifying the main body of said work, if the result of this decision in said modification decision process is affirmative.

10. The coordinated operation method as described in claim 1, characterized in that said work load process comprises:

a work loading decision process of said host processor, in response to a load command for said work from the user, referring to said work management information, and deciding whether or not said work is to be loaded; and

a work load execution process of said host processor loading the main body portion of said work to said engine processor, if the result of this decision in said work loading decision process is affirmative.

11. A cellular phone including two processors in an interior of the cellular phone, the two processors operating in a coordinated manner and comprising a host processor and an engine processor;

the cellular phone comprising;

a host processor, comprising the host processor, which performs processing related to communication with an exterior of the cellular phone, and

an engine processor dedicated to screen display processing and audio data output processing of a work, comprising the engine processor, which executes the work under the management of said host processor;

and wherein said host processor comprises;

an acquisition device which acquires a main body portion of said work, and also acquires work management information related to a utilization limit, including an execution limit for said work;

a work loader which loads said main body portion of said work into said engine processor;

a work execution decision device which, according to a work execution command from a user, refers to said work management information, and decides whether or not said work can be executed; and

a work execution command transmission which, if the result of the decision by said work execution decision device is affirmative, sends an execution command for said work to said engine processor;

wherein the engine processor outputs an engine display image signal (EID) as a display image signal (MID) if a signal level of a host output control signal (HCT) of the execution command is below a predetermined level, and a signal level of an engine output control signal (ECT) is above the predetermined level; and

wherein the engine host processor outputs the host display image signal (HID) as the display image signal (MID) if the signal level of the host output control signal (HCT) is below the predetermined level, and the signal level of the engine output control signal (ECT) is also below the predetermined level.

12. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11,

wherein the host processor, when initialized, sets the signal level of the host output control signal (HCT) to the predetermined level.

13. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11,

wherein, if the signal level of the host output control signal (HCT) of the execution command is at the predetermined level, and it is being specified by the host output control signal that the host display image signal (HID) should be selected, then, irrespective of the signal level of an engine output control signal (ECT), outputting the host display image signal as the display image signal;

and

wherein, if the signal level of the host output control signal is not at the predetermined level, then selecting one of the host display image signal and the engine display image signal (EID) as the display image signal according to the signal level of the engine output control signal.

14. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that, along with said work execution decision means deciding, after acquisition of said work, if information of a time period for execution limit is included in said work management information, as to whether or not the cumulative time period of execution of said work does not conflict with said time period for execution limit, said host processor further comprises:

a cumulative time period of execution monitoring means which, during the execution of said work, while totaling the cumulative time period of execution of said work, also monitors the excess of said time period for execution limit over the totaled result; and

a work forcible stoppage command means of sending a stop command for the execution of said work to said engine processor, if it has been detected by said cumulative time period of execution monitoring means that said totaled result has exceeded said time period for execution limit.

15. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that, if a work region code for limiting the region in which execution permission for said work management information is given is included in said work management information, then said work execution decision means makes a decision as to whether or not a terminal region code which is imparted to said communication terminal device matches said work region code.

16. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that said host processor further comprises a work reproduction means which, in response to a reproduction command for said work from the user, refers to said work management information and makes a decision as to whether or not said work can be reproduced, and reproduces said work, if the result of this decision is affirmative.

17. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that said host processor further comprises a work transmission means which, in response to a transmission command for said work from the user, refers to said work management information and makes a decision as to whether or not said work can be transmitted, and transmits said work, if the result of this decision is affirmative.

18. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that said host processor further comprises a work modification means which, in response to a modification command for the main body of said work from the user, refers to said work management information and makes a decision as to whether or not the main body of said work can be modified, and modifies the main body of said work, if the result of this decision is affirmative.

19. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that said work load means comprises:

a work loading decision means which, in response to a load command for said work from the user, refers to said work management information, and decides whether or not said work is to be loaded; and

a work load execution means which loads the main body portion of said work to said engine processor, if the result of this decision by said work loading decision means is affirmative.

20. The communication terminal device as described in claim 11, characterized in that said host processor further comprises a wireless communication radio, connected to said host processor, for performing wireless communication with a base station of a mobile communication network.