Mobile terminal

• US 8,543,090 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Yasuda, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US12/059,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/456.6, 455/432.3, 455/456.3, 365/185.13, 365/189.05, 257/E21.69, 315/101, 369/77.21, 713/182, 713/184, 713/168
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a processor shifting a state between a first restricted state for restricting a key operation except for at least a code inputting operation, a second restricted state for restricting a key operation including at least said code inputting operation, and a unrestricted state for making a key operation unrestricted. The processor selects the unrestricted state when a code input by the code inputting operation in the first restricted state is a preset code. Furthermore, whether or not the number of executions of the code inputting operation in the first restricted state is above a threshold value is repetitively determined, and if the determination result is negative, the first restricted state is selected while if the determination result is affirmative, the second restricted state is selected. Then, a possibility of a key operator being a qualified person is repetitively determined, and as the possibility is high, the threshold value is made large.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal shifting a state between a restricted state for restricting a key operation and an unrestricted state for making a key operation unrestricted, comprising:

a first selector for selecting said unrestricted state when a PIN code is input by a code inputting operation in a first restricted state for restricting a key operation so as to not perform a function associated with the key operation, excluding at least the code inputting operation;

a second selector for determining whether a number of unsuccessful code inputting operations in said first restricted state is above a threshold value, selecting said first restricted state when it is determined that the number of unsuccessful code inputting operations is not above the threshold value, and selecting a second restricted state for restricting a key operation including at least the code inputting operation when it is determined that the number of unsuccessful code inputting operations is above the threshold value;

a communicator for executing a short range radio communication with an external communication device; and

a threshold changer for determining a possibility of a key operator being a qualified person and increasing said threshold value when said possibility is determined to be high, wherein said threshold changer determines that said possibility is high when said terminal itself is inside a predetermined area, and determines that said possibility is low when said terminal itself is outside said predetermined area.

2. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising

a third selector for selecting said first restricted state when communication with said external communication device by said communicator cannot be established.

3. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein a number of unsuccessful code inputting operations noted by said second selector is a consecutive number of unsuccessful code inputting operations performed by the key operator.

4. A mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein each of said first restricted state and said second restricted state does not restrict turning on and off a power source of the mobile terminal.

5. A non-transitory recording medium storing a control program of a mobile terminal shifting a state between a restricted state for restricting a key operation and an unrestricted state for making a key operation unrestricted, wherein

said control program causes a processor of said mobile terminal to execute

a first selecting step for selecting said unrestricted state when a PIN code is input by a code inputting operation in a first restricted state for restricting a key operation so as to not perform a function associated with the key operation, excluding at least the code inputting operation;

a second selecting step for determining whether a number of unsuccessful code inputting operations in said first restricted state is above a threshold value, selecting said first restricted state when it is determined that the number of unsuccessful code inputting operations is not above the threshold value, and selecting a second restricted state for restricting a key operation including at least the code inputting operation when it is determined that the number of unsuccessful code inputting operations is above the threshold value;

a communication step for executing a short range radio communication with an external communication device; and

a threshold changing step for determining a possibility of a key operator being a qualified person and increasing said threshold value when said possibility is determined to be high, wherein said threshold changer determines that said possibility is high when said terminal itself is inside a predetermined area, and determines that said possibility is low when said terminal itself is outside said predetermined area.

7. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 5, wherein said control program causes a processor of said mobile terminal to further execute a third selecting step for selecting said first restricted state when communication with said external communication device by said communicator cannot be established.

8. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 5, wherein a number of unsuccessful code inputting operations noted by said second selector is a consecutive number of unsuccessful code inputting operations performed by the key operator.

9. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 5, wherein each of said first restricted state and said second restricted state does not restrict turning on and off a power source of the mobile terminal.

6. A controlling method of a mobile terminal shifting a state between a restricted state for restricting a key operation and an unrestricted state for making a key operation unrestricted, comprising:

a first selecting step for selecting said unrestricted state when a PIN code is input by a code inputting operation in a first restricted state for restricting a key operation so as to not perform a function associated with the key operation, excluding at least the code inputting operation;

a second selecting step for determining whether a number of unsuccessful code inputting operations in said first restricted state is above a threshold value, selecting said first restricted state when it is determined that the number of unsuccessful code inputting operations is not above the threshold value, and selecting a second restricted state for restricting a key operation including at least the code inputting operation when it is determined that the number of unsuccessful code inputting operations is above the threshold value;

a communication step for executing a short range radio communication with an external communication device; and

a threshold changing step for determining a possibility of a key operator being a qualified person and increasing said threshold value when said possibility is determined to be high, wherein said threshold changer determines that said possibility is high when said terminal itself is inside a predetermined area, and determines that said possibility is low when said terminal itself is outside said predetermined area.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising a third selecting step for selecting said first restricted state when communication with said external communication device by said communicator cannot be established.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein a number of unsuccessful code inputting operations noted by said second selector is a consecutive number of unsuccessful code inputting operations performed by the key operator.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein each of said first restricted state and said second restricted state does not restrict turning on and off a power source of the mobile terminal.