Mobile information terminal executing application program

• US 8,571,597 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Bitou, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/635,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20070135105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.04, 455/404.1, 455/410, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/423, 455/425, 455/517, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455/558, 455/567, 377/16, 377/28, 377 30- 31, 377/51, 377/107, 377/110, 710260-262, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/24 Resetting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

In order to control the resetting operation, a mobile phone is provided with a CPU capable of executing an application program, a power switch to receive an instruction for switching power between the ON state and the OFF state, and a reset detecting circuit to output a resetting signal for rebooting the CPU when the power switch is closed for a predetermined period of time. The CPU outputs a state signal denoting either a resettable state or a non-resettable state of the CPU. The reset detecting circuit includes an AND element to output to a resetting circuit a high signal (resetting signal) on condition that the state signal denotes the state of the CPU as resettable. The resetting circuit outputs to the CPU a low signal (resetting signal) upon input of the high signal (resetting signal) from the reset detecting circuit.

Claims

1. A mobile information terminal comprising:

a controlling portion configured to execute an application program; and

a resetting portion configured to output a resetting signal for rebooting said controlling portion in a case where a predetermined operation by a user is accepted, wherein;

said controlling portion includes a determining portion to determine whether an audible security sound emitted by the mobile information terminal is activated to indicate a condition when resetting said controlling portion is not permitted, and a state-signal outputting portion to output a state signal denoting either a resettable state or a non-resettable state of said controlling portion, wherein said state-signal outputting portion outputs the state signal denoting the non-resettable state in a case where the determining portion determines that the audible security sound is activated, after the state signal denoting the resettable state is output; and

said resetting portion includes a judging portion to output to said controlling portion said resetting signal on condition that said state signal denotes the resettable state of said controlling portion.

2. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a switch to receive an instruction for switching power between an ON state and an OFF state, wherein:

the predetermined operation includes an operation for closing said switch for a predetermined period of time; and

said resetting portion includes;

a capacitor; and

a delay circuit to supply constant current to said capacitor while said switch is closed and to output said resetting signal while the capacity of said capacitor is above a predetermined capacity.

3. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said judging portion further includes a resetting-signal invalidating portion to, upon output of said resetting signal to said controlling portion, invalidate a resetting signal input continuously from said delay circuit.

4. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controlling portion switches the power to the OFF state when said delay circuit outputs the resetting signal immediately after booting of said controlling portion.

5. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said delay circuit causes said capacitor to discharge while said switch is opened.

6. The mobile information terminal according to claim 2, wherein said controlling portion further includes:

a measuring portion to measure a period of time for closure of said switch; and

a power-off portion to turn power into the OFF state upon closure of said switch for a predetermined period of time, wherein

said delay circuit has a longer period of time from commencement of condensation of said capacitor to attainment of said predetermined capacity than said predetermined period of time for closure of said switch.

7. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said state-signal outputting portion outputs the state signal denoting the non-resettable state of said controlling portion upon input of said resetting signal.

8. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a switch to receive an instruction for switching power between an ON state and an OFF state, and a switching circuit to output a signal denoting the ON state when said switch is closed and output a signal denoting the OFF state when said switch is opened, wherein

the predetermined operation includes an operation for closing said switch for a predetermined period of time;

and

said state-signal outputting portion further includes a switch changing portion to detect an output from said switching circuit at predetermined time intervals and to output said state signal denoting the non-resettable state of said controlling portion while said switch changing portion detects the signal denoting the ON state output from said switching circuit.

9. The mobile information terminal according to claim 8, wherein:

said controlling portion further includes an opening-time changing portion to output said state signal denoting the resettable state of said controlling portion upon detection of a change of the signal denoting the ON state to the signal denoting the OFF state output from said switching circuit; and

said opening-time changing portion has higher priority for being executed by the controlling portion than at least said switch changing portion.

10. The mobile information terminal according to claim 8, wherein said delay circuit has a longer period of time from commencement of condensation of said capacitor to attainment of said predetermined capacity than each of said time intervals for said switch changing portion to detect an output from said switching circuit.

11. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a switch to receive an instruction for switching power between an ON state and an OFF state, wherein the predetermined operation includes an operation for closing said switch for a predetermined period of time.

13. The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, wherein said state-signal outputting portion outputs a state signal denoting a non-resettable state during the time when a predetermined application program is executed, while otherwise outputting a state signal denoting a resettable state.

12. A mobile information terminal comprising:

a controlling portion configured to execute an application program; and

a resetting portion to reboot said controlling portion in the case where a predetermined operation by a user is accepted, wherein;

said controlling portion includes a determining portion to determine whether an audible security sound emitted by the mobile information terminal is activated to indicate a condition when resetting said controlling portion is not permitted, and a state-signal outputting portion to output a state signal denoting either a stoppable executing state or an unstoppable executing state of said controlling portion, wherein said state-signal outputting portion outputs the state signal denoting the non-resettable state in the case where the determining portion determines that the audible security sound is activated, after the state signal denoting the resettable state is output; and

said resetting portion avoids rebooting of said controlling portion in the unstoppable executing state of said controlling portion in the case where the predetermined operation by the user is accepted.

14. The mobile information terminal according to claim 12, wherein said state-signal outputting portion outputs the state signal denoting the non-resettable state during the time when a predetermined application program is executed, while otherwise outputting the state signal denoting the resettable state.