Mobile terminal to prevent virus infection and method of controlling operation of the mobile terminal

• US 8,621,633 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrishamkar, Kaveh
• Assistant Examiner(s): DE JESUS LASSAIA, CARLOS MANUEL
• Application Number:
  US12/547,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 726/22, 726/23, 726/24, 715/769
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/128 Anti-malware arrangements, e.g. protection against SMS fraud or mobile malware
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method of controlling operation of the mobile terminal may be provided that include outputting a sensing signal corresponding to a detected attempt to make a call, connecting the call when user input indicates that it is allowed to connect the call, and if the user input indicates that it is not allowed to connect the call, shutting down the detected attempt. Accordingly, suspicious operation that may have been caused by a virus may be shut down to prevent damage to a mobile terminal caused by a virus.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting an attempt to set a short-range communication mode of the mobile terminal without input from a user;

shutting down the detected attempt to set a short-range communication mode;

saving, in a quarantine area a file corresponding to the attempt to set the short-range communication mode;

detecting an attempt to switch from one operating mode to another operating mode without a user'"'"'s permission;

shutting down the detected attempt to switch from one operating mode to another operating mode;

saving, in the quarantine area, a file corresponding to the attempt to switch from one operating mode to another operating mode;

detecting that more than a predetermined number of messages are being generated at the mobile terminal;

blocking transmission of messages from the mobile terminal when more than the predetermined number of messages are detected;

saving, in the quarantine area, a file corresponding to the messages being generated;

performing a virus scan on the plurality of saved files in the quarantine area;

classifying each of the saved plurality of files into one of a safe file, an infection-suspicious file or an infected file based on a result of the performing of the virus scan;

displaying a plurality of icons corresponding to the saved plurality of files in a quarantine display window, the plurality of icons being classified into three types of icons according to a type of the saved plurality of files;

executing a predetermined operation according to a type of a file corresponding to a touched and dragged icon when one of the plurality of icons is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window,

wherein executing the predetermined operation comprises;

executing a safe file when an icon corresponding to the safe file is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window, displaying a message regarding whether to execute the infection-suspicious file when an icon corresponding to an infection-suspicious file is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window, and displaying a message regarding whether to delete the infected file when an icon corresponding to an infected file is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying virus information regarding the infection-suspicious file or the infected file when an icon corresponding to the one of the infection-suspicious file or the infected file is selected by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a newly-added file in the quarantine area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an icon corresponding to the file saved in the quarantine area during a quarantine inspection mode.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying an icon for choosing the quarantine inspection mode on an idle screen.

6. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display;

a memory that includes a quarantine area; and

a controller configured to detect an attempt to set a short-range communication mode of the mobile terminal without input from a user, to shut down the detected attempt to set a short-range communication mode, and to save, in the quarantine area, a file corresponding to the attempt to set the short-range communication mode,

the controller further configured to detect an attempt to switch from one operating mode to another operating mode without a user'"'"'s permission, to shut down the detected attempt to switch from one operating mode to another operating mode, and to save, in the quarantine area, a file corresponding to the attempt to switch from one operating mode to another operating mode,

the controller further configured to detect that more than a predetermined number of messages are being generated at the mobile terminal, to block transmission of messages from the mobile terminal when more than the predetermined number of messages are detected, and to save, in the quarantine area, a file corresponding to the number of messages being generated,

the controller to perform a virus scan of saved plurality of files, and to classify each of the saved plurality of files into one of a safe file, an infection-suspicious file or an infected file based on a result of the virus scan,

wherein the controller is further configured to display a plurality of icons corresponding to the saved files in a quarantine display window, the plurality of icons being classified into three types of icons according to a type of the saved files,

wherein the controller is further configured to execute a predetermined operation according to a type of a file corresponding to a touched and dragged icon when one of the plurality of icons is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window, and

wherein the controller is further configured to execute a safe file when an icon corresponding to the safe file is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window, to display a message regarding whether to execute the infection-suspicious file when an icon corresponding to an infection-suspicious file is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window, and to display a message regarding whether to delete the infected file when an icon corresponding to an infected file is touched and dragged out of the quarantine display window.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the display displays virus information regarding the infection-suspicious file or the infected file when an icon corresponding to the one of the infection-suspicious file or the infected file is selected by a user.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the controller displays an icon corresponding to the file saved in the quarantine area during a quarantine inspection mode.