Information device

• US 8,638,305 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Inami, Akiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYAN, MIHIR K
• Application Number:
  US12/841,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for executing an application program is disclosed. One or more icons are displayed on a touch panel. If a user'"'"'s fingerprint is authenticated on the touch panel, an application program is given access to designated personal information. The application program is then executed using the designated personal information, if the detected action is an information-designated start operation.

Claims

1. An information device comprising:

a storage module operable to store;

a first fingerprint corresponding to a first finger of a user, the first finger being any one of the five fingers of a hand of the user;

a second fingerprint corresponding to a second finger of the user, the second finger being any one of the five fingers other than the first finger of the hand of the user;

a first designated information associated with the first fingerprint; and

a second designated information associated with the second fingerprint, the second designated information different from the first designated information;

a touch panel operable to;

display one or more icons;

detect fingerprint information from a finger touching the touch panel to obtain a detected fingerprint information;

detect an action of the finger touching a selected icon; and

a control module operable to;

execute an application program corresponding to the selected icon with using the first designated information to obtain a designated execution, if the detected fingerprint is associated with the first designated information and if the detection of action is an information-designated start operation, which is separate from detection of fingerprint information,

execute an application program corresponding to the selected icon with using the second designated information to obtain a designated execution, if the detected fingerprint is associated with the second designated information and if the detection of action is an information-designated start operation, which is separate from detection of fingerprint information.

2. The information device according to claim 1, wherein the storage module further comprises personal information of a plurality of persons, wherein the designated information corresponds to the personal information of one of the persons.

3. The information device according to claim 1, wherein the control module is further operable to execute an application program corresponding to the selected icon without using the designated information to obtain a normal execution, if the action is a normal start operation.

4. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises touching the selected icon with the finger followed by the finger moving into a predetermined region of the touch panel while the finger is touching the touch panel.

5. The information device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined region comprises an area of the touch panel outside a display region of the icons.

6. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises the finger touching the selected icon followed by the finger moving longer than a predetermined distance while the finger is touching the touch panel.

7. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises the finger touching the selected icon, followed by the finger moving faster than a predetermined speed while the finger is touching the touch panel.

8. The information device according to claim 3, wherein one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation, comprises the finger touching the selected icon, followed by the finger moving in a predetermined shape while the finger is touching the touch panel.

9. The information device according to claim 3, wherein:

a first action comprises one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation; and

a second action comprises one of the information-designated start operation and the normal start operation that is not the first action.

10. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time longer than a predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time shorter than the predetermined period of time.

11. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time shorter than a predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon for a period of time longer than the predetermined period of time.

12. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon a plurality of times within a first predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon once within a second predetermined period of time.

13. The information device according to claim 9, wherein:

the first action comprises the finger touching the selected icon once within a first predetermined period of time; and

the second action comprises the finger touching the selected icon a plurality of times within a second predetermined period of time.

14. The information device according to claim 13, wherein:

the first action and the second action comprise the finger moving within a predetermined region longer than a predetermined distance while the finger is touching the touch panel; and

the control module is further operable to instruct the touch panel to display the selected icon at a destination of the finger, if the touch panel detects the finger moving outside the predetermined region while the finger is touching the touch panel.

15. The information device according to claim 1, wherein:

the touch panel is further operable to;

display a first selection screen thereon; and

detect a first permission to perform the designated execution; and

the control module is further operable to perform the designated execution, if the first permission is detected.

16. The information device according to claim 15, wherein:

the touch panel is further operable to;

display thereon a second selection screen operable to approve the designated information; and

detect a second permission from the user, if the first permission is detected; and

the control module is further operable to perform the designated execution, if the second permission is detected.

17. The information device according to claim 16, wherein:

the touch panel is further operable to;

display thereon a third selection screen operable to permit the normal execution; and

detect a third permission from the user, if the second action is detected; and

the control module is further operable to execute the application program without using the designated information, if the third permission is detected.

18. A method for operating an information device, the method comprising:

obtaining first fingerprint information from a first user finger touching a touch panel;

authenticating the first fingerprint information, if the first fingerprint information is associated with designated information stored in the information device;

detecting an information-designated start operation of the first user finger touching a selected program icon displayed on the touch panel, said detecting step being separate from the obtaining step; and

executing an application program corresponding to the selected program icon using the designated information, if the first fingerprint information is authenticated;

obtaining second fingerprint information from a second user finger, which is different than the first user finger, touching a touch panel;

authenticating the second fingerprint information, if the second fingerprint information is associated with designated information stored in the information device;

detecting an information-designated start operation of the second user finger touching a selected program icon displayed on the touch panel, said detecting step being separate from the obtaining step; and

executing an application program corresponding to the selected program icon using the designated information, if the second fingerprint information is authenticated.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a normal start operation of the user finger using the touch panel; and

executing the application program corresponding to the selected program icon without using the designated information.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for:

comprising obtaining first fingerprint information from a first user finger touching a touch panel;

authenticating the first fingerprint information, if the first fingerprint information is associated with designated information stored in the information device;

detecting an information-designated start operation of the first user finger touching a selected program icon displayed on the touch panel, said detecting step being separate from the obtaining step; and

executing an application program corresponding to the selected program icon using the designated information, if the first fingerprint information is authenticated;

obtaining second fingerprint information from a second user finger, which is different than the first user finger, touching a touch panel;

authenticating the second fingerprint information, if the second fingerprint information is associated with designated information stored in the information device;

detecting an information-designated start operation of the second user finger touching a selected program icon displayed on the touch panel, said detecting step being separate from the obtaining step; and

executing an application program corresponding to the selected program icon using the designated information, if the second fingerprint information is authenticated.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 20, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for:

further comprising program code comprising;

detecting a normal start operation of the user finger using the touch panel; and

executing the application program corresponding to the selected program icon without using the designated information.