System and method for preventing to use portable terminal having camera as secret spy camera

• US 20050075117A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Curitel Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Curitel Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Jang, Chul-Ho
• Application Number:
  US10/749,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075117A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.400
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Disclosed is a secret spy camera prevention system and method, in which a portable terminal having a camera module can be prevented from being used as a secret spy camera. The secret spy camera prevention system including: a terminal for stopping an operation of the camera module mounted therein if the restriction signal transmitted to the photographing-prohibited place is inputted thereto.

Claims

1. A system for preventing a portable terminal having a camera installed from being used as a secret spy camera, the system comprising:

a portable terminal having a camera module; and

a reader installed at a photographing-prohibited place, for transmitting a prohibit signal to limit a camera operation of the portable terminal.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the reader is a remote reader generating a restriction signal as the prohibit signal having a frequency band that is sensed within the photographing-prohibited place.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the reader is an adjacent reader installed at a boundary of a photographing-prohibited place, for outputting a restriction signal as the prohibit signal for limiting a camera operation of a terminal having a camera module, and a release signal for releasing a limitation of the camera operation caused by the restriction signal.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the adjacent reader includes:

an entrance reader unit installed at an entrance port of the photographing-prohibited place, for outputting the restriction signal; and

an exit reader unit installed at an exit port of the photographing-prohibited place, for outputting the release signal.

5. A system for preventing a portable terminal having a camera installed from being used as a secret spy camera, the system comprising:

a terminal for limiting an operation of a camera module mounted therein by receiving a prohibit signal transmitted from a photographing-prohibited place.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the terminal stops an operation of the camera module if a restriction signal transmitted from the photographing-prohibited place is inputted to the terminal.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the terminal includes:

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for receiving the restriction signal;

a logic unit for generating a restriction-area recognizing signal if the restriction signal is recognized, and generating a restriction-area releasing signal if the restriction signal is not recognized while the restriction-area recognizing signal is generated;

a controller for performing a control operation to restrict a camera function if the restriction-area recognizing signal is inputted to the terminal, and for releasing a limitation of the camera function if the restriction-area releasing signal is inputted to the terminal; and

a camera unit for performing a photographing operation under a control of the controller.

8. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the terminal receives a restriction signal or a release signal sensed by an adjacent operation, and stops an operation of the camera module installed therein if the restriction signal is received, and restoring an operation of the camera module installed therein if the release signal is received.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the terminal includes:

a transceiving unit for receiving and transmitting the restriction signal and the release signal;

a logic unit for generating a restriction-area recognizing signal if the restriction signal is recognized, and generating a restriction-area releasing signal if the release signal is recognized;

a controller for performing a control operation for limiting a camera function if the restriction-area recognizing signal is received, and releasing a limitation of the camera function if the restriction-area releasing signal is received; and

a camera unit for performing a photographing operation under a control of the controller.

10. A method for preventing a portable terminal having a camera installed from being used as a secret spy camera, the method comprising the steps of:

a) limiting an operation of a camera unit within a terminal by sensing a prohibit signal.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the step a) includes the steps of:

a-i) determining whether or not a restriction signal as the prohibit signal is sensed and

a-ii) in case the restriction signal is sensed, limiting an operation of a camera unit within a terminal, and then returning to the step a-i).

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further includes the steps of:

a-iii) in case the restriction signal is not sensed during a time longer than a transmission interval of the restriction signal, restoring the operation of the camera unit within the terminal to a normal state, and then returning to the step a-i).

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the step a) furthering includes the steps of:

a-1) determining whether or not a terminal enters into a photographing-prohibited place by sensing a restriction signal, and if the restriction signal is not sensed, continuing to determine whether or not the restriction signal is sensed;

a-2) in case the restriction signal is sensed, limiting an operation of a camera unit within a terminal, and then returning to the step a-1);

a-3) determining whether or not the terminal exits from the photographing-prohibited place by sensing the release signal, and if the release signal is not sensed, continuing to determining whether or not the release signal is sensed; and

a-4) in case the release signal is sensed, restoring the operation of the camera unit within the terminal, and then returning to the step a-1).