APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ACCESS CONTROL TO A MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20120185931A1
• Filed: 01/11/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: SHIMOTONO, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 8,654,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints

Abstract

An apparatus, computer program product, and method are disclosed for access control to a mobile terminal. A use end event is generated indicating an end of use of a mobile terminal. Acceleration of the mobile terminal is binarized by the mobile terminal after the use end event is generated to one of a first value indicating a stationary state and a second value indicating a moving state. A use start event is generated indicating a start of use of the mobile terminal. A movement preparation period is measured from a time at which the use end event is generated to a time at which a transition from the first value to the second value occurs. Use authentication is requested in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period exceeding a first threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a use end event indicating an end of use of a mobile terminal;

binarizing acceleration of the mobile terminal measured by the mobile terminal after the use end event is generated to one of a first value indicating a stationary state and a second value indicating a moving state;

generating a use start event indicating a start of use of the mobile terminal;

measuring a movement preparation period from a time at which the use end event is generated to a time at which a transition from the first value to the second value occurs; and

requesting user authentication in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period exceeding a first threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

measuring a temporary stationary period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which a transition from the first value to the second value occurs, the temporary stationary period a period during which the mobile terminal continues in a temporary stationary state; and

requesting the user authentication in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold and the temporary stationary period exceeding a second threshold.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising:

measuring a use preparation period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which the use start event is generated; and

requesting the user authentication in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold, the temporary stationary period not exceeding the second threshold, and the use preparation period exceeding a third threshold.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising:

permitting access without requesting the user authentication in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold, the temporary stationary period not exceeding the second threshold, and the use preparation period not exceeding the third threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

measuring a use preparation period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which the use start event is generated; and

requesting the user authentication in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold and the use preparation period exceeding a third threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the use end event is generated in response to closing of a display housing of the mobile terminal, and the use start event is generated in response to opening of the display housing of the mobile terminal.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a processor continues operation from the use end event to the use start event.

8. A mobile terminal comprising:

an acceleration sensor for measuring an acceleration of the mobile terminal;

an acceleration data processing unit for generating acceleration data obtained by binarizing an output of the acceleration sensor to a first value indicating a stationary state and a second value indicating a moving state;

an acceleration data recording unit for recording the acceleration data from a use end event indicating an end of use of the mobile terminal to a use start event indicating a start of use of the mobile terminal; and

a determination unit for measuring, in response to the use start event, a movement preparation period from a time at which the use end event is generated to a time at which a transition from the first value to the second value occurs using the acceleration data, and determining access prohibition for the mobile terminal in response to the movement preparation period exceeding a first threshold.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the determination unit measures a temporary stationary period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which a transition from the first value to the second value occurs, and determines the access prohibition for the mobile terminal in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold and the temporary stationary period exceeding a second threshold.

10. The mobile terminal according to claim 9, wherein the determination unit measures a use preparation period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which the use start event is generated, and determines the access prohibition for the mobile terminal in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold, the temporary stationary period not exceeding the second threshold, and the use preparation period exceeding a third threshold.

11. The mobile terminal according to claim 10, wherein the determination unit determines access permission for the mobile terminal in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold, the temporary stationary period not exceeding the second threshold, and the use preparation period not exceeding the third threshold.

12. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the determination unit measures a use preparation period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which the use start event is generated, and determines the access prohibition for the mobile terminal in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold and the use preparation period exceeding a third threshold.

13. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile information processing device that includes a system housing and a display housing attached to the system housing so as to be openable and closable, and the use end event and the use start event are generated according to an open/close state of the display housing.

14. The mobile terminal according to claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal is a tablet electronic device, the use end event is generated when there is no input to the tablet electronic device for a predetermined period and the use start event is generated when an access button of the tablet electronic device is pressed.

15. A computer program product comprising a storage device storing machine readable code executed by a processor to perform the operations of:

generating a use end event indicating an end of use of an information processing device;

determining whether an acceleration measured by the information processing device after the use end event is generated indicates a stationary state or a moving state;

generating a use start event indicating a start of use of the information processing device;

measuring a movement preparation period from a time at which the use end event is generated to a time at which a transition from the stationary state to the moving state occurs; and

restricting access to the information processing device in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period exceeding a first threshold.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising:

measuring a temporary stationary period from a time at which a transition from the moving state to the stationary state occurs to a time at which a transition from the stationary state to the moving state occurs, the temporary stationary period a period during which the information processing device continues in a temporary stationary state; and

restricting access to the information processing device in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold and the temporary stationary period exceeding a second threshold.

17. The computer program according to claim 16, further comprising:

measuring a use preparation period from a time at which a transition from the moving state to the stationary state occurs to a time at which the use start event is generated; and

restricting access to the information processing device in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold, the temporary stationary period of not exceeding the second threshold, and the use preparation period exceeding a third threshold.

18. The computer program according to claim 17, further comprising

permitting access to the computer in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold, the temporary stationary period not exceeding the second threshold, and the use preparation period not exceeding the third threshold.

19. The computer program according to claim 15, further comprising:

measuring a use preparation period from a time at which a transition from the second value to the first value occurs to a time at which the use start event is generated; and

restricting access to the computer in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period not exceeding the first threshold and the use preparation period exceeding a third threshold.

20. A method comprising:

generating a use end event indicating an end of use of the mobile terminal;

measuring, by the mobile terminal, a movement preparation period from a time at which the use end event is generated to a time when movement of the mobile terminal starts;

generating a use start event indicating a start of use of the mobile terminal; and

requesting user authentication in response to the use start event and in response to the movement preparation period exceeding a predetermined threshold.