JP2002252875A - Portable terminal and wireless communication system using it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce load on a procedure necessary to secure the security of desired information registered in a lost portable telephone. SOLUTION: When a portable telephone P is lost, the rightful owner demands a memory reset to delete all the important information stored in the portable telephone P, by using another telephone. The memory reset demand from the true owner is registered in a center CT, when the lost portable telephone P is out of the communication range. When the third person that possesses the portable phone P moves, and enters the communication range, the communication with the center CT becomes enable, and the center CT transmits the memory reset demand registered in the memory to the portable phone P.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable terminal such as a portable telephone having a memory function and a radio communication system using the same, and more particularly to protection of information stored in a memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 4, a telephone system of a portable telephone comprises a plurality of radio base stations (relay stations) B1, B2, B
., B4, B5,... (To be collectively referred to as a radio base station B) and a center CT for managing these, and any one of the respective radio base stations B and the mobile phone P Direct wireless telephone communication (communication) is possible between such centers, and such a system is installed in each area, and the centers CT are connected by a network. Each of these radio base stations B has an area (cell) in which radio communication with the mobile phone P is possible. For example, when the mobile phone P is in the cell CE1 of the radio base station B1, the other radio base stations B2
Cells CE2, CE3, CE of B3, B4, B5, ...
4, CE5 (when these are collectively referred to as a cell CE), the mobile phone P can perform wireless communication only with the wireless base station B1.

[0003] In this way, one or a plurality of radio base stations form a communicable area (hereinafter referred to as a service area) of a portable telephone P composed of these cells. The telephone call by the telephone P becomes possible, but when the mobile telephone P is out of the communicable area (out of the service area), the telephone cannot be communicated with the mobile telephone. Therefore, in FIG.
However, as shown by the broken line, if the mobile phone is out of the service area, the mobile phone system cannot make a call using the mobile phone P, and calls from other phones such as a mobile phone and a stationary phone cannot be made. Even if there is a call, it is not possible to make a call with this. However, when the mobile phone P moves and moves into the cell CE1 as shown by a solid line, for example, a call becomes possible.

In such a radio telephone system, a unique code (hereinafter, referred to as a base station code) is set for each radio base station B, and each radio base station B constantly transmits the code at fixed time intervals. When the power of the mobile phone P is in an ON state, the mobile phone P always receives the base station code from the wireless base station of the cell in which the mobile phone P is located, and transmits a response to the wireless base station. are doing.

[0005] That is, assuming that the mobile phone P is in the cell CE1, the mobile phone P receives the base station code of the radio base station B1, and in response to this, sets the telephone set in the mobile phone P. A unique code such as a number (hereinafter referred to as a telephone code) is transmitted to the wireless base station B1.
Upon receiving the telephone code, the wireless base station B1 adds the base station code to the code and sends it to the center CT. The center CT registers the acquired information and manages in which cell each mobile phone P exists. Accordingly, when another telephone requests a call to the mobile phone P, the center CT determines whether or not the mobile phone P is within the service area based on the registration information. A search is made for a wireless base station that can communicate with the mobile phone P, and a call can be made via the wireless base station.

[0006] When the portable telephone P moves from the service area to the outside of the service area, or even in the service area, when the power is turned off and communication becomes impossible, this is detected by the wireless base station B with which communication was possible up to now, and the center CT is detected. This mobile phone P in
Registration is deleted, and the mobile phone P
Although it is within the range, when the mobile phone moves to another cell CE, the registration content of the mobile phone P in the center CT is changed based on the information from the new radio base station B.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of a conventional portable telephone P, wherein 1 is an antenna, 2 is a control unit, 3a is a ROM (read only memory), and 3b is rewritable. ROM, 4 a display device, 5 a microphone, 6 a speaker, 7 an operation unit, 8 a mail storage device,
Reference numeral 9 denotes a transmission / reception unit.

In FIG. 1, a portable telephone P has a ROM 3
The ROM 3 stores a program of the control unit 2 and various screen information such as a menu screen associated with the operation of the input key 7, and the like.
In b, information such as the telephone code of the mobile phone P and the telephone number of another telephone input by operating the input keys of the operation unit 7 and the like, a personal identification number (password) set by the owner of the mobile telephone P Is registered. ROM3
b is rewritable, such information can be updated,
It can be added or deleted. When the reference station code of the wireless reference station is received from the antenna 1 via the transmission / reception unit 9, this is also registered in the ROM 3b. When the mobile telephone P moves and the wireless reference station B that can transmit and receive changes, the reference station code registered in the ROM 3b is also updated.

When an input key of the operation unit 7 is operated, the control unit 2 fetches a screen corresponding to the operation from the ROM 3a and displays it on the display device 4. The user operates the screen according to the screen displayed on the display device 4 to set a communication mode with the other telephone set by the transmission / reception unit 9 and a mail mode for performing mail with the other telephone set. be able to. The microphone 5 and the speaker 6 are used for a telephone call, and are also used for receiving a call or answering message.

[0010] The portable telephone P has a mail storage device 8, and the received answering machine message is temporarily stored in the mail storage device 8. This answering machine message is read from the mail storage device 8 by the user performing a predetermined operation with the input keys of the operation unit 7,
It is displayed on the microphone 5 or the display device 4.

In the case where the portable telephone P is lost or stolen, if no measures have been taken for this portable telephone, a third party who has obtained the portable telephone P can obtain a R
The user can easily know and use the telephone number and the like stored in the OM 3b, and can easily know the contents of the e-mail stored in the mail storage unit 8.

In order to prevent such a situation, it is conceivable to use a lock function usually provided in a portable telephone. The lock function locks an input key of the operation unit 7 by operating the operation unit 7 and inputting a password registered in the ROM 3b. Cannot be transmitted, the information in the ROM 3b cannot be used, and the information in the mail storage unit 8 cannot be read. However, in this method, when the lock function is forgotten and the device is lost or stolen, the lock function may not be activated. If the number is known to a third party, this lock function can be released. In some cases, a third party can easily decrypt another person's password, and in some cases, the password cannot be a reliable means of protecting the security of information registered in the mobile phone.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-193865 also discloses a security protection method with reference to FIG. This is because the lost mobile phone is equipped with a protection device, and a password is registered,
When the remote operation data including the personal identification number is transmitted from the other telephone to the lost mobile phone, and the remote operation data is received by the mobile phone, the protect device operates. First, the personal identification number is compared with the personal identification number registered in the mobile phone, and when they match, the contents of the remote transmission data are analyzed, and the protection processing mode according to the contents is executed. . As such a protection processing mode,
"Communication function protection", "storage content display protection", "owner contact display", "alarm sound",
There are "power-on prohibition", "storage content transmission", "terminal location area transmission" and the like. For example, in the case of "storage content display protection", information important to the true owner of this mobile phone. To prevent a third party from accessing the user storage area in which the information is stored, or to delete such information, thereby making such information public by a third party. , To prevent misuse.

[0014]

By the way, in the portable telephone disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-193865,
Since the configuration is such that a plurality of protection processing modes are selected, the true owner of the lost mobile phone can select and set various protection processing modes as necessary. In other words, in the cases other than the above-mentioned "storage content display protection", there is a possibility that important information for the true owner may be leaked to a third party, and the security of the information cannot be ensured. From the point of view of the true owner, all of these protection processing modes can be mistaken for ensuring the security of information.

[0015] Also, when the mobile phone moves, it may go out of the range of the mobile phone system. If a third party who has acquired the lost mobile phone P carries it around, or the lost location is out of the service area. In this case, even if the true owner of the mobile phone P requests the protection processing mode as described above, the mobile phone P does not perform the protection processing in response to the request. As a true owner, once a request for protection processing is operated, it may be considered that the protection processing for this request has been performed by the mobile phone P, and the request may have been transmitted to the mobile phone P. If it is found that the mobile phone P
Will wait until communication becomes available, and will not know when communication becomes available, which will increase the burden on the true owner.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, and in the event of loss or theft, it is possible to reliably prevent information important to the true owner from being illegally used by others. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal capable of avoiding an increase in the burden on a true owner and a wireless communication system using the mobile terminal.

[0017]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a portable terminal provided with storage means for storing desired information and a password required for security,
The personal identification number received in response to the memory reset request is compared with the personal identification number stored in the storage means, and when they match, the desired information stored in the storage means is deleted.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wireless communication system using the above-mentioned portable terminal, comprising a center for monitoring whether or not communication with the portable terminal is possible. When the request is received and communication with the mobile terminal is not possible, the received memory reset request is registered, communication with the mobile terminal is enabled, and the registered memory reset request is sent to the mobile terminal. It is.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a portable terminal according to the present invention. Reference numeral 10 denotes a memory reset function unit, and parts corresponding to those in FIG. Omitted. Hereinafter, a mobile phone will be described as an example, but another mobile terminal may be used as long as it has the same function.

In FIG. 1, this embodiment is similar to the control unit 2 shown in FIG.
The memory reset function unit 10 is provided in the second embodiment, and the other configuration is the same as that of the conventional mobile phone shown in FIG.

The memory reset function section 10 is activated when a memory reset request is made from the radio base station B (FIG. 4) via the antenna 1 and the transceiver 9. The memory reset request is performed by a remote operation. This is performed by sending a memory reset command in which a password is added to the registration command.
If the password matches the password stored in the OM 3b (that is, the password set for the mobile phone P), R
The OM 3b and the mail storage unit 8 are reset, and information such as a telephone number registered in the ROM 3b and an e-mail stored in the mail storage unit 8 are deleted by operating the operation unit 7.

Thus, even if a third party who obtains the portable telephone P tries to use it illegally, all the information of the owner of the portable telephone P has been deleted. Unauthorized use, such as talking to the other party or peeking at the e-mail to the owner, cannot be performed, and security is surely maintained.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a wireless communication system using the portable telephone set P shown in FIG. 1, wherein M is a memory, and portions corresponding to those in FIG. And a duplicate description will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, the center CT has a memory M. When a memory reset request for a lost portable telephone P is received from a telephone (not shown), the request is accepted and the portable telephone P is out of service area. If communication with the mobile phone P is impossible due to the power-off state even within the service area, the received memory reset request is registered in this memory. And
Thereafter, when the mobile phone P becomes communicable, the center CT transmits the memory reset request registered in the memory M to the mobile phone P.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a memory reset request operation of the radio communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. Hereinafter, such an operation will be described with reference to FIGS. The wireless communication system according to the present embodiment basically has the configuration shown in FIG. 4, but also has a function for the center CT to register a memory reset request from the telephone.

In FIG. 3, when the owner of the mobile phone P calls his / her mobile phone P from another phone in a situation where the mobile phone P is lost (step 100), the mobile phone P As shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, when the vehicle is within the service area and its power is ON (step 10).
1) The calling of the mobile phone P is started. Then, during this call (before the handset of the mobile phone P is disconnected), if the owner starts to input the password (step 102), the center CT (FIG. 2) stores the password in the mobile phone P in the memory. After determining that a reset request has been made and confirming that the input of the password has been completed, a memory reset command in which the password has been added to the remote operation registration command is transmitted to the mobile phone via the radio base station B1 (FIG. 2) P to request a memory reset.

Therefore, this portable telephone P shown in FIG.
This is received by the memory reset request command control unit 2 regardless of whether or not the handset is disconnected. The control unit 2 recognizes the memory reset command of the memory reset request, and operates the memory reset function unit 10 based on the recognition. Memory reset function 1
When the operation is started, 0 first extracts a password from the memory reset request, reads a password registered in the ROM 3b, and compares it with the password extracted from the memory reset request. When these passwords match, the memory reset function unit 10 resets the memory of the ROM 3b and the mail storage unit 8, and stores the information registered by operating the operation unit 7 in the ROM 3b and the e-mail stored in the roll storage unit 8. (Step 10 above)
3).

On the other hand, if the owner calls his / her mobile phone P (step 100) and the power is turned off or out of service area and the call cannot be made, the secret code is issued in such a state. If there is a guidance from the center by inputting a number or when no communication is made for a predetermined time, information indicating a memory reset request according to the guidance and the telephone number of the portable telephone P to be called (own station number) ) And its password are entered (step 104). In response, the center CT registers these information.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
Moves from the out-of-service state indicated by the broken line to the in-service state indicated by the solid line, and when the power is turned on, or
Is in the service area, but is in a power-off state, and thereafter, when the power is turned on, the mobile phone P and the radio base station B1
The center CT can confirm the mobile phone P by exchanging information with the center CT. At the same time, the center CT creates a memory reset command with the registered remote operation registration command and the password. Is transmitted to the registered own station number, that is, to the mobile phone P to make a memory reset request. As a result, in the mobile phone P, the same operation as in step 103 is performed, and
Memory reset is performed between b and the mail storage unit (step 105).

In this way, if the lost portable telephone P is in a power-on state within the service area, the information for which security is to be maintained registered in the portable telephone P can be erased from a remote place, It is possible to reliably prevent unauthorized use of the file. Such a remote operation is possible from any portable information terminal, but since it may be out of the service area, it is more reliable from a stationary telephone such as a public telephone, a telephone at home or at work. Needless to say, there is.

In the above embodiment, the ROMs 3a, 3
Although b is shown as a separate storage medium, the area of the same storage medium may be divided so as to have a function corresponding to each of the ROMs 3a and 3b.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if the mobile terminal is lost or stolen, the information registered there can be securely deleted by remote operation, regardless of whether a third party can decrypt the password In addition, it is possible to prevent such information from being tampered with by a third party, and to ensure the security of the information.

Further, according to the present invention, a memory reset request made by a true owner of a lost portable terminal is registered with the center when the portable terminal is out of service area or in a power-off state. When the mobile terminal becomes communicable within the service area, this request is sent from the center to the mobile terminal, so that the true owner only needs to perform one memory reset request operation, which increases the burden. I can't.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a portable terminal according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a wireless communication system according to the present invention using the mobile terminal shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the operation of the wireless telephone system for preventing unauthorized use of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a wireless telephone system.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a conventional mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 antenna 2 control unit 3a, 3b ROM 4 display device 5 microphone 6 speaker 7 input unit 8 mail storage unit 9 antenna 10 memory reset function unit M memory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A portable terminal comprising storage means for storing desired information and a security code for which security is required, comprising: a security code received in response to a memory reset request; and a security code stored in the storage means. And when the received password matches the password stored in the storage as a result of the comparison by the control unit, erases the desired information stored in the storage. A portable terminal comprising: 2. A wireless communication system using the mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a center for monitoring whether communication with the mobile terminal is possible, wherein the center is provided for the mobile terminal. The memory reset request is received, and when communication with the mobile terminal is not possible, the received memory reset request is registered, communication with the mobile terminal becomes possible, and the memory reset registered in the mobile terminal is registered. A wireless communication system for sending a request.