JP2008071145A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure a user's privacy in inputting a password. <P>SOLUTION: A timing determination part 106b determines, for receiving an input character as a password component, a timing for starting the receipt, and a timing announcement part 106c announces the determined timing to the user. A password correct/incorrect determination part 106d receives characters input after the announcement as password components, and determines whether a password composed of the password components is correct or not. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that receives input of a password and executes various processes.

  The following terminal devices are known. When it is determined that the user's privacy needs to be protected, such as when the user touches the screen and enters a personal identification number, this terminal device projects a light-shielding plate to the side of the screen from the side. It obstructs the field of view. (For example, patent document 1).

JP-A-9-223250

  However, as with a conventional terminal device, it is not possible to completely prevent another person from peeping by simply blocking the other person's view with the light shielding plate, and the privacy of the user is not sufficiently protected. There wasn't.

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention provides a user with an input unit that receives input of characters, and a timing at which reception of a password component starts after at least one character that is not a password component is input by the input unit. An informing means for informing, a determining means for determining timing, a password accepting means for accepting characters inputted by the input means as a constituent element of the password after informing by the informing means, and a password constituted by the constituent elements of the password And determining means for determining whether or not it is correct.
At this time, it is preferable that the notification means notifies the timing by stimulating any one of a user's tactile sense, hearing, and vision.
In addition, when the determination unit determines that the password is incorrect, the notification unit stimulates any one of the tactile sense, hearing, and vision of the user in a different stimulation form from the case of notifying the timing. You may do it.
Further, it may further include a capturing unit that captures information for determining timing, and the determining unit may determine the timing based on the information captured by the capturing unit.
The information processing apparatus is a camera that further includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and obtains the image, and the notification unit is configured to perform shooting settings, camera activation, image reproduction, and image shooting in the camera. When any of them is performed, the timing may be notified to the user.
The information processing apparatus is a mobile phone that further includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and obtains an image, and a vibration unit that notifies a user of an incoming call by vibration. May be vibrated to notify the user of the timing.

  According to the present invention, the privacy of the user can be sufficiently protected.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment when an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a camera-equipped mobile phone. The mobile phone 100 includes a camera 101, an input button 102, a memory 103, a communication device 104, a vibration device 105, a control device 106, a monitor 107, a microphone 108, and a speaker 109.

  The camera 101 is a camera unit including, for example, a lens, a CCD or CMOS as an image sensor, an image processing circuit, and the like. The input button 102 includes various buttons normally provided in a mobile phone, such as a number button for inputting a telephone number, a call start button, and a call end button. In addition, when it is necessary to input characters such as when using the mail function, a function for inputting characters is assigned to each number button. When an image is captured using the camera 101, a function for setting the camera and a function for use as a release button or a zoom button are assigned to each button.

  The memory 103 is, for example, an SDRAM. The memory 103 stores telephone directory data, image data and moving image data photographed by the camera 101, password data used for password verification described later, and the like. The memory 103 is not limited to the SDRAM, and a removable storage medium such as a memory card may be used.

  The communication device 104 includes an external antenna or a built-in antenna, and communicates with a mobile phone base station. The vibration device 105 is a device for vibrating the mobile phone 100. When the mode of the mobile phone 100 is set to the manner mode, the control device 106 vibrates the vibration device 105 at the time of incoming call or reception of mail, thereby notifying the user of reception of the incoming call or mail. The monitor 107 is a liquid crystal monitor, for example, and displays a setting menu of the mobile phone 100, phone book data, images taken by the camera 101, and the like. The microphone 108 inputs speech voice from the user. The speaker 109 outputs the voice of the other party, or outputs a ringtone or operation sound.

  The control device 106 includes a CPU, a memory, and other peripheral circuits, and functionally includes a camera setting unit 106a, a timing determination unit 106b, a timing notification unit 106c, and a password correctness determination unit 106d.

  When the user operates the input button 102 and the camera 101 is set, the camera setting unit 106a accepts the input and changes the setting of the camera 101. For example, the user can change the setting of the camera 101 by operating the input button 102 to set the mode of the mobile phone 100 to the custom setting mode of the camera 101.

  In this custom setting mode, the user can record the image size such as the image size at the time of recording, the ISO sensitivity at the time of image shooting, the aperture value, and whether or not to perform continuous shooting. Acquisition conditions (shooting conditions) can be set. Further, it is possible to set image processing conditions such as the intensity of gradation correction processing and contour enhancement processing to be performed on the captured image, or to prohibit image capturing using the camera 101.

  In the mobile phone 100 according to the present embodiment, when the user is instructed to shift to the custom setting mode, the camera setting unit 106a requests the user to input a password. Then, only when the password is correct, the process shifts to the custom setting mode and accepts a setting change of the camera 101 from the user. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the password is composed of a combination of alphanumeric characters, for example. The number of characters in the password is determined in advance, for example, 4 characters. Note that an input of a personal identification number composed only of numbers may be requested instead of the password.

  In general, when a mobile phone or other information terminal requests the user to enter a password or PIN, the user must enter a password with a predetermined number of characters or a predetermined number of digits. Is entered by operating the input button 102. At this time, the input content may be displayed on the monitor 107. According to such a conventional password input method, since the character string input by the user is the password itself, there is a possibility that the password will be known to others if the input content is stolen by others.

  Therefore, the mobile phone 100 according to the present embodiment employs a password input method that prevents the password from being known even if another user steals the input character string. Specifically, when the user started to input characters by asking the user to enter a password, it was entered even if a random number of characters was entered from the start of character input. Characters are not accepted as password components. Then, a character input after the user inputs a predetermined number of characters is accepted as a constituent element of the password.

  For this purpose, the timing determination unit 106b determines from what character a character input by the user is accepted as a constituent element of the password. That is, the password acceptance start timing (input start timing) is determined. In the present embodiment, the timing determination unit 106b randomly determines the reception start timing. For example, the timing determination unit 106b generates a random number, and sets the number of characters corresponding to the random number as the number of input dummy characters that are not accepted as password components.

  When the user is requested to input a password, the user first starts inputting arbitrary characters (dummy characters). This dummy character can be freely input by the user into a desired character. The timing notification unit 106c vibrates the vibration device 105 in a predetermined vibration pattern when the number of dummy characters input by the user reaches the number of dummy characters input determined by the timing determination unit 106b, and the password reception start timing Is notified to the user. When the user senses that the mobile phone 100 vibrates, the user inputs the first character of a preset password.

  The password correctness determination unit 106d receives the first character input by the user as a component of the password after the timing notification unit 106c notifies the password reception start timing. Then, the password correctness determination unit 106d acquires the password data recorded in the memory 103, and determines whether or not the characters received as the password components are correct. In other words, when the first character of the password is input, the password correctness determination unit 106d compares the first character of the correct password recorded in the memory 103 with the input character and inputs the input character. It is determined whether or not is correct as a password component.

  As a result, if it is determined that the input character is incorrect as a component of the password, the password correctness determination unit 106d vibrates with a vibration pattern different from that when the vibration device 105 notifies the password reception start timing. Thus, the user is informed that the input characters are not correct as a password component. When the user is notified that the entered character is not correct as a component of the password, the user again inputs the first character of the password, and the password correctness determination unit 106d checks whether the input character is correct or incorrect. judge.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the input character is correct as a constituent element of the password, the password correctness determination unit 106d receives input of the next character. In this case as well, as in the first character, the user inputs the dummy character again. Then, the timing notification unit 106c vibrates the vibration device 105 when the number of dummy characters input by the user reaches the number of dummy characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b, and determines the password reception start timing by the user. To inform. When the user senses that the mobile phone 100 vibrates, the user inputs the second character of a preset password.

  The password correctness determination unit 106d receives the first character input by the user as a component of the password after the timing notification unit 106c notifies the password reception start timing. Similarly to the first character, based on the password data recorded in the memory 103, it is determined whether or not the inputted character is correct as a constituent element of the password. If it is determined to be incorrect, the user is informed of this and prompted to input again, and if it is determined to be correct, the next character input is continuously accepted. This process is repeated until acceptance of the constituent elements for the preset number of password characters is completed.

  When the number of password components determined to be correct reaches the preset number of password characters, the password correctness determination unit 106d ends accepting input characters as password components. At this time, if the last input character is a component of the password, there is a possibility that the last character of the password may be known to others who have peeped, so the user can further increase the number of characters, for example, Enter three dummy characters. When the password correctness determination unit 106d detects that the user has completed inputting a predetermined number of dummy characters, the password correctness determination unit 106d displays on the monitor 107 that the password has been accepted and notifies the user. And the camera setting part 106a transfers the mode of the mobile telephone 100 to the custom setting mode of the camera 101, and receives the setting change of the camera 101 by a user.

  FIG. 2 shows a case where the timing determination unit 106b determines that the number of dummy characters is 3 when the user is instructed to shift to the custom setting mode and receives an input of the 4-character password “ABCD”. It is a figure which shows the example of input of the character by. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the password correct / incorrect determination unit 106d performs the above-described correct / incorrect determination, and as a result, determines that all password components are correct. If it is determined that one of the constituent elements is wrong, the character is re-input as described above.

  First, when the user is requested to input a password, the user inputs three dummy characters, for example, X, Y, and Z. The password correctness determination unit 106d does not accept these dummy characters as components of the password. The timing notification unit 106c notifies the user of the password reception start timing by vibrating the vibration device 105 when the number of input dummy characters becomes three characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b (acceptance start timing) 2a. To do. The password correctness determination unit 106d receives the first character input after the reception start timing 2a, that is, the character A as a password component. Then, this component is checked against password data recorded in the memory 103 to determine correctness.

  In inputting the second character of the password, the user again inputs three dummy characters, for example, 1, 2, and 3. The password correctness determination unit 106d does not accept these dummy characters as components of the password. The timing notification unit 106c notifies the user of the password reception start timing by vibrating the vibration device 105 at the time point 2b when the number of input dummy characters becomes three characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b. The password correctness determination unit 106d receives the first character input after the reception start timing 2b, that is, the character B as a component of the password. Then, this component is checked against password data recorded in the memory 103 to determine correctness.

  In inputting the third character of the password, the user again inputs three dummy characters, for example, L, M, and N. The password correctness determination unit 106d does not accept these dummy characters as components of the password. The timing notification unit 106c notifies the user of the password reception start timing by vibrating the vibration device 105 at a time point 2c when the number of input dummy characters reaches three characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b. The password correctness determination unit 106d receives the first character input after the reception start timing 2c, that is, the character C as a component of the password. Then, this component is checked against password data recorded in the memory 103 to determine correctness.

  In inputting the fourth character of the password, the user again inputs three dummy characters, for example, O, P, and Q. The password correctness determination unit 106d does not accept these dummy characters as components of the password. The timing notification unit 106c notifies the user of the password reception start timing by vibrating the vibration device 105 at the time point 2d when the number of input dummy characters becomes three characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b. The password correctness determination unit 106d receives the first character input after the reception start timing 2d, that is, the character D as a component of the password. Then, this component is checked against password data recorded in the memory 103 to determine correctness.

  The password correctness determination unit 106d detects that the input of three additional dummy characters 9, 8, and 7 is completed after the reception of the four-character password component is completed, and that the password has been received at timing 2e. Is displayed on the monitor 107 to notify the user.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing of mobile phone 100 in the present embodiment. The process shown in FIG. 3 is executed by the control device 106 as a program that is activated when a password request is required, such as when the user instructs the transition to the custom setting mode.

  In step S10, the timing determination unit 106b determines the password reception start timing described above. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S20, where the camera setting unit 106a requests the user to input a password, and proceeds to step S30. For example, the camera setting unit 106 a displays an image “Please enter your password” on the monitor 107. In step S30, the timing notification unit 106c determines whether or not a character has been input by operating the input button 102 by the user. If it is determined that a character has been input, the process proceeds to step S40.

  In step S40, the timing notification unit 106c determines whether or not the number of characters input by the user has reached the number of dummy characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b, and determines whether it is the reception start timing. If it is determined that the reception start timing is not reached, the process returns to step S30. On the other hand, if it is determined that the reception start timing has come, the process proceeds to step S50. In step S50, the timing notification unit 106c vibrates the vibration device 105 with a predetermined vibration pattern and notifies the user of the password reception start timing. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S60.

  In step S60, the password correctness determination unit 106d determines whether or not a character has been input by operating the input button 102 by the user. If it is determined that a character has been input, the process proceeds to step S70. In step S <b> 70, the password correctness determination unit 106 d accepts the input character as a password component. Then, the password recorded in the memory 103 is compared with the input character to determine whether or not the input character is correct as a component of the password.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S80, and the password correctness determination unit 106d determines whether or not the inputted character is correct as a component of the password based on the result of the correctness determination in step S80. If it is determined that the input character is incorrect, the process proceeds to step S90. In step S90, the password correctness determination unit 106d vibrates the vibration device 105 with a vibration pattern different from that for notifying the password reception start timing, and the user is informed that the input characters are not correct as a password component. To inform. Thereafter, the process returns to step S60.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the input characters are correct, the process proceeds to step S100, and the password correctness determination unit 106d has reached the number of password characters set in advance as the number of password components determined to be correct. Determine whether or not. If it is determined that the number of characters in the password has not been reached, the process returns to step S30 to continue accepting password components. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of characters of the password has been reached, reception of the input character as a constituent element of the password is terminated, and the process proceeds to step S110.

  In step S110, the password correctness determination unit 106d determines whether or not a character has been input by operating the input button 102 by the user. If it is determined that a character has been input, the process proceeds to step S120. In step S120, the password correctness determination unit 106d determines whether or not the number of input characters has reached a preset number of dummy characters. If it is determined that the number of dummy characters is not reached, the process returns to step S110. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of dummy characters has been reached, the process proceeds to step S130. In step S130, the password correctness determination unit 106d displays on the monitor 107 that the password has been accepted, notifies the user, and ends the process.

According to the present embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) The password acceptance start timing is determined, and characters entered before the acceptance start timing are not accepted as dummy characters as password components, and only the first character entered after the acceptance start timing is the password component. As accepted. As a result, even if the input character is seen by another person, it is not necessary for the other person to know which character is accepted as a constituent element of the password, and the privacy of the user can be ensured.

(2) The reception start timing is notified to the user by vibrating the mobile phone 100 by vibrating the vibration device 105. As a result, only the user holding the mobile phone 100 can know the reception start timing, and it is not necessary for others to know the reception start timing. In addition, mobile phones generally have a vibrate function for notifying incoming calls and mails, and a vibration device 105 is newly provided by vibrating the mobile phone 100 using the vibrate function. This is not necessary and is advantageous in terms of cost.

(3) If the input character is wrong as a password component, the vibration device 105 is vibrated with a vibration pattern different from that for notifying the password reception start timing, and the user is informed accordingly. I tried to do it. Thereby, the user can grasp | ascertain the alerting | reporting content exactly based on the vibration pattern.

(4) When the user is instructed to shift to the custom setting mode, the user is requested to input a password, and the setting of the camera 101 can be changed only when the input password is correct. Accordingly, only the person who has the authority to change the setting of the camera 101 such as the owner of the mobile phone 100 can change the setting, and the security can be improved.

(5) The timing determination unit 106b randomly determines the reception start timing. If the number of dummy characters is the same each time, another person who knows the number of characters may know what number of characters the user has entered as a password component. . However, by randomly determining the reception start timing, the number of dummy characters can be varied each time, and the above-described problems can be solved.

(6) When the number of password components determined to be correct reaches the preset number of characters of the password, the acceptance of the input characters as the password components is terminated, and then the user is further notified. A dummy character with a predetermined number of characters was input. As a result, if the last entered character is a component of the password, there is a possibility that the last character of the password will be known to others who peeped. Can be secured.

-Modification-
The digital camera according to the above-described embodiment can be modified as follows.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a camera-equipped mobile phone has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to a personal computer, a camera, an ATM (automatic cash dispenser), and the like.

  For example, when applied to a personal computer, the password input method described above may be employed when a password input is required, such as during login. At this time, a vibration device may be mounted on a mouse or a keyboard, and the reception start timing may be notified by stimulating the user's hand or fingertip.

  When applied to a camera, a password may be requested when custom setting is performed, and the above-described password input method may be employed. At this time, the reception start timing may be notified to the user by vibrating the camera body or the release button to give a stimulus to the user's hand or fingertip.

  In the case of application to ATM, the password input method described above may be adopted when inputting a personal identification number. At this time, a vibration device may be mounted on a monitor equipped with a touch panel, and the reception start timing may be notified by stimulating a finger of a user who touches the monitor to input a personal identification number.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the timing determination unit 106b has been described as an example of randomly determining the password reception start timing. However, the password reception start timing may be set in advance. At this time, information regarding the reception start timing set in advance may be stored in the memory 103. Alternatively, information for determining the reception start timing may be stored in a removable storage medium. In this case, the user inserts the storage medium into the reading device, and the timing determination unit 106b takes in information related to the reception start timing (information for determining the reception start timing) from the storage medium, and based on the acquired information. The reception start timing may be determined.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, when the input of the password is completed, the fact that the password has been accepted is displayed on the monitor 107 to notify the user. However, the vibration device 105 may be vibrated to notify the user. It is preferable that the vibration pattern at this time is different from the vibration pattern for notifying the reception start timing and the vibration pattern for notifying that the input character is erroneous as a component of the password. Further, the screen may be shifted to the next screen, for example, a screen for custom setting, without notifying that the password input has been completed.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, it is decided to notify that the reception start timing and the input characters are wrong as the constituent elements of the password by vibrating the vibration device 105 to stimulate the user's sense of touch. However, notification may be performed by outputting sound from the speaker 109 to stimulate the user's hearing. Further, the notification content may be displayed on the monitor 107 to notify the user's vision. In these cases, for example, a user wears an earphone and outputs sound through the earphone, or a member for preventing peeping on the monitor 107 so that others do not know the reception start timing. It is necessary to attach to prevent others from peeping.

  When notifying a password error to any one of the user's sense of touch, hearing, and sight, the user is stimulated with a stimulus form different from that for notifying the reception start timing. For example, what is necessary is just to make the pitch of the sound output from an earphone different in the case where the error of a password is notified, and the case where the reception start timing is notified. In addition, the password error and the reception start timing may be notified in different notification forms, for example, the password error is notified by voice from the speaker 109 and the reception start timing is notified by vibration by the vibration device 105.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which authentication is performed using only a password has been described. However, when a plurality of users use the mobile phone 100, authentication may be performed using a user ID and a password for identifying the users. In this case, a user ID and a password may be associated with each other and stored in the memory 103, a password corresponding to the input user ID may be acquired, and authentication may be performed for each user.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, every time one character is entered in the password component, the dummy character is input and the reception start timing is notified. However, after notifying the reception start timing, the input of all the components constituting the password may be received together. For example, a case will be described in which the timing determination unit 106b determines the number of dummy characters to be 3 characters when the user is instructed to shift to the custom setting mode and receives an input of a 4-character password “ABCD”.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, when the user is requested to input a password, the user inputs three dummy characters, for example, X, Y, and Z. The password correctness determination unit 106d does not accept these dummy characters as components of the password. The timing notification unit 106c notifies the user of the password reception start timing by vibrating the vibration device 105 when the number of input dummy characters reaches three characters determined by the timing determination unit 106b (reception start timing) 4a. To do.

  Here, the user inputs a four-character password “ABCD”. Then, the password correctness determination unit 106d receives four characters “ABCD” input after the reception start timing 4a as components of the password. And the password comprised by this component is collated with the password data currently recorded on the memory 103, and the correctness as a whole password is determined.

  Then, the password correctness determination unit 106d completes acceptance of the password at timing 4b when it is detected that three additional dummy characters 9, 8, and 7 have been input after acceptance of the four-character password component is completed. This is displayed on the monitor 107 to notify the user.

(7) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which a user is requested to input a password when performing custom settings such as settings related to shooting of the camera 101 has been described. However, when the user operates the input button 102 to input an instruction to shift to any of the following modes: camera activation, image reproduction, and image shooting, before the transition to each mode. A password request may be made to notify the user of the above reception start timing. For example, the camera setting unit 106a may display an image “Please enter password” on the monitor 107 before shifting to each mode.

(8) In the above-described embodiment, the timing determination unit 106b starts accepting the password as a constituent element after the number of dummy characters input by the user reaches a randomly determined number of characters. An example of determining the password reception start timing has been described. However, the timing determination unit 106b may determine the password reception start timing so as to start reception as a password component after receiving a dummy character input by the user for a predetermined time.

(9) In the above-described embodiment, the password correctness determination unit 106d describes an example in which the first character input by the user after receiving the password reception start timing by the timing notification unit 106c is received as a password component. did. However, it is also possible to determine in advance a rule as to what number of characters input by the user is accepted as the password component after notifying the password acceptance start timing, and accept the password component according to the rule. . For example, the password correctness determination unit 106d may receive the second character input by the user as the password component after the timing notification unit 106c notifies the password reception start timing.

(10) In the above-described embodiment, the number of dummy characters is all three, but this is not a limitation. For example, every time a password component is received, the timing determination unit 106b may determine a random number of dummy characters until the next password component is received. That is, the number of dummy characters until the first character password component is received may be three, and the number of dummy characters until the second character password component is received may be five.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the configurations in the above-described embodiments as long as the characteristic functions of the present invention are not impaired.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Embodiment at the time of applying an information processing apparatus to the mobile phone with a camera. It is a figure which shows the specific example of a password input. 4 is a flowchart showing processing of the mobile phone 100. FIG. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the password input in a modification.

Explanation of symbols

100 mobile phone, 101 camera, 102 input button, 103 memory, 104 communication device, 105 vibration device, 106 control device, 106a camera setting unit, 106b timing determination unit, 106c timing notification unit, 106d password correctness determination unit, 107 monitor, 108 microphones, 109 speakers

Claims (6)

Input means for accepting input of characters;
Informing means for notifying the user of the timing to start accepting the password component after at least one character that is not a password component is input by the input means;
Determining means for determining the timing;
Password notifying means for receiving characters input by the input means as a constituent element of the password after notifying by the notifying means;
An information processing apparatus comprising: determination means for determining whether or not a password constituted by the password components is correct. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The information processor is characterized in that the timing is notified by stimulating any one of a user's sense of touch, hearing, and vision. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,
When the determination unit determines that the password is incorrect, the notification unit uses any one of a tactile sense, a hearing, and a visual sense of the user in a stimulus form different from the case of notifying the timing. An information processing apparatus characterized by stimulating. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
It further comprises capture means for capturing information for determining the timing,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the timing based on the information captured by the capture unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The information processing apparatus is a camera that further includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject and acquires the image,
The camera further includes display means for displaying a message prompting the user to input a password before any of settings relating to shooting, camera activation, image reproduction, and image shooting is performed. Information processing device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The information processing apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising vibration means for notifying a user of an incoming call by vibration,
The information processing apparatus is characterized in that the notification means vibrates the mobile phone by the vibration means to notify the user of the timing.

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