IP Library Granted Patent US 7,701,897
Granted Patent B2
US 7,701,897 · App. 10/747,089 · Granted Apr 20, 2010

Message data processing method for a mobile communications terminal, mobile communications terminal, and message data processing program for a mobile communications terminal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,701,897
App. No.
10/747,089
Granted
Apr 20, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

When a mobile communications terminal receives message data, operations by a message data processing section that processes message data are prohibited. Operations by the message data processing section may be prohibited simply when message data is received by the mobile communications terminal, or operations by the message data processing section may be prohibited when specific information, such as information including certain characters, time, sender address and the like, included in the message data matches preset information. Thus, there can be provided a message data processing method for a mobile communications terminal in which even if a user is away from the mobile communications terminal, the viewing of the contents of message data by others can be prevented, and in which security functions are enhanced so that others cannot view the contents of message data that is sent to the mobile communications terminal at times not expected by the user.

Claims (56)

1. A message data processing method for a mobile communications terminal including a message data processing section configured to process message data, an operation prohibition setting section, and a dial lock setting section, the message data processing method comprising:

receiving the message data in the mobile communications terminal;

in response to receiving the message data, determining, by the operation prohibition setting section of the mobile communications terminal, whether at least one preset condition stored in a memory of the mobile communications terminal is satisfied, the at least one preset condition being customizable by a user of the mobile communications terminal;

prohibiting, by the operation prohibition setting section, processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the at least one preset condition is satisfied; and

performing, by the dial lock setting section, a dial lock process for rejecting key operations by the user when the processing of the message data is prohibited by the operation prohibition setting section.

2. The message data processing method according to claim 1 , wherein

the determining comprises determining whether specific information included in the received message data matches the at least one preset condition, and

the prohibiting comprises prohibiting processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the specific information matches the at least one preset condition.

3. The message data processing method according to claim 2 , wherein

the determining comprises determining whether reception time information of the received message data matches the at least one preset condition including preset time information, and

the prohibiting comprises prohibiting processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the reception time information matches the at least one preset condition.

4. The message data processing method according to claim 2 , wherein

the determining comprises determining whether sender address information of the message data matches the at least one preset condition including preset address information, and

the prohibiting comprises prohibiting processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the sender address information matches the at least one preset condition.

5. The message data processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting whether the mobile communications terminal is in a folded state, wherein

the prohibiting comprises prohibiting processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the mobile communications terminal is detected to be in the folded state.

6. The message data processing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting whether the mobile communications terminal is in a sleep state, wherein

the prohibiting comprises prohibiting processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the mobile communications terminal is detected to be in the sleep state.

7. A mobile communications terminal, comprising:

a message data processing unit configured to process message data;

a reception unit configured to receive the message data;

a memory configured to store at least one preset condition, the at least one preset condition being customizable by a user of the mobile communications terminal;

a determining unit configured to, in response to receiving the message data, determine whether the at least one preset condition is satisfied;

an operation prohibition unit configured to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing unit for display, based on a determination by the determining unit that the at least one preset condition is satisfied; and

a dial lock setting unit configured to perform a dial lock process for rejecting key operations by the user when the processing of the message data is prohibited by the operation prohibition setting unit.

8. The mobile communications terminal according to claim 7 , wherein

the determining unit is configured to determine whether specific information included in the received message data matches the at least one preset condition, and

the operation prohibition unit is configured to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing unit for display, based on a determination by the determining unit that the specific information matches the at least one preset condition.

9. The mobile communications terminal according to claim 8 , wherein

the determining unit is configured to determine whether reception time information included in the received message data matches the at least one preset condition including preset time information, and

the operation prohibition unit is configured to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing unit for display, based on a determination by the determining unit that the reception time information matches the at least one preset condition.

10. The mobile communications terminal according to claim 8 , wherein

the determining unit is configured to determine whether sender address information included in the received message data matches the at least one preset condition including preset address information, and

the operation prohibition unit is configured to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing unit for display, based on a determination by the determining unit that the sender address information matches the at least one preset condition.

11. The mobile communications terminal according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a fold detection unit configured to detect whether the mobile communications terminal is in a folded state, wherein

the operation prohibition unit is configured to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing unit for display, based on a determination that the fold detection unit detects that the mobile communications terminal is in the folded state.

12. The mobile communications terminal according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a sleep detection unit configured to detect whether the mobile communications terminal is in a sleep state, wherein

the operation prohibition unit is configured to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing unit for display, based on a determination that the sleep detection unit detects that the mobile communications terminal is in the sleep state.

13. A mobile communications terminal, comprising:

an antenna and communications control circuit section configured to receive message data;

a message data processing section configured to process the message data;

a memory configured to store at least one preset condition, the at least one preset condition being customizable by a user of the mobile communications terminal;

an operation prohibition setting section configured to, in response to receiving the message data, determine whether the at least one preset condition is satisfied, and to prohibit processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the at least one preset condition is satisfied; and

a dial lock setting section configured to perform a dial lock process for rejecting key operations by the user when the processing of the message data is prohibited by the operation prohibition setting section.

14. The mobile communications terminal according to claim 13 , wherein

the dial lock setting section is configured to activate the dial lock process based on an instruction from the operation prohibition setting section, wherein

operations that are driven by the message data processing section are prohibited when the dial lock process is activated.

15. A computer-readable memory storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a message data processing method for a mobile communications terminal including a message data processing section configured to process message data, an operation prohibition setting section, and a dial lock setting section, the message data processing method comprising:

receiving the message data in the mobile communications terminal;

in response to receiving the message data, determining, by the operation prohibition setting section of the mobile communications terminal, whether at least one preset condition stored in a memory of the mobile communications terminal is satisfied, the at least one preset condition being customizable by a user of the mobile communications terminal;

prohibiting, by the operation prohibition setting section, processing of the message data by the message data processing section for display, based on a determination that the at least one preset condition is satisfied; and

performing, by the dial lock setting section, a dial lock process for rejecting key operations by the user when the processing of the message data is prohibited by the operation prohibition setting section.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2015
From: SONY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
To: DRNC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 037398/0224 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2015
From: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
To: SONY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 037352/0708 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 24, 2015
From: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS JAPAN, INC.
To: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 036674/0547 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 24, 2015
From: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS JAPAN, INC.
To: SONY MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS JAPAN, INC.
Reel/Frame 036674/0556 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2004
From: NAKAO, KENICHI
To: SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS JAPAN, INC.
Reel/Frame 015507/0726 →