Portable electronic apparatus
Provided is a portable telephone apparatus which can change the arrangement (style) of its display portion and operation portion, and which makes it easy to input authentication information for making itself usable. A storage unit stores style lock association information that associates styles with authentication methods for making the portable telephone apparatus usable in these styles. A control unit determines whether or not terminal locking is imposed when the power is turned on. If the terminal locking is imposed, the control unit refers to the style lock association information and selects an authentication method associated with the current style detected by a style detection sensor. In a case where user authentication by the selected authentication method is successful, the control unit cancels the terminal locking and makes the portable telephone apparatus usable.
1 . A portable electronic apparatus having a plurality of housings whose arrangement state can be changed, comprising:
a plurality of authentication information input units which input authentication information;
an arrangement state detection unit which detects an arrangement state of the plurality of housings;
a use option storage unit which stores information that associates each of a plurality of arrangement states to be detected by the arrangement state detection unit with one or a plurality of the authentication information input units;
a selection unit which selects the authentication information input unit that is associated with the arrangement state detected by the arrangement state detection unit, based on a content stored in the use option storage unit;
an authentication unit which authenticates a user based on authentication information input by the authentication information input unit selected by the selection unit; and
a control unit which makes the portable electronic apparatus usable, in a case where authentication by the authentication unit ends in success.
2 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the use option storage unit stores information that associates each of the plurality of arrangement states of the housings, with one or a plurality of the authentication information input unit(s) usable by the user in that arrangement state, or with one or a plurality of the authentication information input unit(s) which is/are exposed outside in that arrangement state.
3 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein priority orders are given to the plurality of authentication information input units respectively,
in a case where there are a plurality of authentication information input units that are associated with the arrangement state detected by the arrangement state detection unit, the selection unit selects at least one authentication information input unit according to the priority orders given to the respective authentication information input units, and
the authentication unit authenticates the user based on authentication information input by the selected authentication information input unit.
4 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein in a case where authentication by the authentication unit ends in failure:
the selection unit determines whether or not there is at least one authentication information input unit that is given a priority order lower than that of the authentication information input unit which has input the authentication information that has failed in the authentication, in the plurality of authentication information input units, and if there is any, selects the authentication information input unit whose priority order is highest of such units; and
the authentication unit again authenticates the user based on authentication information input by the selected authentication information input unit.
5 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the authentication information input units are stopped until selected by the selection unit, and
the portable electronic apparatus further comprises an activation unit which activates any authentication information input unit when this authentication information input unit is selected by the selection unit.
6 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a display unit which displays operation information that shows an operation to be performed by the user in order for authentication information to be input by any of the authentication information input units,
wherein in a case where any of the authentication information input units is selected by the selection unit, the display unit displays operation information that corresponds to he selected authentication information input unit.
7 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of authentication information input units include:
a password input unit which is provided on the housing for inputting a password corresponding to an operation of the user; and
a fingerprint input unit which is provided on the housing different from the housing on which the password input unit is provided, for inputting a fingerprint pattern of the user,
the use option storage unit stores:
information that associates an arrangement state in which the password input unit is incapable of inputting a password, with the fingerprint input unit; and
information that associates an arrangement state in which the password input unit is capable of inputting a password, with the password input unit,
the selection unit:
determines whether or not the arrangement state detected by the arrangement state detection unit is the arrangement state in which the password input unit is capable of inputting a password, based on a content stored in the use option storage unit; and
selects the password input unit if it is the arrangement state in which the password input unit is capable of inputting a password, and selects the fingerprint input unit if it is the arrangement state in which the password input unit is incapable of inputting a password, and
the authentication unit authenticates the user based on a fingerprint pattern input by the fingerprint input unit selected by the selection unit, or a password input by the password input unit selected by the selection unit.
8 . The portable electronic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the portable electronic apparatus has a plurality of functions each of which performs a predetermined operation, and further comprises:
a function storage unit which stores information that associates the plurality of arrangement states to be detected by the arrangement state detection unit, with one or a plurality of functions of the plurality of functions;
a function selection unit which selects at least one function from functions associated with the arrangement state detected by the arrangement state detection unit, based on a content stored in the function storage unit;
a restriction determining unit which determines whether or not use restriction is imposed on the function selected by the function selection unit; and
a function control unit which makes usable any function that is determined by the restriction determining unit as being imposed use restriction,
in a case where the restriction determining unit determines that use restriction is imposed, the selection unit selects the authentication information input unit that is associated with the arrangement state detected by the arrangement state detection unit,
the authentication unit authenticates the user based on authentication information input by the selected authentication information input unit, and
the function control unit makes usable the function selected by the function selection unit, in a case where authentication by the authentication unit ends in success.
9 . A recording medium storing a program for controlling a computer which has:
a plurality of housings whose arrangement can be changed;
a plurality of authentication information input units which input authentication information;
a detection unit which detects an arrangement of the plurality of housings; and
a storage unit which stores information that associates an arrangement of the plurality of housings with the authentication information input unit usable by the user in that arrangement,
to perform:
a selecting step of selecting one or a plurality of the authentication information input unit(s), based on an arrangement detected by the detection unit and a content stored in the storage unit; and
an authenticating step of authenticating a user based on authentication information input by the authentication information input unit(s) selected in the selecting step.