Electronic device and network temporary unlocking method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9456349-B2
Application number	US-201514717843-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a communication interface configured to transmit a network temporary unlock request and receive a network temporary unlock approval. The electronic device also includes a processor configured to perform a network temporary unlock when the approval of the network temporary unlock is received, and release the network temporary unlock when a network temporary unlock time has expired by determining whether the network temporary unlock expiration time has come.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a communication interface configured to transmit a network temporary unlock request to a server and receive a network temporary unlock approval corresponding to the network temporary unlock request from the server; and
a processor configured to perform a network temporary unlock in response to the network temporary unlock approval until an unlock expiration time,
wherein the processor determines whether the unlock expiration time has come using time information and releases the network temporary unlock when an unlock time has expired,
wherein, by using the network temporary unlock approval, the electronic device accesses a network which is different from a network permitted by a network lock.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is configured to receive an external signal; and
the processor is configured to obtain time information by using the external signal, and determine whether the unlock expiration time has come by using the obtained external signal.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the communication interface comprises a cellular module; and wherein the external signal is a Network Identity and Time Zone (NITZ) signal received from a base station via the cellular module.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the communication interface comprises a GPS module; and wherein the external signal is a GPS signal received from three or more satellites via the GPS module.

5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to create a timer that discounts time remaining up to the unlock expiration time, and determine whether the unlock expiration time has come by discounting using the timer.

6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising a memory having a secure area; and wherein the processor is configured to store a value discounted by the timer in the secure area.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), an MP3 player, a mobile medical device, a camera, or a wearable device.

8. A method for using a network temporary unlock in an electronic device, the method comprising:
transmitting a network temporary unlock request to a server and receiving a network temporary unlock approval corresponding to the network temporary unlock request from the server;
performing a network temporary unlock in response to the network temporary unlock approval until an unlock expiration time;
determining whether the unlock expiration time has come using time information; and
releasing the network temporary unlock when an unlock time has expired,
wherein, by using the network temporary unlock approval, the electronic device accesses a network which is different from a network permitted by a network lock.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the unlock expiration time has come comprises:
receiving an external signal;
acquiring time information using the external signal; and
determining whether the unlock expiration time has come by using the obtained time information.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the receiving of the external signal is receiving a Network Identity and Time Zone (NITZ) signal from a base station.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein receiving the external signal comprises receiving GPS signals from three or more satellites via a GPS module.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
creating a timer that discounts time remaining up to the unlock expiration time, and
determining whether the unlock expiration time has come by discounting using the timer.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising storing a value discounted by the timer in a secure area of a memory.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a desktop PC, a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), an MP3 player, a mobile medical device, a camera, or a wearable device.

15. A non-transitory storage medium configured to store a network temporary unlock program, that when executed by one or more processors in an electronic device, cause the one or more processors to:
control a transmission of a network temporary unlock request to a server and a reception of a network temporary unlock approval corresponding to the network temporary unlock request from the server;
perform the network temporary unlock in response to the approval of the network temporary unlock until an unlock expiration time;
determine whether the unlock expiration time has come using time information; and
release the network temporary unlock when an unlock time has expired,
wherein, by using the network temporary unlock approval, the electronic device accesses a network which is different from a network permitted by a network lock.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 13 , wherein when the network temporary unlock program is executed by the one or more processors, the network temporary unlock program causes the one or more processors to:
control a reception of an external signal,
obtain time information by using the external signal, and
determine whether the unlock expiration time has come by using the obtained external signal.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the external signal is a Network Identity and Time Zone (NITZ) signal received from a base station via a cellular module.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the external signal is a GPS signal received from three or more satellites via a GPS module.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 16 , wherein when the network temporary unlock program is executed by the one or more processors, the network temporary unlock program causes the one or more processors to:
create a timer that discounts time remaining up to the unlock expiration time, and determine whether the unlock expiration time has come by discounting using the timer.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to store a value discounted by the timer in a secure area of a memory.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Min-Ju
• Jang Jin-Woo

Classifications

• H04L67/14

  Session management (for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066) · CPC title

• H04L69/28

  Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols · CPC title

• H04W12/08 Primary

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W12/61

  Time-dependent · CPC title

• H04W12/48

  using secure binding, e.g. securely binding identity modules to devices, services or applications · CPC title