Device and method for controlling alarm according to unintended function in mobile terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9762723-B2
Application number	US-201615165042-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	Nov 11, 2010
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A method and device for controlling generation an alarm in a mobile terminal is provided. The method comprises: checking whether a request to operate a microphone has been made by an application intended by a user that initiates an audio processing function when a request to operate the microphone is received; generating an alarm indicating an abnormal microphone operation if the request is determined not to be from an intended application; and turning off the microphone in response to the indication of the abnormal microphone operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a camera;
a touch screen;
memory; and
a processor, coupled to the memory, adapted to:
identify a request for an operation of the camera from an application executed at the apparatus;
determine whether the application is authorized for the operation of the camera;
based at least in part on a determination that the application is unauthorized for the operation of the camera, display a user interface via the touch screen to receive a user input to disallow the operation of the camera for the application; and
disable the operation of the camera for the application in response to the user input received with respect to the user interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the operation of the camera comprises a first function to capture a still image or a second function to record a video.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
enable the operation of the camera for the application in response to another user input received with respect to the user interface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
turn off the camera if the camera has been turned on, as at least part of the disabling.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
store log information associated with the camera in the memory based at least in part on the determination, the log information including an identifier of the application or a time at which the request is identified.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores one or more identifiers each corresponding to an unauthorized application for an access to the camera, and wherein the processor is adapted to:
perform the determining based at least in part on an outcome of comparison of an identifier of the application with at least one of the one or more identifies stored in the memory.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the unauthorized application comprises a spyware.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
present an alarm based at least in part on the determination.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
present, as at least part of the presenting of the alarm, a vibration or a light.

10. An apparatus comprising:
an input device, wherein the input device comprises a camera or a microphone;
a touch screen;
memory to store an application; and
a processor, coupled to the memory, adapted to:
execute the application;
identify a request to access the input device from the application;
determine whether the application is authorized to access the input device;
based at least in part on a determination that the application is unauthorized to access the input device, display a user interface via the touch screen to receive a user input to disallow an access by the application to the input device; and
disable the access by the application to the input device in response to the user input received with respect to the user interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
identify, as at least part of the request, a first request for a first function to capture a still image or a second request for a second function to capture an audio signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
enable the access by the application to the input device in response to another user input received with respect to the user interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
turn off the input device if the input device has been turned on, as at least part of the disabling.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is adapted to:
store log information associated with the input device in the memory based at least in part on the determination, the log information including an identifier of the application or a time at which the request is identified.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the memory stores one or more identifiers each corresponding to an unauthorized application for an access to the input device, and
wherein the processor is adapted to:
perform the determining based at least in part on an outcome of comparison of an identifier of the application with at least one of the one or more identifies stored in the memory.

16. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
identifying, at an electronic device including an input device and a touch screen, a request to access the input device from an application executed at the electronic device, wherein the input device comprises a camera or a microphone;
determining whether the application is authorized to access the input device;
based at least in part on a determination that the application is unauthorized to access the input device, displaying a user interface via the touch screen to receive a user input to disallow an access by the application to the input device; and
disabling the access by the application to the input device in response to the user input received with respect to the user interface.

17. A computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the identifying comprises:
identifying, as at least part of the request, a first request for a first function to capture a still image or a second request for a second function to capture an audio signal.

18. A computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the determining comprises:
storing log information associated with the input device based at least in part on the determination, the log information including an identifier of the application or a time at which the request is identified.

19. A computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , further comprising: enabling the access by the application to the input device in response to another user input received with respect to the user interface.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Ki Youn

Classifications

• H04M1/72463 Primary

  to restrict the functionality of the device · CPC title

• H04M1/68 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping · CPC title

• H04M1/72577 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M1/72406

  by software upgrading or downloading · CPC title

• H04M1/72484

  wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events · CPC title