Portable terminal and method of setting and releasing use restriction therefor

Abstract

A portable terminal with a body having a front surface with a display device and a rear surface including a rear password input device provided on the rear surface of the body, which is opposite to the display device, to receive a setting password for setting or releasing of use restriction, a storage device that stores the input password for the setting of the use restriction, and a control device that determines the releasing of the use restriction by comparing N the password for the releasing of the use restriction, which is input into the rear password input device, with the stored password for the setting of the use restriction. The input of the password for the setting or the releasing of the use restriction is prevented from being exposed to other persons, so that the security of the portable terminal is remarkably improved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable terminal with a body having a front surface and a rear surface, the portable terminal comprising:
 a display device provided on the front surface;   a rear password input device provided on the rear surface to receive a setting password for setting a use restriction for the portable terminal or a releasing password for releasing the use restriction set for the portable terminal; and   a control device that stores the setting password in a storage device if the setting password is input into the rear password input device while setting the use restriction, and that performs comparison of the input releasing password with the stored setting password if the releasing password is input to release the use restriction if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password or symmetrical to the stored setting password.   
     
     
         2 . The portable terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises:
 an identity determining device that determines if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password;   a symmetry determining device that determines if the input releasing password is symmetrical to the stored setting password; and   a release determining device that releases the use restriction if the identity determining device determines the input releasing password as being matched to the stored setting password, or if the identity determining device determines the input releasing password as being different from the stored setting password, and the symmetry determining device determines the input releasing password as being symmetrical to the stored setting password.   
     
     
         3 . A portable terminal with a body having a front surface and a rear surface, the portable terminal comprising:
 a display device provided on the front surface;   a rear password input device provided on the rear surface to receive a setting password for setting a use restriction for the portable terminal or a releasing password for releasing the use restriction set for the portable terminal; and   a control device that stores the setting password in a storage device if the setting password is input into one of the display device and the rear password input device while setting the use restriction, and that performs comparison of the input releasing password with the stored setting password if the releasing password is input to release the use restriction if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password or symmetrical to the stored setting password.   
     
     
         4 . The portable terminal of  claim 3 , wherein the control device comprises:
 an identity determining device that determines if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password;   a symmetry determining device that determines if the input releasing password is symmetrical to the stored setting password; and   a release determining device that releases the use restriction if the identity determining device determines the input releasing password as being matched to the stored setting password, or if the identity determining device determines the input releasing password as being different from the stored setting password, and the symmetry determining device determines the input releasing password as being symmetrical to the stored setting password.   
     
     
         5 . A method of setting and releasing use restriction for a portable terminal, the method comprising:
 setting the use restriction for the portable terminal including a display device provided on a front surface of a body thereof and a rear password input device provided on a rear surface of the body; and   releasing the use restriction set for the portable terminal;   wherein the setting of the use restriction comprises:
 inputting a setting password for the setting of the use restriction into the rear password input device; and 
 storing the input setting password while setting the use restriction, and 
   wherein the releasing of the use restriction comprises:
 inputting a releasing password for the releasing of the use restriction into the rear password input device; and 
 comparing the input releasing password with the stored setting password to determine the releasing of the use restriction if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password or symmetrical to the stored setting password. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the determining of the releasing the use restriction comprises:
 primarily determining if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password to release the use restriction if the input releasing password is determined as being matched to the stored setting password; and   secondarily determining if the input releasing password is symmetrical to the stored setting password if the input releasing password is determined as being different from the stored setting password in the primarily determining, to release the use restriction if the input releasing password is determined as being symmetrical to the stored setting password.   
     
     
         7 . A method of setting and releasing use restriction for a portable terminal, the method comprising:
 setting the use restriction for the portable terminal including a display device provided on a front surface of a body thereof and a rear password input device provided on a rear surface of the body; and   releasing the use restriction set for the portable terminal,   wherein the setting of the use restriction comprises:
 inputting a setting password for the setting of the use restriction into one of the display device and the rear password input device; and 
 storing the input setting password while setting the use restriction, and 
   wherein the releasing of the use restriction comprises:
 inputting a releasing password for the releasing of the use restriction into one of the display device and the rear password input device; and 
 comparing the input releasing password with the stored setting password to determine the releasing of the use restriction if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password or symmetrical to the stored setting password. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the determining of the releasing the use restriction comprises:
 primarily determining if the input releasing password is matched to the stored setting password to release the use restriction if the input releasing password is determined as being matched to the stored setting password; and   secondarily determining if the input releasing password is symmetrical to the stored setting password if the input releasing password is determined as being different from the stored setting password in the primarily determining, to release the use restriction if the input releasing password is determined as being symmetrical to the stored setting password.