Method and system for controlling access to a mobile communication terminal

Abstract

A system for limiting access to a mobile communication terminal comprises user interface for providing an option to select an authentication method to lock the mobile communication terminal; and memory for storing a plurality of lock codes, including image lock codes, inputted into the mobile communication terminal for locking the mobile communication terminal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for switching access state of a mobile device from a first state to a second state, the method comprising:
 determining first color attributes corresponding to a first image captured by a user using a camera connected to the mobile device; 
 determining second color attributes corresponding to a lock code comprising a second image stored in a memory of the mobile device, wherein an alphanumeric character and the first image are input in sequence as part of a single lock code; 
 comparing the first and second color attributes to arrive at a first value; and 
 switching from the first access state to the second access state, in response to determining that the first value is within a first range, indicating that the first and second images are relatively similar in color, without regard to how sharply focused the first and second images are, and 
 wherein the lock code is not associated with the mobile device's unique identifier or other data that has been uniquely assigned to the mobile device by a party other than the user and wherein the lock code authentication is performed independent from any communication of the lock code to a base station or entity other than the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first state is a lock state and the second state is an unlock state. 
     
     
       3. A method for switching access state of a mobile device from a first state to a second state, the method comprising:
 determining first dimension attributes corresponding to a first image of an object captured by a user using a camera connected to the mobile device; 
 determining second dimension attributes corresponding to a lock code comprising a second image of an object stored in a memory of the mobile device, wherein an alphanumeric character and the first image are input in sequence as part of a single lock code; 
 comparing the first and second dimension attributes to arrive at a first value; and 
 switching from the first access state to the second access state, in response to determining that the first value is within a first range, indicating that the first and second images are relatively similar in dimension, without regard to how sharply focused the first and second images are, and 
 wherein the lock code is not associated with the mobile device's unique identifier or other data that has been uniquely assigned to the mobile device by a party other than the user and wherein the lock code authentication is performed independent from any communication of the lock code to a base station or entity other than the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first state is a lock state and the second state is an unlock state. 
     
     
       5. A method for switching access state of a mobile device from a first state to a second state, the method comprising:
 determining first dimension and color attributes corresponding to a first image of an object captured by a user using a camera connected to the mobile device; 
 determining second dimension and color attributes corresponding to a lock code comprising a second image of an object stored in a memory of the mobile device, wherein an alphanumeric character and the first image are input in sequence as part of a single lock code; 
 comparing the first and second dimension attributes to arrive at a first value; 
 comparing the first and second color attributes to arrive at a second value; and 
 switching from the first access state to the second access state, in response to determining that the first value is within a first range and the second value is in a second range, indicating that the first and second images are relatively similar in dimension and color, without regard to how sharply focused the first and second images are, 
 wherein the lock code is not associated with the mobile device's unique identifier or other data that has been uniquely assigned to the mobile device by a party other than the user and wherein the lock code authentication is performed independent from any communication of the lock code to a base station or entity other than the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first state is a lock state and the second state is an unlock state. 
     
     
       7. A security system for switching access state of a mobile device from a first state to a second state, the system comprising:
 a logic unit for determining first dimension attributes and first color attributes corresponding to a first image of an object captured by a user using a camera connected to the mobile device; 
 a logic unit for determining second dimension attributes and second color attributes corresponding to a lock code comprising a second image of an object stored in a memory of the mobile device, wherein an alphanumeric character and the first image are input in sequence as part of a single lock code; 
 a logic unit for comparing the first dimension attributes with the second dimension attributes, without regard to how sharply focused the first and second images are, to arrive at a first value; and 
 a logic unit for comparing the first color attributes with the second color attributes, without regard to how sharply focused the first and second images are, to arrive at a second value, 
 wherein the lock code is not associated with the mobile device's unique identifier or other data that has been uniquely assigned to the mobile device by a party other than the user and wherein the lock code authentication is performed independent from any communication of the lock code to a base station or entity other than the mobile device. 
 
     
     
       8. The system to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a logic unit for switching from the first access state to the second access state, in response to determining that the first value is within a first range and the second value is within a second range. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first value is in the first range when the first and second images are relatively similar in dimension. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the second value is in the second range when the first and second images are relatively similar in color. 
     
     
       11. A method for controlling a locked state of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 registering a plurality of lock codes, that includes at least one numeric code and an image lock code;   selecting one lock mode from among a plurality of lock modes;   receiving the at least one numeric code when the selected lock mode is a combination numeric-image lock mode;   comparing the received numeric code with a registered numeric code;   maintaining the locked state of the mobile terminal when the received the at least one numeric code matches the registered numeric code;   capturing an image of an object via a camera connected to the mobile terminal;   comparing a lock code of the captured image with a registered image lock code; and   unlocking the locked state of the mobile terminal when the image matches the registered image lock code.    
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11, wherein registering the plurality of lock codes comprises:
 selecting the one lock mode from among the plurality of lock modes;   inputting receiving the at least one numeric code and the registered image lock code in the selected lock mode; and   storing the received at least one numeric code and registered image lock code as a reference lock code.    
     
     
       13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of lock modes includes a numeric or image lock mode, the combination numeric-image lock mode, a multi-image lock mode, and a multi-numeric lock code mode.  
     
     
       14. The method of claim 11, wherein the object includes a portion of a human body.  
     
     
       15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of lock codes is used as an authentication method.  
     
     
       16. The method of claim 11, wherein the locked state of the mobile terminal is unlocked when a comparison result is within a first range indicating that first and second images are relatively similar.  
     
     
       17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
 capturing an image of a first object via camera connected to the mobile terminal when the selected lock mode is a multi-image lock code mode;   comparing a lock code of the captured first image with a registered first image lock code;   displaying a message requesting input of a second image lock code when the lock code of the first image lock code matches the registered first image lock code;   capturing an image of a second object via the camera;   comparing the captured second image lock code with a registered second image lock code; and   unlocking the locked state of the mobile terminal when a lock code of the second image matches the registered second image lock code.    
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, further comprising comparing red-green-blue (RGB) color values and sizes on the basis of image characteristics between the image lock codes of the first and second images and the registered first and second image lock codes.  
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining that the image lock codes of the first and second images match when:
 a difference of RGB color values between the captured image lock codes of the first and second images,   the registered first and second image lock codes are within a first tolerance threshold, or   a difference between object sizes of the first and second images is within a second tolerance threshold.    
     
     
       20. A security system for controlling a locked state of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:
 a logic unit configured to:
 register a plurality of lock codes including at least numeric codes and image lock codes; 
 select one lock mode among a plurality of lock modes; 
 receive at least one numeric code when the selected one lock mode is a combination numeric-image lock mode; 
 compare the received numeric code with registered numeric codes; 
 maintain the locked state of the mobile terminal when the received numeric code matches the registered numeric codes; 
 capture an image of an object via a camera connected to the mobile terminal; 
 compare a lock code of the captured image with registered image lock codes; and 
 unlock the locked state of the mobile terminal when the lock code of the captured image matches the one of the registered image lock codes.  
   
     
     
       21. The system to claim 20, wherein the logic unit is further configured to:
 receive at least one numeric code and registered image lock code in the selected one lock mode; and   store the received at least one numeric code and registered image lock code as a reference lock code.    
     
     
       22. The system to claim 20, wherein the plurality of lock modes includes the numeric or image lock mode, the combination numeric-image lock mode, a multi-image lock code mode, and a multi-numeric lock code node.  
     
     
       23. The system to claim 20, wherein the object includes a portion of a human body.  
     
     
       24. The system to claim 20, wherein the plurality of lock code is used as an authentication method.  
     
     
       25. The system to claim 20, wherein the logic unit configured is further configured to unlock the locked state of the mobile terminal when a comparison result is within a first range indicating that first and second images are relatively similar.