Communication system and control method

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus that changes control of a program according to various environments.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus of the present disclosure performs short-range radio communication with an information processing terminal, and the electronic apparatus comprises: a processor; a storage unit that stores a program executed by the processor; and a communication unit that performs the short-range radio communication with the information processing terminal. The communication unit receives place determination information indicating a place where the information processing terminal is located. The processor determines whether the communication unit performs short-range radio communication with the information processing terminal, determines whether the information processing terminal is located at a registered place registered in advance based on the place determination information, and changes control of the program based on a result of determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to Communication system and a control method.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing apparatus capable of selecting a program that starts when returning from a suspended state according to the usage situation.

[0003] The information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a non-volatile storage unit, a reception unit, a selection unit, and a program determination unit. The non-volatile storage unit stores a plurality of programs. The reception unit receives context information when starting the power supply to the arithmetic unit. The selection unit selects one program from among the plurality of programs stored in the non-volatile storage unit based on the context information received by the reception unit. The program determination unit determines whether the one program selected by the selection unit is stored in the volatile storage unit.

[0004] Also, when the information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 determines that it is not stored by the program determination unit, it associates the data stored in the volatile storage unit with the one program stored in the volatile storage unit, saves it to the non-volatile storage unit, and reads out the one program selected by the selection unit from the non-volatile storage unit to the volatile storage unit and starts it. When the information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 determines that it is stored in the volatile storage unit by the program determination unit, it starts the one program stored in the volatile storage unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In recent years, there has been a growing demand for electronic devices and control methods that modify program control according to various environmental conditions.

[0007] This disclosure provides electronic equipment and control methods that modify program control according to various environments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect relating to this disclosure Communication system teeth, Information processing terminal and the above Electronic devices that perform short-range wireless communication with information processing terminals. A communication system having, The information processing terminal has pre-registered registration location information associated with the registration location, detects the location information of the information processing terminal, determines whether the information processing terminal is at the registration location based on the location information and the registration location information, and transmits the determination result as flag information. The electronic device stores a first program and a second program different from the first program, receives the flag information, and starts the first program if the information processing terminal is in the registration location, and starts the second program if the information processing terminal is not in the registration location. .

[0009] A control method relating to one aspect of this disclosure is: Information processing terminal and the above Electronic devices that perform short-range wireless communication with information processing terminals. In a communication system having A control method, The information processing terminal has pre-registered registration location information associated with a registration location, and includes the steps of: detecting the location information of the information processing terminal; determining whether the information processing terminal is at the registration location based on the location information and the registration location information; and transmitting the determination result as flag information. The electronic device stores a first program and a second program different from the first program, and includes the steps of receiving the flag information, starting the first program if the information processing terminal is in the registration location, and starting the second program if the information processing terminal is not in the registration location. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide electronic devices and control methods thereof that change the control of a program according to various environments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the communication system according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure [Figure 2] Example of registered location information [Figure 3] Control flowchart of the communication system according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure [Figure 4] Control flowchart of the communication system in modified example 1 [Figure 5] Control flowchart of the communication system in modified example 2 [Figure 6] Control Flow Chart of the Communication System of Modification Example 3

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] (Background Leading to the Present Disclosure) In recent years, with the spread of telework, the number of users who work using electronic devices at places other than the workplace, such as at home, has been increasing.

[0013] Depending on the location where the user works, security measures may not be sufficient. If an electronic device is used in a place where such security measures are not sufficient, there is a risk that highly confidential information or the like may be leaked to a third party. For example, there is a risk that information stored in an electronic device may be leaked to a third party due to theft or loss of the electronic device.

[0014] Therefore, from a security perspective, some companies have established security rules so that highly confidential information or the like cannot be handled outside the workplace. In such cases, when dealing with highly confidential information, the user has to work at the workplace, and telework may not be possible, which may reduce productivity.

[0015] Under such circumstances, it has been considered to enhance the security of an electronic device by combining an information processing terminal such as a smartphone with the electronic device. For example, an electronic device is considered that does not require password input when the information processing terminal is near the electronic device, but requires password input when the information processing terminal is not near the electronic device. This prevents information from being easily leaked to a third party even if the electronic device is stolen or lost.

[0016] However, the electronic devices described above may not always provide sufficient security. Depending on where the electronic device is used, highly confidential information may be seen by third parties. For example, in places where many people come and go, such as cafes, there is a risk that information displayed on the screen of the electronic device the user is working on may be seen by third parties. Alternatively, if a user works in a location with insufficient network security, there is a risk that information may be leaked due to unauthorized access to the electronic device by a malicious third party.

[0017] In addition, there is a growing demand for restrictions on the use of electronic devices depending on the environment in which they are used.

[0018] Therefore, the inventors considered changing the control of the electronic device program according to various environments, and arrived at the following disclosure.

[0019] An embodiment of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is essentially illustrative and is not intended to limit this disclosure, its applications, or its uses. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic, and the proportions of the dimensions, etc., do not necessarily correspond to those of reality.

[0020] In this specification, terms such as "First," "Second," etc., are used for illustrative purposes only and should not be understood as expressing or implying relative importance or ranking of technical features. Features designated as "First" or "Second" express or imply that they include one or more such features.

[0021] (Embodiment 1) [Overall structure] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a communication system 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 1 comprises an electronic device 10 and an information processing terminal 20. In the communication system 1, the electronic device 10 and the information processing terminal 20 perform short-range wireless communication. Short-range wireless communication means, for example, wireless communication within a few meters. For example, the short-range wireless communication may be wireless communication within 50 meters, preferably within 10 meters, and more preferably within 5 meters.

[0022] <Electronic equipment> The electronic device 10 is, for example, a laptop PC. The electronic device 10 comprises a first processor 11, a first storage unit 12, a first communication unit 13, and a display unit 14.

[0023] The first processor 11 controls each component of the electronic device 10. The first processor 11 can be implemented using semiconductor elements or the like. The first processor 11 can be composed of a microcontroller, CPU, MPU, GPU, DSP, FPGA, or ASIC. The first processor 11 reads data and programs 16 and 17 stored in the first memory unit 12 and performs various arithmetic operations to realize predetermined functions.

[0024] The first storage unit 12 is a storage medium that stores programs 16, 17 and data necessary to realize the functions of the electronic device 10. The first storage unit 12 includes memory 12a and HDD 12b. Memory 12a may include, for example, RAM, ROM, PROM, PROM, EPROM, flash memory, or a combination thereof. The first storage unit 12 may also include an SSD instead of HDD 12b. Alternatively, the first storage unit 12 may include both HDD 12b and SSD.

[0025] Memory 12a stores registration identification information 15 and BIOS (Basic Input Output System) 16. Registration identification information 15 is the identification information of a pre-registered information processing terminal 20. The electronic device 10 can identify the information processing terminal 20 based on the registration identification information 15. Note that memory 12a may store UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) instead of BIOS 16.

[0026] HDD12b stores the OS (Operating System) 17. OS 17 includes various operating systems such as Microsoft® Windows® Operating System or Linux.

[0027] The first communication unit 13 includes a circuit that performs short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal 20 in accordance with a predetermined communication standard. The predetermined communication standard includes, for example, Bluetooth®.

[0028] The display unit 14 is, for example, a display. The display unit 14 displays information from the electronic device 10. For example, the display unit 14 displays the screen of a program such as the BIOS 16 or OS 17 executed by the first processor 11.

[0029] <Information Processing Terminal> The information processing terminal 20 is a mobile terminal that is portable to the user and capable of short-range wireless communication and location information detection. The information processing terminal 20 is, for example, a smartphone. The information processing terminal 20 comprises a second processor 21, a second storage unit 22, a second communication unit 23, and a location information detection unit 24.

[0030] The second processor 21 controls each component of the information processing terminal 20. The second processor 21 can be implemented using semiconductor elements or the like. The second processor 21 can be composed of a microcontroller, CPU, MPU, GPU, DSP, FPGA, or ASIC. The second processor 21 reads data and programs stored in the second memory unit 22 and performs various arithmetic operations to realize predetermined functions.

[0031] The second storage unit 22 is a storage medium that stores programs and data necessary to realize the functions of the information processing terminal 20. The second storage unit 22 can be implemented by, for example, RAM, ROM, PROM, PROM, EPROM, flash memory, HDD, SSD, or a combination thereof.

[0032] The second storage unit 22 stores unique identification information 25 and registered location information 26. The unique identification information 25 is unique identification information for identifying the information processing terminal 20, and includes, for example, a serial number or telephone number. The registered location information 26 includes a registered location indicating a location that has been registered in advance, and a registered location indicating a place associated with the registered location.

[0033] In this specification, "location" means, for example, a coordinate point such as latitude and longitude, and "place" means a name that represents a location and is named in relation to that location. "Place" may be an arbitrarily named name such as home or workplace. Alternatively, "place" may be a name such as land, facility or building. "Place" does not contain information that can identify a specific location.

[0034] Figure 2 shows an example of registered location information 26. In the example shown in Figure 2, the registered location is indicated by latitude and longitude. For example, registered location (X1, Y1) is associated with "home" as the registered location, and registered location (X2, Y2) is associated with "workplace" as the registered location. Note that X1 and X2 represent latitude, and Y1 and Y2 represent longitude.

[0035] Furthermore, the registered location information 26 may include locations other than home and work. For example, the name of a place such as a coworking space or spot office, along with location information indicating that place, may be registered in the registered location information 26.

[0036] The second communication unit 23 includes a circuit that performs short-range wireless communication with the electronic device 10 in accordance with a predetermined communication standard. The predetermined communication standard includes, for example, Bluetooth®. The second communication unit 23 performs short-range wireless communication with the first communication unit 13 of the electronic device 10.

[0037] The location information detection unit 24 detects the location information of the information processing terminal 20. The location information detection unit 24 is a sensor that detects location, such as GPS (Global Positioning System).

[0038] [Operation] The operation of the communication system 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure will be explained using Figure 3. Figure 3 shows a control flowchart of the communication system 1 according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. Figure 3 shows the control of the electronic device 10 and the control of the information processing terminal 20.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, in step S1, the power to the electronic device 10 is turned ON. For example, the power to the electronic device 10 is turned ON based on a control signal input by the user. When the power to the electronic device 10 is turned ON, the first processor 11 reads the BIOS 16 from the memory 12a of the first storage unit 12 and starts up.

[0040] In step S2, the information processing terminal 20 detects location information. For example, the location information detection unit 24 detects latitude and longitude information as the location information of the information processing terminal 20.

[0041] In step S3, the information processing terminal 20 determines its location based on the detected location information and registered location information 26. For example, the second processor 21 receives location information of the information processing terminal 20 from the location information detection unit 24. The second processor 21 also reads the registered location information 26 stored in the second storage unit 22. The second processor 21 searches for the location information detected by the location information detection unit 24 among the registered locations in the registered location information 26 and determines the location of the information processing terminal 20. That is, the second processor 21 determines whether the information processing terminal 20 is in a pre-registered location based on the detected location information and the registered location information 26.

[0042] For example, if the location information detected by the location information detection unit 24 is location (X1, Y1), the second processor 21 searches for location (X1, Y1) among the registered locations in the registered location information 26. As shown in Figure 2, in the registered location information 26, location (X1, Y1) is associated with "home" as a registered location. Therefore, the second processor 21 determines that the information processing terminal 20 is at "home". In other words, the second processor 21 determines that the information processing terminal 20 is at a "registered location".

[0043] Alternatively, if the location information detected by the location information detection unit 24 is location (X0, Y0), then location (X0, Y0) is not registered in the registered location information 26. In this case, the second processor 21 determines that the information processing terminal 20 is neither at "home" nor at "work". That is, the second processor 21 determines that the information processing terminal 20 is "not at a registered location".

[0044] Furthermore, when determining the location of the information processing terminal 20, the second processor 21 may determine whether the detected location information is within a predetermined range of the registered location information 26, i.e., the latitude and longitude. As an example, let's consider the case where the detected location information is location (X3, Y3). If the detected location (X3, Y3) is within a predetermined range (X1±α, Y1±β) of the registered location (X1, Y1) that indicates the location of the home in the registered location information 26, the second processor 21 may determine that the information processing terminal 20 is at "home". "α" and "β" may be set to any numerical values.

[0045] Returning to Figure 3, in step S4, the electronic device 10 determines whether the information processing terminal 20 is near the electronic device 10. For example, the first processor 11 determines whether the first communication unit 13 is communicating wirelessly with the second communication unit 23 of the information processing terminal 20.

[0046] The first processor 11 determines that the information processing terminal 20 is near the electronic device 10 if the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 23 are communicating wirelessly over short distances. Conversely, the first processor 11 determines that the information processing terminal 20 is not near the electronic device 10 if the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 23 are not communicating wirelessly over short distances.

[0047] In step S4, if it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is near the electronic device 10, the process proceeds to step S6. If it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is not near the electronic device 10, the process proceeds to step S9.

[0048] In step S5, the information processing terminal 20 transmits unique identification information 25 and location determination information to the electronic device 10. Location determination information is information indicating the location of the information processing terminal 20. In this embodiment, the location determination information is information about the location of the information processing terminal 20 determined in step S3, and is, for example, flag information indicating whether the information processing terminal 20 is "at the registered location" or "not at the registered location". The flag information does not include information that can identify the specific location of the information processing terminal 20.

[0049] For example, the second processor 21 reads unique identification information 25 from the second storage unit 22 and transmits the unique identification information 25 to the electronic device 10 via the second communication unit 23. The second processor 21 also transmits location determination information indicating the location of the information processing terminal 20, which was determined in step S3, to the electronic device 10 via the second communication unit 23.

[0050] The second communication unit 23 communicates with the first communication unit 13 of the electronic device 10 via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) to transmit the unique identification information 25 and location determination information of the information processing terminal 20.

[0051] The second processor 21 may transmit unique identification information 25 and location determination information to the electronic device 10 based on whether or not it is communicating with the electronic device 10 via short-range wireless communication. For example, if the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 23 of the electronic device 10 are communicating via short-range wireless communication, the second processor 21 may transmit unique identification information 25 and location determination information to the electronic device 10 via the second communication unit 23. If the first communication unit 13 and the second communication unit 23 of the electronic device 10 are not communicating via short-range wireless communication, the second processor 21 does not need to transmit unique identification information 25 and location determination information to the electronic device 10 via the second communication unit 23.

[0052] In step S6, the electronic device 10 receives unique identification information 25 and location determination information transmitted from the information processing terminal 20. For example, the first processor 11 receives unique identification information 25 and location determination information via the first communication unit 13.

[0053] In step S7, the electronic device 10 identifies the information processing terminal 20 based on the unique identification information 25 and the registered identification information 15. For example, the first processor 11 reads the registered identification information 15 stored in the memory 12a of the first storage unit 12 and searches for the unique identification information 25 within the registered identification information 15. As a result, the first processor 11 identifies the information processing terminal 20 that is communicating wirelessly in the short-range wireless communication. In other words, the first processor 11 determines whether or not the information processing terminal 20 communicating wirelessly in the short-range wireless communication is a registered terminal.

[0054] If the information processing terminal 20 is not a registered terminal, the process may proceed to step S9.

[0055] In step S8, the electronic device 10 determines whether the information processing terminal 20 is at the registered location. For example, the first processor 11 determines whether the information processing terminal 20 is at the registered location based on the location determination information received in step S6.

[0056] In this embodiment, the location determination information is flag information indicating either that the information processing terminal 20 is "at the registered location" or "not at the registered location". Therefore, the first processor 11 can easily determine whether or not the information processing terminal 20 is at the registered location based on the location determination information.

[0057] In step S8, if it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is not at the registration location, the process proceeds to step S9. If it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is at the registration location, the OS is started.

[0058] In step S9, the electronic device 10 displays a password input screen on the display unit 14 for entering the BIOS 16 password. The user enters the password on the password input screen via the input interface.

[0059] In step S10, the electronic device 10 determines whether the correct password has been entered. For example, the first processor 11 determines whether the password entered on the password input screen matches a pre-set password. The information of the pre-set password is stored, for example, in the memory 12a of the first storage unit 12.

[0060] In step S10, if it is determined that a correct password has been entered on the password input screen, the OS will start. If it is determined that a correct password has not been entered on the password input screen, the process will return to step S9.

[0061] [effect] The communication system 1 of Embodiment 1 can achieve the following effects.

[0062] In the communication system 1, the electronic device 10 determines whether or not to display a password input screen requesting a password based on (i) whether or not the information processing terminal 20 is near the electronic device 10, and (ii) whether or not the information processing terminal 20 is in a pre-registered location. With this configuration, the electronic device 10 can set whether or not to require a password depending on the environment.

[0063] For example, if the information processing terminal 20 is not near the electronic device 10, or if the information processing terminal 20 is not in a registration location, a password input screen is displayed on the display unit 14 of the electronic device 10. On the other hand, if the information processing terminal 20 is near the electronic device 10 and is in a registration location, the display of the password input screen is omitted. This allows, for example, a password to be required if the electronic device 10 is used in a location with a high risk of information leakage, and password input to be omitted if the electronic device 10 is used in a location with a low risk of information leakage. This configuration improves the usability of the electronic device 10 while also improving security.

[0064] The control method for controlling the electronic device 10 can also achieve the same effects as described above.

[0065] In this embodiment, an example was described in which the electronic device 10 is a laptop PC, but it is not limited to this. For example, the electronic device 10 may be a computer such as a desktop PC or a tablet PC.

[0066] In this embodiment, an example in which the electronic device 10 includes a display unit 14 has been described, but it is not limited to this. The display unit 14 is not an essential component.

[0067] In this embodiment, an example in which the information processing terminal 20 is a smartphone has been described, but it is not limited to this. The information processing terminal 20 may be any mobile terminal having short-range wireless communication functionality and location information detection functionality. For example, the information processing terminal 20 may be a tablet PC.

[0068] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the location of the information processing terminal 20 is determined based on the location information detected by the location information detection unit 24 and the registered location information 26, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the information processing terminal 20 may transmit the location information detected by the location information detection unit 24 directly to the electronic device 10. In this case, the electronic device 10 may determine the location of the information processing terminal 20 based on the location information. That is, step S3 shown in Figure 3 may be performed by the electronic device 10.

[0069] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the information processing terminal 20 transmits unique identification information 25 to the electronic device 10, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the information processing terminal 20 does not have to transmit unique identification information 25 to the electronic device 10.

[0070] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the location determination information is flag information indicating "located at the registered location" or "not located at the registered location," but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the location determination information may include location identification information that identifies the location where the information processing terminal 20 is located. For example, the location identification information is information that can identify a location such as "home," "workplace," or "coworking space." In this case, the programs 16 and 17 of the electronic device 10 can be controlled individually according to the identified location.

[0071] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, an example has been described in which one registration location is associated with one registration site, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, a predetermined range may be associated with one registration site.

[0072] The following describes some variations.

[0073] <Example 1> Figure 4 is a control flowchart of the communication system in Modification 1. As shown in Figure 4, the control of the electronic device 10 in Modification 1 differs from the control of the electronic device 10 in Embodiment 1 in that it switches between multiple operating systems. Note that Modification 1 will mainly be described in terms of the parts that differ from Embodiment 1.

[0074] In Modification 1, the first OS and the second OS are stored in the HDD 12b of the first storage unit 12. For example, the first OS is Microsoft® Windows® Operating System, and the second OS is Linux. Note that the first OS and the second OS are not limited to these. It is sufficient that the first OS and the second OS are different.

[0075] In the modified example 1, if it is determined in step S8 that the information processing terminal 20 is in the registration location, the first OS is started. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S4 that the information processing terminal 20 is not near the electronic device 10, or that the information processing terminal 20 is not in the registration location, the second OS is started.

[0076] In this way, the electronic device 10 can control whether to start the first OS or the second OS based on the determination results of steps S4 and S8. For example, the first OS can be started when the user is using the electronic device 10 in a registered location such as home or work, and the second OS can be started when the user is using the electronic device 10 in an unregistered location such as a cafe.

[0077] <Modification 2> Figure 5 is a control flowchart of the communication system in Modification 2. As shown in Figure 5, the control of the electronic device 10 in Modification 2 differs from the control of the electronic device 10 in Modification 1 in that it switches between multiple operating systems depending on the registration location. Note that Modification 2 will mainly be explained in terms of the differences from Modification 1.

[0078] In variation 2, the first OS, second OS, and third OS are stored in the HDD 12b of the first storage unit 12. The third OS may be the same OS as the first OS or the second OS, or it may be a different OS from the first OS and the second OS.

[0079] Furthermore, the location determination information includes location identification information that identifies the location where the information processing terminal 20 is located. For example, the location identification information is information that identifies a location such as home, workplace, or co-working space. In the modified example 2, the information processing terminal 20 includes location identification information that indicates whether or not it is located in a pre-registered first registered location or second registered location. For example, the first registered location may be "workplace" and the second registered location may be "home".

[0080] In the modified example 2, if it is determined in step S8 that the information processing terminal 20 is at the registration location, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0081] In step S11, the electronic device 10 determines, based on location identification information, whether the information processing terminal 20 is located at a first registered location or at a second registered location different from the first registered location.

[0082] For example, if the location identification information indicates a first registered location and it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is at the first registered location, the first processor 11 reads the first OS from the HDD 12b and starts it up. On the other hand, if the location identification information indicates a second registered location and it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is at the second registered location, the first processor 11 reads the second OS from the HDD 12b and starts it up.

[0083] Furthermore, if the location determination information indicates that the information processing terminal 20 is not at the registered location, the first processor 11 determines in step S8 that the information processing terminal 20 is not at the registered location. In this case, the first processor 11 reads the third OS from the HDD 12b and starts it up.

[0084] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S4 that the information processing terminal 20 is not near the electronic device 10, the first processor 11 will read the third OS from the HDD 12b and start it up.

[0085] Thus, the information processing terminal 20 may transmit not only flag information indicating whether or not it is at a registered location, but also location identification information that can identify a location such as home or work to the electronic device 10. Based on the location identification information, the electronic device 10 can identify whether the information processing terminal 20 is at home or at work, and can switch the OS used in the electronic device 10 depending on the location of the information processing terminal 20.

[0086] <Variation 3> Figure 6 is a control flowchart of the communication system in Modification 3. As shown in Figure 6, the control of the electronic device 10 in Modification 3 differs from the control of the electronic device 10 in Embodiment 1 in that the BIOS 16 is controlled to limit the functions of the electronic device 10 when the information processing terminal 20 is not in the registration location. In Modification 3, the differences from Embodiment 1 will be mainly explained.

[0087] In Modification 3, the electronic device 10 includes at least one of the following: a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a card slot, or an input / output terminal. The card slot is, for example, a slot into which a recording medium such as an SD card is inserted and into which data is written and read. The input / output terminal is, for example, a terminal that can input or output information, such as a USB port, an audio terminal, or a LAN terminal.

[0088] In the modified example 3, if it is determined in step S4 that the information processing terminal 20 is not near the electronic device 10, or if it is determined in step S8 that the information processing terminal 20 is not in the registration location, the process proceeds to step S12.

[0089] In step S12, the electronic device 10 controls the BIOS 16 to restrict the functions of the electronic device 10. For example, the first processor 11 changes the settings of the BIOS 16 to restrict the use of at least one of the following: camera, speaker, microphone, card slot, or input / output terminal.

[0090] After step S12 is completed, the first processor 11 reads the OS from the HDD 12b of the first storage unit 12 and starts it up.

[0091] Note that the functions restricted in step S12 are not limited to the camera, speaker, microphone, card slot, or input / output terminal. Any function that can be configured in BIOS16 is acceptable to be restricted in step S12.

[0092] Furthermore, while Modification 3 describes an example where the BIOS 16 is controlled to restrict the functions of the electronic device 10 when the information processing terminal 20 is not at a registered location, the system is not limited to this. For example, the BIOS 16 may be controlled to restrict the functions of the electronic device 10 depending on the location of the information processing terminal 20. For example, if it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is at home, the use of the camera, speaker, microphone, card slot, and input / output terminals may be restricted, and if it is determined that the information processing terminal 20 is at a coworking space, the use of the card slot and input / output terminals may be restricted. In this way, even when the information processing terminal 20 is at a registered location, the functions of the electronic device 10 that are restricted may be changed depending on the location.

[0093] As described above, the above embodiments have been explained as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments that are modified, replaced, added, or omitted as appropriate.

[0094] While this disclosure is adequately described in relation to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications should be understood to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined by the attached claims.

[0095] Furthermore, general and specific aspects of this disclosure may be implemented by systems, methods, and computer programs, or combinations thereof.

[0096] (Summary of the embodiment) (1) The electronic device of this disclosure is an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication with an information processing terminal, comprising a processor, a storage unit for storing a program executed by the processor, and a communication unit for performing short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal, wherein the communication unit receives location determination information indicating the location of the information processing terminal, the processor determines whether the communication unit is performing short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal, determines whether the information processing terminal is in a pre-registered registered location based on the location determination information, and modifies the control of the program based on the determination result.

[0097] (2) In the electronic device described in (1), the storage unit stores registration identification information that identifies a pre-registered information processing terminal, the communication unit receives unique identification information that identifies an information processing terminal, and the processor may identify an information processing terminal that is communicating wirelessly with the communication unit based on the unique identification information and the registration identification information.

[0098] (3) The electronic device described in (1) or (2) further includes a display unit for displaying information, and the program includes an OS (Operating System) and a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), and the processor may start the OS if it determines that the communication unit is communicating wirelessly with the information processing terminal and the information processing terminal is at a registered location, and if it determines that the communication unit is not communicating wirelessly with the information processing terminal or the information processing terminal is not at a registered location, it may display a password input screen on the display unit prompting the user to enter a BIOS or UEFI password.

[0099] (4) In the electronic device described in (1) or (2), the program includes a first OS and a second OS different from the first OS, and the processor may start the first OS if it determines that the communication unit is communicating wirelessly with an information processing terminal and the information processing terminal is at a registered location, and may start the second OS if it determines that the communication unit is not communicating wirelessly with an information processing terminal or the information processing terminal is not at a registered location.

[0100] (5) In the electronic device described in (1) or (2), the program includes a first OS and a second OS different from the first OS, and the processor may start the first OS if the communication unit is communicating wirelessly with an information processing terminal and the information processing terminal is located at a first registration location, and may start the second OS if the communication unit is communicating wirelessly with an information processing terminal and the information processing terminal is located at a second registration location different from the first registration location.

[0101] (6) In the electronic device described in (1) or (2), the program includes a BIOS or UEFI, and the processor may control the BIOS or UEFI and restrict the functions of the electronic device if it determines that the communication unit is not communicating wirelessly with the information processing terminal or that the information processing terminal is not at a registered location.

[0102] (7)(6) The electronic device further comprises at least one of a camera, speaker, microphone, card slot, or input / output terminal, and the processor may restrict the use of at least one of the camera, speaker, microphone, card slot, or input / output terminal if it determines that the communication unit is not communicating wirelessly with the information processing terminal or that the information processing terminal is not in a pre-registered location.

[0103] (8) In any of the electronic devices described in (1) to (7), the information processing terminal may be a smartphone.

[0104] (9) A control method of the present disclosure is a control method for controlling an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication with an information processing terminal, and includes the steps of: receiving location determination information indicating the location of the information processing terminal; determining whether the communication unit is performing short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal; determining whether the information processing terminal is in a pre-registered registered location based on the location determination information; and changing the control of a program stored in the storage unit of the electronic device based on the determination result. [Industrial applicability]

[0105] This disclosure is applicable to an information processing terminal that detects location information, an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication, and a method for controlling the electronic device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1. Communication System 10 Electronic equipment 11 First Processor 12 Storage section 12a memory 12b HDD 13. First Communications Department 14 Display section 15. Registration Identification Information 16 BIOS 17 OS 20 Information Processing Terminals 21 Second Processor 22 2nd memory section 23. Second Communications Department 24 Location Information Detection Unit 25 Unique Identifiers 26. Registered Location Information

Claims

1. A communication system comprising an information processing terminal and an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal, The aforementioned information processing terminal is Location information associated with the registration location is registered in advance. The location information of the aforementioned information processing terminal is detected, Based on the location information and the registered location information, the information processing terminal transmits flag information indicating whether or not it is located at the registered location. The aforementioned electronic device is It stores a first program and a second program different from the first program, Upon receiving the aforementioned flag information, Based on the aforementioned flag information, if the information processing terminal is located at the registration location, the first program is launched. Based on the aforementioned flag information, if the information processing terminal is not located at the registration location, the second program is launched. Communication system.

2. A communication system comprising an information processing terminal and an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal, The aforementioned information processing terminal is Location information associated with the registration location is registered in advance. The aforementioned registration location includes the first registration location and the second registration location, The registration location information includes first registration location information associated with the first registration location and second registration location information associated with the second registration location. The location information of the aforementioned information processing terminal is detected, Based on the location information, the first registered location information, and the second registered location information, the system transmits flag information indicating whether or not the information processing terminal is at the registered location, and location identification information indicating whether or not the information processing terminal is at the first registered location or the second registered location. The aforementioned electronic device is It stores a first program, a second program different from the first program, and a third program. Upon receiving the aforementioned flag information and location identification information, Based on the location identification information, if the information processing terminal is located at the first registered location, the first program is launched. Based on the location identification information, if the information processing terminal is located at the second registered location, the second program is launched. Based on the aforementioned flag information, if the information processing terminal is not located at the registration location, the third program is launched. Communication system.

3. A control method for a communication system having an information processing terminal and an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal, The aforementioned information processing terminal is Location information associated with the registration location is registered in advance. The steps include detecting the location information of the information processing terminal, The process includes the step of transmitting flag information indicating whether or not the information processing terminal is located at the registered location, based on the location information and the registered location information. The aforementioned electronic device is It stores a first program and a second program different from the first program, The steps of receiving the aforementioned flag information, Based on the flag information, if the information processing terminal is located at the registration location, the first program is launched. The process includes the step of starting the second program if the information processing terminal is not located at the registration location based on the flag information. Control method.

4. A control method for a communication system having an information processing terminal and an electronic device that performs short-range wireless communication with the information processing terminal, The aforementioned information processing terminal is Location information associated with the registration location is registered in advance. The aforementioned registration location includes the first registration location and the second registration location, The registration location information includes first registration location information associated with the first registration location and second registration location information associated with the second registration location. The steps include detecting the location information of the information processing terminal, The process includes the step of transmitting, based on the location information, the first registered location information, and the second registered location information, flag information indicating whether the information processing terminal is at the registered location, and location identification information indicating whether the information processing terminal is at the first registered location or the second registered location. The aforementioned electronic device is It stores a first program, a second program different from the first program, and a third program. Upon receiving the aforementioned flag information and location identification information, Based on the location identification information, if the information processing terminal is located at the first registered location, the first program is launched. Based on the location identification information, if the information processing terminal is located at the second registered location, the second program is launched. The system includes the step of starting the third program if, based on the flag information, the information processing terminal is not located at the registration location. Control method.

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