Wireless mobile phone with authenticated mode of operation including finger print based authentication

A method comprising:

• sensing by an apparatus activation of a power on button by a user;
• receiving by the apparatus, through said activation, finger print input from the user, the power on button including input mechanism for the user to input the user's finger print;
• processing by the apparatus the sensed interactions into output signals indicating the received finger print input;
• authenticating by the apparatus the user based on at least the output signals;
• operating by the apparatus a plurality of components of the apparatus in a first mode, wherein a first plurality of user functions are available while the operating the plurality of components in the first mode, if the user is not successfully authenticated;
• operating by the apparatus, the plurality of components in a second mode, wherein a second plurality of user functions are available while the operating the plurality of components in the second mode, if the user is successfully authenticated;
• and
• switching back by the apparatus from the second mode to the first mode responsive to a user instruction;
• wherein the second plurality of user functions comprising at least one or more of the first plurality of user functions.

A wireless mobile phone comprising:

• a power on/off button to power the wireless mobile phone on or off, including an input mechanism to capture finger print of a user activating the power on/off button;
• a plurality of components coupled to each other configured to facilitate wireless telephony communication by a user, with the components being equipped to operate in at least a selected one of a first mode and a second mode, wherein a first plurality of user functions are available while the components are configured to operate in the first mode, and a second plurality of user functions are available while the components are configured to operate in the second mode;
• and
• operating logic configured to operate the components in said first mode without authentication of the user, and to operate the components in said second mode if the user is successfully authenticated based at least in part on the captured finger print;
• wherein the second plurality of user functions comprising at least one or more of the first plurality of user functions, and the operating logic is further configured to be responsive to a user instruction to switch from the second mode to the first mode.

A method, comprising:

• sensing by a wireless mobile phone, activation of a power button of a wireless mobile phone by a user;
• capturing by the wireless mobile phone, through said activation, finger print of the user;
• authenticating by the wireless mobile phone, the user based at least in part on the captured finger print;
• operating by the wireless mobile phone, a plurality of components of the wireless mobile phone to facilitate wireless telephony communication by the user, in a first mode, wherein a first plurality of user functions are available while the operating the plurality of components in the first mode, if said authenticating of the user is unsuccessful;
• operating by the wireless mobile phone, the components in a second mode, wherein a second plurality of user functions are available while the operating the plurality of components in the second mode, if the authenticating of the user is successful;
• and
• switching the wireless mobile phone from the second mode to the first mode responsive to a user instruction;
• wherein the second plurality of user functions comprising at least one or more of the first plurality of user functions.