Function-based authorization to access electronic devices

A computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause the processor to perform operations including:

• receiving a function access;
• determining in response to the function access request that a global access parameter stored in a memory of the mobile communication device indicates that restricted access to functions is active for the mobile communication device;
• determining, via a check of function-access data stored in the memory, that a particular function associated with the function access request requires access credentials;
• sending a prompt for access credentials to a display of the mobile communication device in response to the global access parameter indicating that restricted access to functions is active;
• receiving user input of the access credentials in response to the prompt;
• determining, via a comparison of the user input to corresponding credential data of the function-access data and via verification that access limitation data of the function-access data corresponding to the particular function is satisfied, that access to the particular function is permitted;
• and
• providing access to the particular function while the access limitation data of the function-access data corresponding to the particular function remains satisfied.

A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, that when executed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause the processor to perform operations including:

• receiving a function access request;
• determining that a global access parameter stored in a memory of the mobile communication device indicates that restricted access to functions is active for the mobile communication device in response to the function access request;
• determining, via a check of function-access data stored in the memory, that a particular function associated with the function access request requires access credentials;
• sending a prompt for the access credentials to a display of the mobile communication device in response to the function access request;
• receiving user input of the access credentials in response to the prompt;
• determining, via a comparison of the user input to corresponding credential data of the function-access data and via verification that access limitation data of the function-access data corresponding to the particular function is satisfied, that access to the particular function is permitted;
• providing access to the particular function when access is permitted;
• making a determination during provision of access to the particular function whether access to the particular function remains permissible based on the access limitation data corresponding to the particular function;
• and
• terminating access to the particular function when the determination is that access to the particular function is not permitted based on the access limitation data corresponding to the particular function.

A mobile communication device comprising:

• an antenna;
• a transceiver coupled to the antenna;
• an input/output interface;
• a processor coupled to the transceiver and to the input/output interface;
• a memory device accessible to the processor and including executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the mobile communication device to perform operations including:
• receiving, via the input/output interface, a function access request associated with a particular function of the mobile communication device;
• determining in response to the function access request that a global access parameter stored in the memory device indicates that restricted access to functions is active for the mobile communication device;
• determining, via a check of function-access data stored in the memory device, that the particular function requires access credentials;
• prompting, via the input/output interface, for user input of the access credentials;
• receiving, via the input/output interface, the user input;
• determining via a comparison of the user input to corresponding credential data of the function-access data and via verification that access limitation data of the function-access data corresponding to the particular function is satisfied, that access to the particular function is permitted;
• and
• providing access to the particular function while the access limitation data of the function-access data corresponding to the particular function remains satisfied.