Management of application access

• US 10,049,221 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chien, Ginger Li
• Primary Examiner(s): Dada, Beemnet
• Application Number:
  US15/151,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20160253507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for management of application access. A security management application can be configured to set access controls and/or other security settings relating to application programs. Additionally, or alternatively, particular functions and/or functionality associated with application programs may be individually configured. Settings reflecting the access controls and/or other security settings can be stored and can be applied at the user device. The security management application also can be configured to determine if security settings and/or access controls are to be overridden. Data can be collected from various sensors and/or other sources to use in determining if particular application programs and/or application program functionality is to be allowed. Thus, normally disallowed activities can be allowed in emergency conditions, when in a business location associated with a particular device, and/or at other times and/or under other circumstances.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a device that comprises a processor, an access control for an application program that is installed at the device, wherein the device is configured to deny access to application programs installed at the device when the device is locked, and wherein the access control specifies that an entity using the device is allowed to access the application program when the device is locked without the entity unlocking the device and without the device authenticating the entity; and

presenting, by the device, a user interface that comprises a lock screen comprising a first user interface control that is selectable to present an application access screen and a second user interface control that is selectable to initiate unlocking of the device, wherein the device is configured to respond to an interaction with the first user interface control by the entity by presenting, by the device without unlocking the device and without authenticating the entity, the application access screen, wherein the application access screen comprises a third user interface control that corresponds to the application program, wherein selection of the third user interface control causes the device to allow access to the application program without the entity unlocking the device and without the device authenticating the entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the access control comprises:

presenting a list of application programs installed at the device, the application programs comprising the application program;

presenting a user interface control that is selectable to assign the access control to the application program; and

receiving input corresponding to the access control via the user interface control.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the access control comprises:

presenting a list comprising data that indicates the application program that is installed at the device and a user interface control that assigns the access control to the application program that is installed at the device; and

receiving input corresponding to the access control via the user interface control.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

adding the third user interface control to the application access screen in response to setting the access control.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a further access control for a further application program, wherein the further access control specifies that access to the further application program is not allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a further setting that defines the further access control.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that the further setting is to be overridden based upon data collected at the device; and

presenting, in the application access screen, a fourth user interface control that is selectable to cause the device to allow the access to the further application program without unlocking the device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data collected comprises sensor data that indicates an emergency condition at the device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the application program comprises a locally executed application that accesses remotely provided data.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the application program comprises a map application.

8. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining an access control for an application program that is installed at a device, wherein the device is configured to deny access to application programs installed at the device when the device is locked, and wherein the access control specifies that an entity using the device is allowed to access the application program when the device is locked without the entity unlocking the device and without the device authenticating the entity; and

presenting a user interface that comprises a lock screen comprising a first user interface control that is selectable to present an application access screen and a second user interface control that is selectable to initiate unlocking of the device, wherein the device is configured to respond to an interaction with the first user interface control by the entity by presenting, without authenticating the entity, the application access screen, wherein the application access screen comprises a third user interface control that corresponds to the application program, wherein selection of the third user interface control causes the device to allow access to the application program without the entity unlocking the device and without the device authenticating the entity.

9. The computer storage medium of claim 8, wherein the application program comprises a locally executed map application that accesses remotely provided data.

10. The computer storage medium of claim 8, wherein obtaining the access control comprises:

presenting a list of application programs installed at the device, the application programs comprising the application program;

presenting a user interface control that is selectable to assign the access control to the application program; and

receiving input corresponding to the access control via the user interface control.

11. The computer storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adding the third user interface control to the application access screen in response to setting the access control.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

obtaining a further access control for a further application program, wherein the further access control specifies that access to the further application program is not allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a further setting that defines the further access control.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining that the further setting is to be overridden based upon data collected at the device; and

presenting, in the application access screen, a fourth user interface control that is selectable to cause the device to allow the access to the further application program without unlocking the device.

14. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

obtaining an access control for an application program that is installed at the device, wherein the device is configured to deny access to application programs installed at the device when the device is locked, and wherein the access control specifies that an entity using the device is allowed to access the application program when the device is locked without the entity unlocking the device and without the device authenticating the entity; and

presenting a user interface that comprises a lock screen comprising a first user interface control that is selectable to present an application access screen and a second user interface control that is selectable to initiate unlocking of the device, wherein the device is configured to respond to an interaction with the first user interface control by the entity by presenting, without authenticating the entity and without unlocking the device, the application access screen, wherein the application access screen comprises a third user interface control that corresponds to the application program, wherein the third user interface control is selectable to cause the device to allow access to the application program without unlocking the device and without the device authenticating the entity.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein obtaining the access control comprises:

presenting a list of application programs installed at the device, the application programs comprising the application program;

presenting a user interface control that is selectable to assign the access control to the application program; and

receiving input corresponding to the access control via the user interface control.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adding the third user interface control to the application access screen in response to setting the access control.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

setting a further access control for a further application program, wherein the further access control specifies that access to the further application program is not allowed without unlocking the device;

storing a further setting that defines the further access control;

determining that the further setting is to be overridden based upon data collected at the device; and

presenting, in the application access screen, a fourth user interface control that is selectable to cause the device to allow the access to the further application program without unlocking the device.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the application program comprises a locally executed map application that accesses remotely provided data.