Authenticated device used to unlock another device

• US 10,339,293 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Lawrence Y., Iarocci, John J., Butcher, Gary Ian, Lynch, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Sholeman, Abu S
• Application Number:
  US14/719,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 726 1, 726 3, 726 16, 726 19, 726 34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An electronic device having a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state may be in the locked state. The locked electronic device may detect, via wireless communication, an external device; receive, from the external device, unlocking information for unlocking the electronic device. The locked electronic device may determine whether the external device is authorized to facilitate its unlocking. The locked electronic device may detect user input. In response to the user input, the received unlocking information, and/or a determination that the external device is authorized, the locked electronic device may unlock and enter a normal operating state wherein application programs may be launched and used.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device having a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state, cause the electronic device to:

detect, via wireless communication, an external device, wherein the external device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state;

receive, from the external device, unlocking information for unlocking the electronic device;

obtain an indication that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state;

detect, while in the user-interface locked state, user input at the electronic device; and

in response to detecting the user input at the electronic device and receiving the unlocking information from the external device, and based on the indication that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state, unlock the electronic device.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to:

display a visual indication on the electronic device indicating that it is in the user-interface unlocked state, after unlocking the electronic device.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the external device displays a visual indication indicating that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the electronic device unlocks.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the external device causes a haptic event indicating that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the electronic device unlocks.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to:

receive, while in the user-interface locked state, input data representing user input of a password; and

in response to receiving the input data;

prompt, on a display of the electronic device, a user to designate whether the external device is authorized to unlock the electronic device.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, the input data comprising a reading from a biometric sensor of the electronic device and/or a biometric sensor of the external device.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, the input data comprising a touch on a touch-sensitive input of the electronic device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, the input data comprising movement of a mouse coupled to the electronic device and/or a mouse coupled to the external device.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, the user input comprising a keystroke on a keyboard of the electronic device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to:

receive, from the external device, usage information indicating usage of the first application on the external device;

after unlocking, launch a second application on the electronic device, the second application corresponding to the first application.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein the usage information indicates a state of the first application, and wherein instructions to launch the second application comprises instructions to:

invoke the state in the second application on the electronic device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the detected user input is a user input on the electronic device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking information includes identification data based on an e-mail address associated with the electronic device, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions to:

unlock the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the external device is associated with the e-mail address associated with the electronic device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking information includes identification data identifying the external device, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions to:

transmit, to an authentication server, at least a portion of the identification data;

receive, from the authentication server, an indication of whether the external device is authorized to unlock the electronic device; and

unlock the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the external device is authorized.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking information includes identification of a security domain associated with the external device, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprising instructions to:

unlock the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the electronic device is associated with the same security domain.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to:

detect, via a peer-to-peer wireless communication, the external device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication comprises Bluetooth communication.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a wearable electronic device.

19. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device, wherein the electronic device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state;

detecting, via wireless communication, an external device, wherein the external device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state;

receiving, from the external device, unlocking information for unlocking the electronic device;

obtaining an indication that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state;

detecting, while in the user-interface locked state, user input at the electronic device; and

in response to detecting the user input at the electronic device and receiving the unlocking information from the external device, and based on the indication that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state, unlocking the electronic device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying a visual indication on the electronic device indicating that it is in the user-interface unlocked state, after unlocking the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the external device displays a visual indication indicating that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the electronic device unlocks.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the external device causes a haptic event indicating that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the electronic device unlocks.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, while in the user-interface locked state, input data representing user input of a password; and

in response to receiving the input data;

prompting, on a display of the electronic device, a user to designate whether the external device is authorized to unlock the electronic device.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the input data comprises a reading from a biometric sensor of the electronic device and/or a biometric sensor of the external device.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the input data comprises a touch on a touch-sensitive input of the electronic device.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the input data comprises movement of a mouse coupled to the electronic device and/or a mouse coupled to the external device.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the user input comprises a keystroke on a keyboard of the electronic device.

29. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, from the external device, usage information indicating usage of the first application on the external device; and

after unlocking, launching a second application on the electronic device, the second application corresponding to the first application.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the usage information indicates a state of the first application, and wherein instructions to launch the second application comprises:

invoking the state in the second application on the electronic device.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the detected user input is a user input on the electronic device.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the unlocking information includes identification data based on an e-mail address associated with the electronic device, the method further comprising:

unlocking the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the external device is associated with the e-mail address associated with the electronic device.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the unlocking information includes identification data identifying the external device, the method further comprising:

transmitting, to an authentication server, at least a portion of the identification data;

receiving, from the authentication server, an indication of whether the external device is authorized to unlock the electronic device; and

unlocking the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the external device is authorized.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the unlocking information includes identification of a security domain associated with the external device, the method further comprising:

unlocking the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the electronic device is associated with the same security domain.

35. The method of claim 19, wherein the external device is a wearable electronic device.

20. An electronic device having a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

detecting, via wireless communication, an external device, wherein the external device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state;

receiving, from the external device, unlocking information for unlocking the electronic device;

obtaining an indication that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state;

detecting, while in the user-interface locked state, user input at the electronic device; and

in response to detecting the user input at the electronic device and receiving the unlocking information from the external device, and based on the indication that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state, unlocking the electronic device.

36. The electronic device of claim 20, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

displaying a visual indication on the electronic device indicating that it is in the user-interface unlocked state, after unlocking the electronic device.

37. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein:

the external device displays a visual indication indicating that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the electronic device unlocks.

38. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein:

the external device causes a haptic event indicating that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the electronic device unlocks.

39. The electronic device of claim 20, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

receiving, while in the user-interface locked state, input data representing user input of a password; and

in response to receiving the input data;

prompting, on a display of the electronic device, a user to designate whether the external device is authorized to unlock the electronic device.

40. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the input data comprises a reading from a biometric sensor of the electronic device and/or a biometric sensor of the external device.

41. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the input data comprises a touch on a touch-sensitive input of the electronic device.

42. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the input data comprises movement of a mouse coupled to the electronic device and/or a mouse coupled to the external device.

43. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the user input comprises a keystroke on a keyboard of the electronic device.

44. The electronic device of claim 20, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

receiving, from the external device, usage information indicating usage of the first application on the external device; and

after unlocking, launching a second application on the electronic device, the second application corresponding to the first application.

45. The electronic device of claim 44, wherein the usage information indicates a state of the first application, and wherein instructions to launch the second application comprises:

invoking the state in the second application on the electronic device.

46. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the detected user input is a user input on the electronic device.

47. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the unlocking information includes identification data based on an e-mail address associated with the electronic device, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

unlocking the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the external device is associated with the e-mail address associated with the electronic device.

48. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the unlocking information includes identification data identifying the external device, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

transmitting, to an authentication server, at least a portion of the identification data;

receiving, from the authentication server, an indication of whether the external device is authorized to unlock the electronic device; and

unlocking the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the external device is authorized.

49. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the unlocking information includes identification of a security domain associated with the external device, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

unlocking the electronic device in response to the received unlocking information and the received user input, if the electronic device is associated with the same security domain.

50. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the external device is a wearable electronic device.