Method for unlocking a mobile terminal, devices using the same, and computer-readable storage media encoding the same

• US 10,735,578 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2019
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Inventors: Lin, Zhaoqin, Yan, Zheng, Chang, Yudong, Li, Yuning, Gao, Chengxing
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US16/518,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20200128124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

Methods for unlocking a mobile terminal can include capturing a face image of a user through a front-facing camera of the mobile terminal in response to a sliding action applied to a sliding module on the mobile terminal; and unlocking the mobile terminal by using the captured face image as a key.

Claims

1. A method for a user to unlock a mobile terminal, comprising:

acquiring, by using a listener, a sliding event parameter generated by a Hall sensor in the mobile terminal, wherein the sliding event parameter is output by the listener registered through a sensor service of the Hall sensor when the sliding event parameter sent by the Hall sensor changes;

determining whether a sliding action has occurred on a sliding module of the mobile terminal according to the sliding event parameter;

capturing a face image of the user through a front-facing camera of the mobile terminal in response to a sliding action applied to the sliding module of the mobile terminal; and

unlocking the mobile terminal by using the captured face image of the user as a key,

wherein said front-facing camera is disposed on the sliding module, and different values of the sliding event parameter correspond to different positions of the sliding module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein unlocking the mobile terminal by using the captured face image comprises:

comparing features between the captured face image and a preset face image to obtain a comparison result; and

unlocking the mobile terminal when the comparison result indicates that the face image and the preset face image are from the same person.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

turning on a screen of the mobile terminal and presenting a touch-based unlocking interface when the comparison result indicates that the captured face image and the preset face image are from different persons.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

turning on a screen of the mobile terminal and presenting a main menu interface immediately after the mobile terminal is unlocked.

5. A mobile terminal having an unlocking mechanism, comprising:

a screen;

a sliding module having a front-facing camera disposed thereon;

a processor; and

a memory configured to store an instruction executable by the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to;

acquiring, by using a listener, a sliding event parameter generated by a Hall sensor in the mobile terminal, wherein the sliding event parameter is output by the listener registered through a sensor service of the Hall sensor when the sliding event parameter sent by the Hall sensor changes, wherein different values of the sliding event parameter correspond to different positions of the sliding module;

determining whether a sliding action has occurred on the sliding module of the mobile terminal according to the sliding event parameter;

analyze a face image of a user captured through the front-facing camera disposed on the sliding module of the mobile terminal in response to a sliding action applied to the sliding module; and

unlock the mobile terminal by using the captured face image as a key.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein unlocking the mobile terminal by using the captured face image comprises:

comparing features between the face image and a preset face image to obtain a comparison result; and

unlocking the mobile terminal when the comparison result indicates that the face image and the preset face image are from the same person.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

turn on the screen and present a touch-based unlocking interface when the comparison result indicates that the face image and the preset face image are from different persons.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

turn on the screen and present a main menu interface immediately after the mobile terminal is unlocked.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein:

the screen is a front-facing screen, and the mobile terminal further comprises a rear body;

a sliding grove is formed between the front-facing screen and the rear body; and

the sliding module is configured to be sandwiched between the front-facing screen and the rear body, and move vertically along the sliding groove to expose the front-facing camera and realize the sliding action.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to be unlocked without the user pressing a power button to turn on the screen, thereby avoiding the user waiting for the unlocking with the screen turned on, saving power while improving unlocking speed.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to be unlocked without the user inputting an unlocking password or a gesture on an unlocking interface.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to be unlocked with a single operation of the sliding action.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein for execution by a processor to cause a mobile terminal having a sliding module and a front-facing camera disposed on said sliding module to execute an unlocking method comprising:

acquiring, by using a listener, a sliding event parameter generated by a Hall sensor in the mobile terminal, wherein the sliding event parameter is output by the listener registered through a sensor service of the Hall sensor when the sliding event parameter sent by the Hall sensor changes, wherein different values of the sliding event parameter correspond to different positions of the sliding module;

determining whether a sliding action has occurred on the sliding module of the mobile terminal according to the sliding event parameter;

capturing a face image of a user through the front-facing camera in response to a sliding action applied on the sliding module; and

unlocking the mobile terminal by using the captured face image as a key.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein unlocking the mobile terminal by using the captured face image comprises:

comparing features between the captured face image and a preset face image to obtain a comparison result; and

unlocking the mobile terminal when the comparison result indicates that the face image and the preset face image are from the same person.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

turning on a screen of the mobile terminal and presenting a touch-based unlocking interface when the comparison result indicates that the face image and the preset face image are from different persons.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

turning on a screen of the mobile terminal and presenting a main menu interface immediately after the mobile terminal is unlocked.