Method for intermediate unlocking of a keypad on a mobile electronic device

• US 20050116840A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Simelius, Kim
• Granted Patent: US 7,414,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and device for changing input states of an electronic device is disclosed, the device comprising input means and being capable of carrying out user operations, the input states comprising a locked state, where the use of the input means is significantly restricted, and an unlocked state, where the use of the input means is not restricted, the locked state being enterable by a locking input, and the unlocked state being enterable by an unlocking input, characterised in that the input states further comprise an intermediate unlocked state; which method comprises the steps of: entering said intermediate unlocked state based on user input; detecting termination of a user operation in the intermediate unlocked state, the user operation being other than the locking input; and entering the locked state, in response to detection. There is also provided an input controller, a keypad and a mobile electronic device implementing these features.

Claims

1. A method of changing the input states of an electronic device, the device comprising input means and being capable of carrying out user operations, the input states comprising a locked state (2), wherein the use of the input means is significantly restricted, and an unlocked state, wherein the use of the input means is not restricted, the locked state (2) being enterable by a locking input, and the unlocked state being enterable by an unlocking input,

characterized in that the input states further comprise an intermediate unlocked state (12);

which method comprises;

entering said intermediate unlocked state (12) based on an intermediate unlocking user input which is different from the unlocking input required for entering the unlocked state;

detecting the termination of a user operation in said intermediate unlocked state (12), the user operation being other than said locking input and being one of the group;

completing the user operation, cancelling the user operation, and detecting an unexpected user input; and

entering said locked state (2), in response to said detection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user operations that can be carried out in the intermediate unlocked state (12) are restricted to a subgroup of the user operations that can be carried out in the unlocked state.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said detection of termination of the user operation is defined by a predetermined number of input operations.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said detection of termination of the user operation is time related.

5. A computer program for locking of an electronic device from an intermediate unlocked state (12), comprising program code means for carrying out the steps of claim 1 when said program is run on an electronic device.

6. A computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 1 when said program product is run on an electronic device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detection of termination of the user operation is defined by a predetermined number of input operations.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detection of termination of the user operation is time related.

12. The method according to claim 2, wherein said detection of termination of the user operation is time related.

13. A computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 2 when said program product is run on an electronic device.

14. A computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 3 when said program product is run on an electronic device.

15. A computer program product comprising program code means stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 4 when said program product is run on an electronic device.

7. A mobile electronic device, having input means and different user input states, the input states comprising a locked state (2), where the use of the input means is significantly restricted, and an unlocked state, where the use of the input means is not restricted, said locked state (2) being enterable by a locking input, and said unlocked state being enterable by an unlocking input, characterised in that,

said input states further comprise an intermediate unlocked state (12), and in that, the mobile electronic device comprises:

means adapted to enter the intermediate unlocked state (12) based on an intermediate unlocking user input which is different from the unlocking input required for entering the unlocked state;

means adapted for detecting the termination of a user operation in said intermediate unlocked state (12), the user operation being other than said locking input and being one of the group;

completing the user operation, cancelling the user operation, and detecting an unexpected user input; and

means adapted to enter said locked state (2) in response to said detection.

8. The mobile electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising a memory to store locking, unlocking and intermediate unlocking inputs.

9. The mobile electronic device according to claim 8, further comprising a timer.

16. The mobile electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising a timer.