Computing device with environment aware features

• US 20050193144A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hassan, Ahmed E., Chiu, Denny, Wilson, J.F. Sean
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• 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: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An electronic device that includes a processor, an output device connected to the processor for issuing a stimulus to a user of the device, at least one input device connected to the processor and responsive to user input activity, and a device lock module associated with the processor for (i) implementing restrictions on user access to the device if user input activity falls below a threshold; and (ii) redetermining the threshold if a stimulus is issued by the output device. Also, a mobile device that includes a processor, at least a first input device connected to the processor for providing input signals thereto, an output device connected to the processor for providing output to a user of the mobile device, the processor being configured for determining location information for the mobile device based on input signals received from the first input device and adjusting an operating characteristic of the electronic device based on the determined location information.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

an output device connected to the processor for issuing a stimulus to a user of the electronic device;

at least one input device connected to the processor and responsive to user input activity; and

a device lock module associated with the processor for (i) implementing restrictions on user access to the electronic device if user input activity falls below a threshold; and

(ii) redetermining the threshold if a stimulus is issued by the output device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the threshold includes a lack of user input activity within a timed period, the device lock module configured for redetermining the timed period if the stimulus is issued by the output device within the timed period.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein the device lock module is configured for setting an initial value for the timed period;

monitoring for user input activity within the timed period and if user input activity is not detected within the timed period then implementing the restrictions on user access; and

monitoring for issuance of the stimulus within the timed period and if the stimulus is issued during the timed period, resetting a time remaining in the timed period to a second value less than the initial value.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 wherein if the stimulus is issued during the timed period the time remaining in the timed period is reset to the second value only when the time remaining in the timed period when the stimulus is issued exceeds the second value.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 wherein the device lock module is configured for tracking user response times to issued stimuli and adjusting the second value based on the tracked user response times.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the stimulus includes at least one of an aural stimulus and a physical stimulus.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a mobile communications device enabled for communications over a wireless network, and the processor is configured for causing the output device to issue the stimulus when the electronic device receives a new communication addressed to it over the wireless network.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the new communication is selected from the group consisting of an electronic message and an incoming telephone call.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the electronic device includes an event scheduling application associated with the processor for generating event reminders, the processor being configured for causing the output device to issue the stimulus when an event reminder is generated.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein stimulus are issued for at least two different types of events, the threshold being redetermined based on the type of event for which the stimulus is issued.

11. A method for providing security for a mobile communications device, including steps of:

monitoring for predetermined user interaction with the mobile communications device;

locking the mobile communications device if the predetermined user interaction is not detected within a predetermined lockout time interval; and

resetting the lockout time interval to a shorter value if a user stimulus is issued by the mobile communications device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein in the resetting step is performed based on if a time remaining in the lockout time interval is greater than the shorter value.

13. The method of claim 11 including monitoring for new communications received by the mobile communications device and issuing the user stimulus in response to receiving a new communication at the mobile communications device.

14. The method of claim 11 including monitoring a length of time for user interaction to occur after the user stimulus has been issued and adjusting the shorter value based thereon.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

at least a first input device connected to the processor for providing input signals thereto; and

an output device connected to the processor for providing output to a user of the mobile device;

the processor being configured for determining location information for the mobile device based on input signals received from the first input device and adjusting an operating characteristic of the electronic device based on the determined location information.

16. The mobile device of claim 15 including a device lock function associated with the processor for implementing restrictions on user access to the mobile device if input activity for the mobile device falls below a threshold and subsequently removing the restrictions on user access upon receiving a predetermined user input, the operating characteristic including a security setting of the device lock function.

17. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the security setting determines the predetermined user input required to subsequently remove the restrictions oh user access.

18. The mobile device of claim 17 wherein the security setting determines which of a plurality of predetermined passwords is required to be used as the predetermined user input to the mobile device to remove the restrictions on user access.

19. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the security setting determines the threshold.

20. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the first input device includes an interface for docking the mobile device to a desktop computer, the location information being determined based on whether the mobile device is docked to the desktop computer.

21. The mobile device of claim 20 wherein the security setting of the device lock function is set to mirror that of the desktop computer when the mobile device is docked to the desktop computer.

22. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the first input device includes a GPS receiver.

23. The mobile device of claim 16 wherein the first input device includes a wireless communications subsystem connected to the processor for exchanging communications signals with a wireless network including a plurality of base stations, the location information being determined based on identities of the base stations.

24. The mobile device of claim 15 wherein the mobile device is enabled for receiving electronic messages and includes a message filtering module associated with the processor for filtering electronic messages received by the mobile device, the operating characteristic including filtering criteria for filtering the electronic messages.

25. A method for providing security to a mobile electronic device including steps of:

receiving input signals from an input device of the mobile electronic device;

determining if the mobile electronic device is in a secure location based on the input signals; and

applying a first security setting to the mobile electronic device if it is in the secure location and applying a second security setting to the mobile electronic device if it is not in the secure location.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first security setting specifies a first countdown timer value within which the mobile electronic device will be locked if user interaction with the mobile electronic device is not detected, and the second security setting specifies a second, shorter, countdown timer value within which the mobile electronic device will be locked if user interaction with the mobile electronic device is not detected.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the first security setting specifies one password required for unlocking the mobile electronic device and the second security setting specifies an other password required for unlocking the mobile electronic device.