METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOCKING ELECTRONIC APPLIANCE

• US 20100162182A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: OH, Mi A, LEE, Woo Je
• Granted Patent: US 9,032,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An unlocking method and apparatus for an electronic appliance are disclosed. The method and apparatus may enable a user to unlock the electronic appliance by identifying a gesture and to invoke a function mapped to the gesture. The unlocking method includes detecting a preset gesture input when an input means is locked. The method includes unlocking the input means in response to the input gesture. The method also includes invoking an application mapped to the input gesture in response to unlocking.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting an input gesture applied by an input means, the input means being locked;

unlocking the input means in response to the input gesture; and

invoking an application mapped to the input gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, in response to detection of the input gesture, the input gesture; and

determining whether the input gesture is a mapped gesture.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the gesture is a mapped gesture comprises comparing the input gesture with a registered gesture.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating, in response to detection of the input gesture, a display section; and

displaying an unlocking object based on an activation of the display section.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an input gesture displayed of the unlocking object;

unlocking, in response to determination of the input gesture mapped with the registered gesture, the input means; and

invoking an application mapped to the input gesture.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the unlocking object comprises displaying information of the unlocking object in locking state in response to activation of the display section.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the unlocking object comprises information of an unlocking gesture or an application mapped to the unlocking gesture.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing path information of a user input gesture.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the unlocking object is displayed in whole, displayed in part, hidden in whole or hidden in part according to user settings.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input means comprises a touch screen or a touch pad.

11. A terminal, comprising:

a touch sensor associated with input means to receive an input gesture, the input means being locked;

a display section to display an unlocking object;

a storage unit to store the unlocking object; and

a control unit to determine whether the input gesture is mapped with an application of the unlocking object, wherein an application mapped to the input gesture is displayed in response to detection of unlocking the input means.

12. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to identify the input gesture through the touch sensor, to determine whether the input gesture is a registered gesture, and to control unlocking of the input means associated with to invoke an application based on the determination

13. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to determine, in response to detection of a user input, whether the input means is locked, whether the user input is an input gesture, and whether the input gesture is mapped with a registered gesture.

14. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to activate the display section, and to output an unlocking object to the display section.

15. The terminal of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to determine, in response to detection of unlocking object being displayed according to the determination that the input gesture is mapped with a registered gesture, an application is mapped to the input gesture.

16. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to control the display section to display information of the locking state of the input means and information of the unlocking object.

17. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the unlocking object comprises information of an unlocking gesture and information of an application mapped to the unlocking gesture.

18. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to control the display section to output path information of a user input gesture.

19. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to control an operation of the unlocking object being displayed in whole, displayed in part, hidden in whole or hidden in part according to user settings.

20. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor comprises an input means formed to the display section, and an individual input means independent from the display section.

21. An electronic appliance comprising:

an input means to receive a user gesture; and

a processor is configured to determine whether to unlock the input means, and to invoke an application, wherein the input means is unlocked and the application is invoked according to a mapping process associated with a mapping table by comparing the user gesture with the application of the mapping table.

22. The electronic appliance of claim 21, further comprising:

a display means configured to display a unlocking object, the input means being locked, and to display information of the user gestures; and

a storage means configured to store an unlocking object.

23. The electronic appliance of claim 21, wherein the input means comprises:

a motion sensor configured to generate an input gesture according to a motion by a user;

a touch pad or touch screen configured to generate an input gesture transmitted by a sensing contact and a movement of an object;

a speech recognition sensor configured to generate an input signal transmitted by a sensing vocal sound of the user; and

a remote controller configured to generate a control signal according to sensing motion or pointing action of the user, and to transmit the control signal to the electronic appliance via telecommunications network comprising a wired communication and a wireless communication.

24. An unlocking method for an electronic appliance, comprising:

detecting an input gesture through an input means capable of receiving the input gesture;

unlocking the input means in response to the input gesture; and

invoking an application mapped to the input gesture.

25. The unlocking method of claim 24, further comprising:

storing an unlocking object;

activating, in response to detection of an input gesture, the input means being locked, a display means;

displaying an unlocking object in response to activation of the display means; and

displaying an information mapped to the input gesture from the input means.

26. The unlocking method of claim 24, wherein detecting the input gesture through an input means comprises detecting of:

a gesture input signal generated by a motion sensor configured to detect motion of the user;

a gesture input signal generated by a touch pad or touch screen configured to detect a contact and a movement of an object;

a gesture input signal generated by a speech recognition sensor configured to detect a vocal sound of the user; and

an input gesture signal corresponding to a control signal that is generated by a remote controller configured to detect a motion or a pointing action of the user, and to transmit the detected motion or the pointing action via telecommunications network comprising a wired communication and a wireless communication.