METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USER INTERACTION WHILE DEVICE IS LOCKED

• US 20110159844A1
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: GILLET, Elena, MANTYLA, Janne
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code

Abstract

A method, apparatus, user interface and computer program product for detecting an invalid passcode state of a device when the device is in a locked state, prompting a communication from the device to a trusted contact while the device is in the locked state, the trusted contact being designated by the device, and transmitting the communication to the trusted contact with a lost passcode request while the device is in the locked state.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, in a mobile communication device, an invalid passcode state of the mobile communication device while the device is in a locked state;

prompting a communication from the communication device to a trusted contact while the device is in the locked state, the trusted contact being designated by the device; and

transmitting the communication to the trusted contact with a lost passcode request while the device is in the locked state.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a communication from the trusted contact in response to the transmitted communication that includes the passcode.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the received communication is a Short Message Service, a voice call, a push to talk cellular service or an electronic mail message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is automatically enabled after an invalid passcode entry.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the communication with the passcode, verifying an authenticity of a user of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising after transmitting the communication from the communication device to the trusted contact while the device is in the locked mode, enabling the device to establish a voice call only with the trusted contact while the device is still in the locked mode.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted contact is one of a pre-defined contact from a contact application, a most used contact, a last called contact or a contact group list.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, the transmitted communication is a Short Message Service, a voice call, a push to talk cellular service or an electronic mail message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling a transmission of a communication from the communication device further comprises retrieving a passcode from a secure storage facility in the device and forming a message to be sent to the trusted contact in the communication that includes the retrieved passcode.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising that the communication to the trusted contact includes a one time password that can be used to unlock the device and wherein the device is enabled for restricted operation.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising detecting receipt of a message in the device that includes the one-time password and enabling the device for restricted operation.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication to the trusted contact is a pre-stored automated message that includes the lost passcode request.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after detecting the invalid passcode state of the device, detecting an incoming call, determining that the incoming call is from a trusted contact, and wherein the communication from the communication device to the trusted contact is enabled.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

detect an invalid passcode state of the apparatus while the apparatus is in a locked state;

prompt a communication from the apparatus to a trusted contact while the apparatus is in the locked state, the trusted contact being designated by the apparatus; and

transmitting the communication to the trusted contact with a lost passcode request while the apparatus is in the locked state.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to detect a communication from the trusted contact in response to the transmitted communication that includes the passcode.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to verify the passcode and automatically transition a state of the apparatus to an unlocked state if the passcode is valid.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising after transmitting the communication to the trusted contact while the apparatus is in the locked mode, enabling the apparatus to establish a voice call only with the trusted contact while the apparatus is still in the locked mode.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to include a one-time passcode in the lost password request, detect the one-time passcode in a message from the trusted contact, and automatically change a state of the apparatus to a restricted unlocked state.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for detecting, in a mobile communication device, an invalid passcode state of the mobile communication device while the device is in a locked state;

code for prompting a communication from the communication device to a trusted contact while the device is in the locked state, the trusted contact being designated by the device; and

code for transmitting the communication to the trusted contact with a lost passcode request while the device is in the locked state.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising code for detecting a communication from the trusted contact in response to the transmitted communication that includes the passcode.