TOUCH SCREEN UNLOCKING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20120007836A1
• Filed: 08/01/2010
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: WU, WEI, YANG, XIN
• Application Number:
  US12/848,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007836A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]

Abstract

A touch screen unlocking device for an electronic device equipped with a touch screen. The touch screen unlocking device includes a sensor, a processing unit, a screen control unit, a measuring unit, and a timing unit. The sensor is configured for detecting a signals generated by a tap on the touch screen. The screen control unit is configured to transmit a tap signal to the processing unit when detecting the touch screen is tapped. The measuring unit is configured to measure the frequency of the signals, and transmit a frequency-affirming signal to the processing unit when the frequency drops within a predetermined frequency range. The timing unit is configured to transmit a time-affirming signal to the processing unit when the interval between two consecutive taps drops within a predetermined time span.

Claims

1. A touch screen unlocking device for an electronic device having a touch screen, the touch screen unlocking device comprising:

a sensor configured for detecting signals generated by a tap on the touch screen;

a processing unit;

a screen control unit connected to the processing unit, and configured to transmit a tap signal to the processing unit when detecting that the touch screen is tapped, and unlock the touch screen when receiving an unlocking signal from the processing unit;

a measuring unit connected to the processing unit and the sensor, the measuring unit being configured to measure the frequency of the signals detected by the sensor when the touch screen is tapped, and transmit a frequency-affirming signal to the processing unit when determining that the frequency of the signals drops within a predetermined frequency range; and

a timing unit connected to the processing unit, and configured to transmit a time-affirming signal to the processing unit when determining that the interval between the two consecutive taps on the touch screen drops within a predetermined time span.

2. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined frequency range of the signals is between about 50 HZ and about 550 HZ.

3. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time span ranges from about 0.2 second to about 1 second.

4. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined time span is 0.5 seconds.

5. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, wherein when a first tap signal is caused by a first tap and transmitted to the processing unit by the screen control unit, a first frequency-affirming signal is transmitted to the processing unit by the measuring unit;

when a second tap signal is caused by a second tap and transmitted to the processing unit by the screen control unit, a time-affirming signal is generated and transmitted to the processing unit by the timing unit, and a second frequency-affirming signal is generated and transmitted to the processing unit by the measuring unit, then the processing unit transmits an unlocking signal to the screen control unit to unlock the touch screen.

6. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 5, wherein when the processing unit receives the first tap signal and the second tap signal from the screen control unit respectively, it controls the measuring unit to measure the frequency of first signals generated by the first tap and the frequency of second signals generated by the second tap correspondingly;

when the measuring unit determines that the frequencies of the first signals and the second signals drop within the predetermined frequency range, it transmits the first frequency-affirming signal and the second frequency-affirming signal to the processing unit correspondingly.

7. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 5, wherein when the processing unit receives the first tap signal from the screen control unit, it transmits a first trigger signal to the timing unit to trigger the timing unit to start timing;

when the processing unit receives the second tap signal from the screen control unit, it transmits a second trigger signal to the timing unit to trigger the timing unit to stop timing;

the timing unit sends the time-affirming signal to the processing unit after determining that the interval between the first and second taps drops within the predetermined time span.

8. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, further comprising a time setting unit connected to the processing unit, and configured to provide a way for users to set the predetermined time span.

9. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, further comprising a frequency setting unit connected to the processing unit, and configured to provide a way for users to set the predetermined frequency range of the recognizable signal.

10. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor attached to the central of the back of the touch screen.

11. The touch screen unlocking device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an acoustic sensor attached to one corner of the back of the touch screen.

12. A screen unlocking method for an electronic device having a touch screen, the method comprising:

detecting if the touch screen is tapped by a first tap;

if so, measuring the frequency of first signals generated by the first tap, otherwise, the electronic device remains locked;

determining whether the frequency of the first signals drops within a predetermined frequency range;

if not, returning to the first step, otherwise, detecting whether the touch screen is tapped by a second tap;

if not, returning to the first step, otherwise, measuring the frequency of second signals generated by the second tap; and

determining whether the frequency of the second signals drops within the predetermined frequency range;

if not, returning to the first step, otherwise, unlocking the touch screen.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second signals are detected by a vibration sensor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second signals are detected by an acoustic sensor.

15. A screen unlocking method for an electronic device having a touch screen and a processing unit, the method comprising:

generating a first tap signal and transmitting the first tap signal to the processing unit if a first tap is applied on the touch screen;

generating a first frequency-affirming signal and transmitting the first frequency-affirming signal to the processing unit if the frequency of a signal generated by the first tap is measured to drop within a predetermined frequency range;

generating a second tap signal and transmitting the second tap signal to the processing unit if a second tap is applied on the touch screen;

generating a time-affirming signal and transmitting the time-affirming signal to the processing unit if the interval between the first and second taps is measured to drop within a predetermined time span;

generating a second frequency-affirming signal and transmitting the second frequency-affirming signal to the processing unit if the processing unit receives the time-affirming signal, and the frequency of a signal generated by the second tap is measured to drop within the predetermined frequency range; and

generating an unlocking signal by the processing unit to unlock the touch screen.