Touch Display Unlock Mechanism

• US 20130080960A1
• Filed: 09/24/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VIZIO, Inc.
• Inventors: McRae, Matthew Blake, McManigal, Scott Paul, Brilon, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 8,887,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An unlock system for a computer such as a tablet. The screen of the tablet can be automatically locked after time were based on an action. Once locked, the contents of this screen are blocked by the locking screen which can be a blank screen or screen which shows status parts. Areas on the locking screen are defined, within which the user can touch the locking screen and drag it to the opposite side. During the time of dragging, the items underneath, showing the actual content of the screen, are revealed. In one embodiment, the unlock action may automatically continue after a certain point on the screen has been reached.

Claims

1. A computer, running a program that shows a display screen, said display screen having an unlocked state, and having a locked state controlled by said program, where in the unlocked state, said display screen including content thereon which can be selected to run multiple programs respectively associated with said content that has been selected, and in the locked state, said display screen not allowing said programs to be run and covering said content so that said content cannot be seen, and said program running an unlocking program which includes a moving unlock bar across an area of said screen, where said moving causes said content to be revealed progressively as the bar is moved across the screen, so that part of said content is revealed as said bar is moved across the screen.

2. The computer as in claim 1, wherein said screen is automatically unlocked when said bar reaches a specified point, and when unlocked, said content can be selected.

3. The computer as in claim 2, wherein said specified point is on an opposite end of the screen from the end that is selected.

4. The computer as in claim 2, wherein said specified point is a point on the screen other than at an end of the screen.

5. The computer as in claim 3, wherein said computer automatically runs an animation routine once said point on the screen is reached, said animation routine completing moving the unlock bar across the screen.

6. The computer as in claim 1, wherein said unlock bar is only selectable at specified portions of the screen, and at other portions of the screen, the unlock bar is not selectable.

7. The computer as in claim 6, wherein said portions of the screen include first and second portions of the screen which are on outer edges of the screen.

8. The computer as in claim 1, where in the locked state, the computer displays information about computer operation, but does not display selectable icons.

9. The computer as in claim 1 wherein said computer is a touchscreen computer, and said moving comprises touching an area on the screen and dragging the unlock bar to an opposite end of the screen.

20. The computer as in claim 1, wherein said computer is a touchscreen computer, and said selecting comprises touching an icon on the screen.

10. A method of operating a computer, comprising:

operating the computer in an unlocked mode in which a display screen is shown and to display screen includes content thereon that can be selected to run a program associated with said content that has been selected;

operating the computer in a locked mode, in which said display screen not showing said content they can be selected, and not allowing said programs to be run and covering said content so that said content cannot be seen; and

allowing, when in the locked mode, and unlocking program to unlock the computer by moving an unlock bar across an area of said screen, where said moving causes said content to be revealed progressively as the bar is moved across the screen, so that part of said content is revealed as said bar is moved across the screen.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein said screen is automatically unlocked when said bar reaches a specified point, and when unlocked, said content can be selected.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein said specified point is on an opposite end of the screen from the end that is selected.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein said specified point is a point on the screen other than at an end of the screen.

14. The method as in claim 13, further comprising automatically running an animation routine once said point on the screen is reached, completing the operation of moving the unlock bar across the screen.

15. The method as in claim 10, wherein said unlock bar is only selectable at specified portions of the screen, and at other portions of the screen, the unlock bar is not selectable.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein said portions of the screen include first and second portions of the screen which are on outer edges of the screen.

17. The method as in claim 10, where in the locked mode, displaying information about computer operation, not displaying selectable icons.

18. The method as in claim 10, wherein said computer is a touchscreen computer, and said selecting comprises touching an icon on the screen.

19. The method as in claim 10, wherein said computer is a touchscreen computer, and said moving comprises touching an area on the screen and dragging to an opposite end of the screen.