Unlocking a Device by Performing Gestures on an Unlock Image

• US 20130185680A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Ording, Bas, Anzures, Freddy Allen, van Os, Marcel, Forstall, Scott, Christie, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• 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

A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a device with a touch-sensitive display;

displaying an unlock image on the touch-sensitive display while the device is in a user-interface lock state, wherein a predefined gesture performed on the touch-sensitive display with respect to the unlock image will unlock the device to a user-interface active state;

detecting a user contact with the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to the detected user contact, displaying a visual cue on the touch-sensitive display of the predefined gesture required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined gesture includes dragging the unlock image to a predefined location on the touch-sensitive display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined gesture includes moving the unlock image along a predefined path on the touch-sensitive display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual cue includes an animation related to the predefined gesture.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display; and

determining that the gesture meets one or more criteria required to unlock the device to the user-interface active state.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing visual feedback of completion of the gesture required unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-interface active state allows access only to a specific application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display;

determining that the gesture fails to meet the criteria required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state; and

providing visual feedback of failure to complete the gesture required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed unlock image is a first unlock image, wherein the predetermined gesture is a first predetermined gesture, and wherein the user-interface active state is a first user-interface active state, the method further comprising:

displaying a second unlock image on the touch-sensitive display while the device is in the user-interface lock state, wherein a second predefined gesture performed on the touch-sensitive display with respect to the second unlock image will unlock the device to a second user-interface active state that is different from the first user-interface active state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second unlock image is displayed in response to an event received by the device;

and wherein the second user-interface active state unlocks the device only for an application associated with the received event.

11. A computer readable memory including instructions that, when executed by a processor of a portable device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to perform operations comprising:

displaying an unlock image on the touch-sensitive display while the device is in a user-interface lock state, wherein a predefined gesture performed on the touch-sensitive display with respect to the unlock image will unlock the device to a user-interface active state;

detecting a user contact with the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to the detected user contact, displaying a visual cue on the touch-sensitive display of the predefined gesture required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

12. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the predefined gesture includes dragging the unlock image to a predefined region on the touch-sensitive display.

13. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the predefined gesture includes moving the first unlock image along a predefined path on the touch-sensitive display.

14. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the visual cue includes an animation indicating the predefined gesture.

15. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display; and

determining that the gesture meets one or more criteria required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

16. The computer readable memory of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise providing visual feedback of completion of the gesture required unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

17. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the user-interface active state allows access to only a specific application.

18. The computer readable memory of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display;

determining that the gesture fails to meet the criteria required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state; and

providing visual feedback of failure to complete the gesture required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

19. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the displayed unlock image is a first unlock image, wherein the predetermined gesture is a first predetermined gesture, and wherein the user-interface active state is a first user interface active state;

and

wherein the operations further comprise displaying a second unlock image on the touch-sensitive display while the device is in the user-interface lock state, wherein a second predefined gesture performed on the touch-sensitive display with respect to the second unlock image will unlock the device to a second user-interface active state that is different from the first user-interface active state.

20. The computer readable memory of claim 19, wherein the second unlock image is displayed in response to an event received by the device;

and wherein the second user-interface active state unlocks the device only for an application associated with the received event.

21. A portable device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

at least one processor in communication with the touch-sensitive display; and

at least one memory in communication with the processor, the memory including instructions that when executed by the processor cause the device to perform operations including;

displaying an unlock image on the touch-sensitive display while the device is in a user-interface lock state, wherein a predefined gesture performed on the touch-sensitive display with respect to the unlock image will unlock the device to a user-interface active state;

detecting a user contact with the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to the detected user contact, displaying a visual cue on the touch-sensitive display of the predefined gesture required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the predefined gesture includes dragging the first unlock image to a predefined region on the touch-sensitive display.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the predefined gesture includes moving the first unlock image along a predefined path on the touch-sensitive display.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the visual cue includes an animation indicating the predefined gesture.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display; and

determining that the gesture meets one or more criteria required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise providing visual feedback of completion of the gesture required unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the user-interface active state allows access to only a specific application.

28. The device of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display;

determining that the gesture fails to meet the criteria required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state; and

providing visual feedback of failure to complete the gesture required to unlock the device to a user-interface active state.

29. The device of claim 21, wherein the displayed unlock image is a first unlock image, wherein the predetermined gesture is a first predetermined gesture, and wherein the user-interface active state is a first user interface active state;

and

wherein the operations further comprise displaying a second unlock image on the touch-sensitive display while the device is in the user-interface lock state, wherein a second predefined gesture performed on the touch-sensitive display with respect to the second unlock image will unlock the device to a second user-interface active state that is different from the first user-interface active state.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the second unlock image is displayed in response to an event received by the device;

and wherein the second user-interface active state unlocks the device only for an application associated with the received event.