INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING INPUT INFORMATION FROM EXPOSURE

• US 20130222253A1
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyu-yong, Kim, Sang-youn, Yang, Gyung-hye, Lee, Yong-beom, SOH, Byung-Seok
• Granted Patent: US 9,122,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials

Abstract

An input device and method for protecting input information from exposure, in which the time of input of information is determined using a tactile output to protect the input information from being exposed. The input device for protecting input information from exposure includes a user-input module for receiving predetermined input information from a user, a control module for setting the information inputted in association with a tactile signal among the input information as user-input information, and a tactile-output-generation module for generating and providing the tactile signal to the user-input module under the control of the control module.

Claims

1. An input device for protecting input information from exposure comprising:

a user-input module for receiving predetermined input information from a user;

a control module for determining the information inputted in association with a tactile signal among the input information as user-input information; and

a tactile-output-generation module for generating and providing the tactile signal to the user-input module under the control of the control module,

wherein the control module determines the input information regardless of the tactile signal when a predetermined end signal is generated.

2. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end signal is generated by a special key input, and the input information is the information inputted before the specific key input.

3. The input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end signal is generated by a repeatedly pushing a key for a predetermined time, and the input information is the value of the keys pressed before the key input that generates the end signal.

4. The input method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining the input information regardless of the tactile signal when a predetermined end signal is generated.

5. The input method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the end signal is generated by a special key input, and the input information is the information inputted before the special key input.

6. An input device for protecting input information from exposure, comprising:

a user-input module receiving information including user authentication information and other information;

a tactile-output-generation module outputting a tactile signal to the user-input module; and

a controller controlling output of the tactile signal, comparing received other information to stored other information, and controlling the tactile-output generation module to output the tactile signal when the other information is the same as the stored other information.

7. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the other information is a keystroke and the tactile signal is output after the keystroke is entered.

8. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the other information is an entry of keystroke for a period of time and the tactile signal is output after the keystroke is entered for the period of time.

9. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the other information is an entry of a keystroke a predetermined number of times and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined keystroke is entered the predetermined number of times.

10. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the other information is a predetermined sequence of keystrokes and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined sequence of keystrokes has been entered.

11. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the other information is a predetermined number keystrokes and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined number of keystrokes has been entered.

12. The input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein, the user authentication information is input after the tactile signal is output, and the controller compares the user authentication information to stored user authentication information and, when the user authentication information is the same as the stored user authentication information, the controller executes a corresponding function.