METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOCKING MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20140137049A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Hyejeon, Kim, Kyungjung, Park, Jaesun
• Granted Patent: US 9,588,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/847
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for unlocking a mobile terminal can immediately execute a specific application at a lock screen. The method of unlocking a mobile terminal includes: outputting a lock screen including an icon area in which at least one icon representing an application is displayed and a pattern area that receives a pattern gesture input for unlocking; sensing a touch signal that moves a specific icon displayed in the icon area to the pattern area; determining whether a first pattern gesture for unlocking is input to the pattern area without release of the touch signal; determining, if a first pattern gesture is input, whether the input first pattern gesture corresponds with a preset unlock pattern gesture; and unlocking, if the input first pattern gesture corresponds with a preset unlock pattern gesture, the mobile terminal and executing an application corresponding to the specific icon.

Claims

1. A method of unlocking a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

outputting a lock screen comprising an icon area in which at least one icon representing an application is displayed and a pattern area configured to receive a pattern gesture input configured to unlock the mobile terminal;

sensing a touch signal that moves a specific icon displayed in the icon area to the pattern area;

determining whether a first pattern gesture for unlocking is inputted to the pattern area without release of the touch signal;

determining, whether the first pattern gesture is inputted, whether the input first pattern gesture corresponds with a preset unlock pattern gesture; and

unlocking, in response to determining the inputted first pattern gesture corresponds with a preset unlock pattern gesture, the mobile terminal and executing an application corresponding to the specific icon.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an error processing, in response to determining the inputted first pattern gesture does not correspond with a preset unlock pattern gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a first pattern gesture for unlocking is inputted to the pattern area without release of the touch signal comprises:

determining whether the specific icon is moved to a start position of the unlock pattern gesture; and

recognizing a pattern gesture input through the pattern area from a time point in which the specific icon is moved to the start position as the first pattern gesture.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

performing an error processing, when a touch is released in a state in which the specific icon is not moved to a start position of the unlock pattern gesture; and

entering, when the error processing occurs the preset number of times or more, a dormant state in which a pattern gesture cannot be input for a preset time period.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a second pattern gesture inputted through the pattern area without a touch of the specific icon corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture; and

unlocking, if the second pattern gesture corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture, the mobile terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern area comprises a plurality of pattern points arranged in multi-row and multi-column layouts, and

the unlock pattern gesture is formed by connecting at least two pattern points.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising entering a dormant state in which a pattern gesture cannot be input for a preset time period when the error processing occurs at least the preset number of times.

8. An apparatus for unlocking a mobile terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to display a lock screen comprising an icon area in which at least one icon representing an application is displayed and a pattern area configured to receive a pattern gesture input for unlocking;

a touch panel configured to recognize a touch input at the lock screen; and

a controller configured to;

sense a touch signal for moving a specific icon displayed in an icon area of the lock screen to the pattern area, and

determine whether a first pattern gesture inputted to the pattern area without release of the sensed touch signal corresponds with a preset unlock pattern gesture, and

unlock the mobile terminal, in response to determining the first pattern gesture corresponds with the preset unlock pattern gesture, and

control to execute the application corresponding to the specific icon.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

in response to determining the first pattern gesture does not correspond with the preset unlock pattern gesture, perform an error processing; and

in response to determining the error processing occurs at least the preset number of times, enter a dormant state in which a pattern gesture cannot be input for a preset time period.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the preset time period is 30 seconds.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, preset number of times is 5.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to recognize a pattern gesture input through the pattern area as the first pattern gesture from a time point at which the specific icon is moved to a start position of the unlock pattern gesture.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to:

perform an error processing when a touch is released in a state in which the specific icon does not move to a start position of the unlock pattern gesture, and

in response to determining the error processing occurs at least the preset number of times, enter a dormant state in which a pattern gesture cannot be inputted for the preset time period.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine whether a second pattern gesture input through the pattern area without a touch of the specific icon corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture, and

in response to determining the second pattern gesture corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture, unlock the mobile terminal.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller further comprises:

a pattern gesture setting unit configured to set an unlock pattern gesture for the unlocking.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller further comprises:

a pattern gesture determining unit configured to;

recognize the first pattern gesture or the second pattern gesture input through the pattern area, and

determine whether the recognized first pattern gesture or recognized second pattern gesture corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller further comprises:

an unlocking unit configured to in response to determining the first pattern gesture corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture, execute the application corresponding to the specific icon.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the unlocking unit is further configured to:

in response to determining the second pattern gesture corresponds with the unlock pattern gesture, unlocking the mobile phone.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pattern area comprises a plurality of pattern points arranged in multi-row and multi-column layouts, and

the unlock pattern gesture is formed by connecting at least two pattern points.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the display unit to visually display a moving path of the specific icon in a specified color.