FINGERPRINT ACTIVATION OF A PANIC MODE OF OPERATION FOR A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20150319294A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sudhir, Karthik
• Granted Patent: US 10,064,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Fingerprint actuation is described for unlocking a mobile device and activating customized mobile device functions by using a fingerprint authentication technique. The mobile device uses a fingerprint sensor to authenticate a user for allowing secure access to certain mobile device functions or contents, and provides a utility in addition to unlocking the mobile device. This allows the user to control access to one or more mobile device functions concurrently with invoking fingerprint authentication in order to unlock the mobile device when the user presses a finger to the fingerprint sensor. The mobile device may be unlocked using a designated finger that activates a panic mode of operation, wherein personal data stored on the mobile device is not accessible or viewable to the user. In other implementations, the user may register particular fingerprints to be associated with different modes of operation and activate the different modes based on the particular fingerprints.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a fingerprint input on a fingerprint sensor of a mobile device;

determining that the fingerprint input matches a particular one of a set of fingerprints; and

determining, based on the fingerprint input matching the particular one of a set of fingerprints, a mode of operation to be activated for the mobile device, wherein a standard mode of operation is to be activated in response to determining that the fingerprint input is associated with a first finger of a user; and

further wherein a panic mode of operation for the mobile device is to be activated in response to determining that the fingerprint input is associated with a second finger of the user, wherein the panic mode of operation automatically alters at least one standard operation of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a deactivation input; and

deactivating the panic mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the panic mode disables access to a portion of the information stored by the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the panic mode disables a pre-defined set of functions the mobile device is normally operable to perform.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the panic mode displays a user interface that provides an appearance of the mobile device having a set of default factory settings.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the portion of information that is not accessible by the user during the panic mode includes contact information, emails, photos, videos, or documents.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the panic mode of operation includes emitting a beacon signal from the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the panic mode of operation includes transmitting an alert using a cellular network to an emergency service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the panic mode of operation includes recording a photograph or a video using a camera of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the panic mode of operation includes recording an audio file using a microphone of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 3, wherein the particular fingerprint is a registered fingerprint of a particular finger of the user.

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a display;

a biometric sensor;

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions when executed by the one or more processors cause the mobile device to perform operations including;

detect a fingerprint input on the biometric sensor of the mobile device;

determine that the fingerprint input matches a particular fingerprint; and

activate, in response to the fingerprint input matching the particular fingerprint;

a standard mode of operation for the mobile device in response to determining that the fingerprint input is associated with a first finger of a user; and

a panic mode of operation for the mobile device in response to determining that the fingerprint input is associated with a second finger of the user.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the particular fingerprint is a registered fingerprint of a particular finger of the user.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising instructions to:

receive a deactivation input; and

deactivate the panic mode of operation based on the deactivation input.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the activated panic mode of operation disables access to personal information stored by the mobile device.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the wherein the panic mode of operation includes at least one of emitting a beacon signal from the mobile device or transmitting an alert using a cellular network to an emergency service provider.

17. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a camera capable of recording a photograph or a video; and

a microphone capable of recording an audio file.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the panic mode of operation includes capturing at least one of a photograph with the camera, a video clip with the camera, or a audio clip with the microphone.

19. A method, comprising:

detecting a fingerprint input on a fingerprint sensor of a portable electronic device;

determining that the fingerprint input matches a particular one of a plurality of existing fingerprint data sets; and

determining, based on the fingerprint input matching the particular one of a set of fingerprints, a mode of operation to be activated for the portable electronic device, wherein a standard mode of operation is to be activated in response to determining that the fingerprint input is associated with a first finger of a user; and

further wherein a panic mode of operation for the mobile device is to be activated in response to determining that the fingerprint input is associated with a second finger of the user, wherein the panic mode of operation automatically alters at least one standard operation of the portable electronic device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pre-defined mode of operation is a panic mode and activating the panic mode disables access to a portion of the information stored by the portable electronic device.