Method of deactivating device lock state, and electronic device

• US 7,292,230 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tokkonen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US10/665,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-181, 340/5.54, 340/5.74, 715/741, 713/184, 726/17, 726/18, 380/205
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

An electronic device comprises a touch screen and is configured to enter a lock state upon the fulfilment of a predetermined condition. The device is configured to display one or more images on the touch screen when the device is in the lock state, of which images one or more includes at least one predetermined point. The device is further configured to detect a touch on a predetermined point in one or more images and to deactivate the device lock state upon detection of a predetermined number of touches on successive images including a predetermined point.

Claims

1. A method of deactivating a lock state in an electronic device comprising a touch screen, comprising

displaying one or more images on the touch screen when the device is in the lock state, of which images one or more includes more than one predetermined point;

selecting only one of the predetermined points, where an image includes more than one predetermined point, as a point to be touched by means of a predetermined parameter each time the image is displayed;

detecting a touch on a predetermined point in one or more images;

deactivating the device lock state upon detection of a predetermined number of touches on successive images including the selected predetermined point.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the images to be displayed from an image database.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

selecting the images to be displayed randomly.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

maintaining, in the device, a database including information about the predetermined points in the images in the image database.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein information about the predetermined point is coded in the image in advance.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, in the device, an image database from which the images are selected.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined parameter is a date or a day of the week.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined parameter is a user ID registered as the user in the device before the transfer to the lock state.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

reading the image from the image database,

reading information about the predetermined point in the image,

displaying the image on the display until a touch on the touch screen is detected or until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, checking if a predetermined number of touches on successive images including a predetermined point is detected, whereby the device lock is deactivated;

otherwise, a new image is read from the database.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a touch on a predetermined point by means of the touch screen.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a touch on a predetermined point by means of a pointer means in the device.

12. An electronic device configured to enter a lock state upon the fulfillment of a predetermined condition, the device comprising

a touch screen;

means for displaying one or more images on the touch screen when the device is in the lock state, of which images one or more includes more than one predetermined point;

means for selecting only one of the predetermined points, where an image includes more than one predetermined point, as a point to be touched by means of a predetermined parameter each time the image is displayed;

detection means for detecting a touch on a predetermined point in one or more images; and

means for deactivating the device lock state upon detection of a predetermined number of touches on successive images including the selected predetermined point.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device includes means for maintaining an image database, and selecting means for selecting the image to be displayed at each particular time from the image database.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the selecting means are configured to select the image to be displayed at each particular time from the image database randomly.

15. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the image database includes images, in which information about the predetermined point is coded in advance.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device includes means for maintaining a database including information about the predetermined points in the images in the image database.

17. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the touch screen is configured to transfer information about a touch on a predetermined point to the detection means.

18. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device comprises pointer means configured to transfer information about a touch on a predetermined point to the detection means.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pointer means is realized with a mouse, a track stick or a touch-pad.

20. An electronic device configured to enter a lock state upon the fulfillment of a predetermined condition, comprising

a touch screen and a controller configured to display one or more images on the touch screen when the device is in the lock state, of which images one or more includes more than one predetermined point;

wherein

the controller is further configured to select only one of the predetermined points, where an image includes more than one predetermined point, as a point to be touched by means of a predetermined parameter each time the image is displayed;

detect a touch on a predetermined point in one or more images; and

to deactivate the device lock state upon detection of a predetermined number of touches on successive images including the selected predetermined point.