Secure device sharing
First Claim
1. A method of managing task change requests in an electronic device, the electronic device operating to present an active task, the active task allowing receipt of input, the method comprising:
- receiving a task change request to change the active task from a first task to a second task;
determining that the electronic device is in a locked state, the determining including determining that a lock indicator has been set, wherein permitted task information is associated with the lock indicator;
determining, based upon the permitted task information, that the second task is not permitted to become the active task in the locked state; and
outputting an indication of a failure to make the second task the active task.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method for placing the device in a locked state having an associated set of permitted tasks so as to permit the device owner to share the device with others but maintain security over aspects of the device. A task change request is evaluated to determine whether the requested task is permitted and, if so, the requested task is allowed; if not, then an authorization process is invoked to prompt the user to input authorization data. Upon verification of the authorization data, the device may be unlocked and the requested change implemented. The permitted tasks may designate specific applications, specific operations or functions within applications or at the operating system level, one or more currently open windows, and other levels of granularity.
-
Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A method of managing task change requests in an electronic device, the electronic device operating to present an active task, the active task allowing receipt of input, the method comprising:
-
receiving a task change request to change the active task from a first task to a second task; determining that the electronic device is in a locked state, the determining including determining that a lock indicator has been set, wherein permitted task information is associated with the lock indicator; determining, based upon the permitted task information, that the second task is not permitted to become the active task in the locked state; and outputting an indication of a failure to make the second task the active task. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An electronic device having a locked state and an unlocked state, the device comprising:
-
an input device; a display; and a processor operatively coupled to the user input device, the display and the memory, the processor operable to present an active task, the active task allowing receipt of input from the input device, the processor adapted to; receive a task change request to change the active task from a first task to a second task; determine that the electronic device is in a locked state, the determining including determining that a lock indicator has been set, wherein permitted task information is associated with the lock indicator; determine, based upon the permitted task information, that the second task is not permitted to become the active task in the locked state; and output, on the display, an indication of a failure to make the second task the active task. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by a processor in an electronic device, the processor operable to present an active task, the active task allowing receipt of input, cause the processor to:
-
receive a task change request to change the active task from a first task to a second task; determine that the electronic device is in a locked state, the determining including determining that a lock indicator has been set, wherein permitted task information is associated with the lock indicator;
determine, based upon the permitted task information, that the second task is not permitted to become the active task in the locked state; and
output an indication of a failure to make the second task the active task. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
Specification