System and method for access control in a portable electronic device

• US 8,326,358 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Runstedler, Christopher, Groux, Brian, Cardy, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Aminzay, Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US12/362,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20100197352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.2, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/410, 455/411, 455/3.05, 455/418, 455/41.2, 340/5.54, 713/168, 713/182, 713/183, 713/184, 715/700, 715/702, 726/5, 726/18, 726/19
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• 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 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method of access control in an electronic device includes monitoring for input at the electronic device, for each input determined to be one of a plurality of predefined gestures including gestures from a touch-sensitive input device or from a movement sensor, mapping the input to a respective Unicode character and adding the respective Unicode character to a passcode to provide an entered passcode, comparing the entered passcode to a stored passcode, and changing an access state at the electronic device if the entered passcode matches the stored passcode.

Claims

1. A method of access control in an electronic device, the method comprising:

monitoring for input at the electronic device comprising monitoring for input from a keyboard and monitoring for gestures at the electronic device;

for each input that is determined to be an input from a key of a plurality of keys of the keyboard, mapping the input to a Unicode character that is associated with the key of the plurality of keys of the keyboard and adding the Unicode character that is associated with the key to a passcode;

for each input that is determined to be one of a plurality of predefined gestures, mapping the input to a Unicode character that is unused for any other character encoding and that cannot be typed using the keyboard and adding the Unicode character that is unused for any other character encoding and that cannot be typed using the keyboard to the passcode;

entering the passcode to provide an entered passcode;

comparing the entered passcode to a stored passcode; and

changing an access state at the electronic device when the entered passcode matches the stored passcode, wherein the stored passcode comprises the Unicode character that is unused for any other character encoding and that cannot be typed using the keyboard.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

for each input that is determined to be an input from one key of a plurality of keys of the keyboard, mapping the input to a Unicode character that is associated with the one key of the plurality of keys of the keyboard.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring for input comprises monitoring for input from a virtual keyboard displayed on the touch-sensitive display on the electronic device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring for input at the electronic device comprises monitoring for input of gestures from a movement sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring for input at the electronic device comprises monitoring for the predefined gestures at a touch-sensitive input device, said predefined gestures including at least one of a touch at a location on the touch-sensitive input device, a finger slide in a direction along the touch-sensitive input device, a touch maintained at a location on the touch-sensitive input device for a threshold period of time, a pinching gesture along the touch-sensitive input device, and an expanding gesture along the touch-sensitive input device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring for input at the electronic device comprises monitoring for determination of a rotation of the electronic device in a direction.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving confirmation of entry of the passcode prior to comparing the entered passcode to the stored passcode.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising rejecting the entered passcode when the entered passcode fails to match the stored passcode.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring for input at the electronic device comprises monitoring for input at the touch-sensitive display.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein changing an access state at the electronic device when the entered passcode matches the stored passcode comprises permitting access to an application at the electronic device.

11. An electronic device comprising:

input devices; and

a memory and a processor coupled to the input devices, the memory for executing a program stored in the memory to;

cause the electronic device to monitor the input devices for input including input from a keyboard and gestures at the electronic device, for each input that is determined to be an input from a key of a plurality of keys of the keyboard, map the input to a Unicode character that is associated with the key of the plurality of keys of the keyboard and adding the Unicode character that is associated with the key to a passcode;

for each input that is determined to be one of a plurality of predefined gestures, map the input to a Unicode character that is unused for any other character encoding and that cannot be typed using the keyboard and add the Unicode character to the passcode;

entering the passcode to provide an entered passcode, compare the entered passcode to a stored passcode, and change access at the electronic device when the entered passcode matches the stored passcode, wherein the stored passcode comprises the Unicode character that is unused for any other character encoding and that cannot be typed using the keyboard.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the input devices include a touch-sensitive input device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the touch-sensitive input device comprises a touch-sensitive display.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein predefined gestures at the touch-sensitive input comprises at least one of a touch at a location on the touch-sensitive input device, a finger slide in a direction along the touch-sensitive input device, a touch maintained at a location on the touch-sensitive input device for a threshold period of time, a pinching gesture along the touch-sensitive input device, and an expanding gesture along the touch-sensitive input device.

15. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the input devices comprise a movement sensor that comprises one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein predefined gestures from the movement sensor comprise rotation of the electronic device.