Image-based unlock functionality on a computing device

• US 8,458,485 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bandyopadhyay, Shamik, Law, Veronica Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABYANEH, ALI S
• Application Number:
  US12/485,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 726/19, 726/1, 726/2, 713/184
• US Class Current: 713/184
• 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 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Utilizing an image on a computing device to serve as a template for locking/unlocking the computing device. The image includes a plurality of portions that are defined and thereafter identified and presented to a user via a touch screen. A user selects portions/zones that are defined within the image in a specified sequence and this sequence is stored as a lock/unlock code for unlocking the computing device. In an embodiment, in addition to the specified sequence of selections, a movement or sequence of movements may be also be stored as part of the lock/unlock code.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touch screen display associated with a mobile computing device;

a memory area for storing one or more images; and

a processor programmed to;

access one of the images stored in the memory area;

divide the accessed image into a plurality of non-overlapping zones, the plurality of non-overlapping zones comprises a plurality of selectable zones defined based on the accessed image;

present the plurality of non-overlapping zones to a user via the touch screen display;

receive a selection of one or more of the plurality of selectable zones from the user via the touch screen display;

store the received selection in the memory area as an unlock code for unlocking the mobile computing device;

receive another selection of one or more of the plurality of selectable zones from the user via the touch screen display; and

store the received another selection in the memory area as an additional unlock code for unlocking the mobile computing device,

wherein the unlock code is associated with a first portion of functionality of the mobile computing device, and wherein the additional unlock code is associated with a second portion of functionality of the mobile computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more accelerometers for receiving the input from the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive said another selection and store said another selection only after receiving the unlock code from the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to detect whether a quantity of the plurality of selectable zones is greater than a predefined number.

5. A method comprising:

accessing, by a computing device, a first image;

defining a plurality of portions of the accessed first image based on the accessed first image;

identifying the defined plurality of portions of the first image to a user, only the defined plurality of portions being selectable;

receiving a selection of the defined portions of the first image from the user;

receiving, from the user, a selection of a location within the first image for association with each of the selected defined portions of the first image;

storing the received selection of the defined portions of the first image and the received selection of the locations as an unlock code for unlocking the computing device,

wherein the user places the received selection of the defined portions in the received selection of the locations to unlock the computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving another selection of the defined portions of the first image from the user; and

storing the received another selection of the defined portions of the first image as another unlock code for unlocking the computing device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the another unlock code as an alternative unlock code.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising presenting the first image to the user while the computing device is locked.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the stored unlock code is also stored as a lock code.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising locking the computing device after receiving the lock code, and wherein locking the computing device does not disrupt an application being executed.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a predetermined operation comprising rotating the computing device along at least one axis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the unlock code comprises the received selection of the defined portions of the first image and the predetermined operation.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising identifying the first image as a weak image based on the defined plurality of portions.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

accessing, by the computing device, a second image;

defining a plurality of portions of the accessed second image;

identifying the defined plurality of portions of the second image to the user;

receiving a selection of the defined portions of the second image from the user; and

storing the received selection of the defined portions of the second image and the first image as the unlock code for unlocking the computing device.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the accessed first image further comprises a plurality of non-defined portions that are not selectable, the non-defined portions being distinguished from the defined portions that are selectable by highlighting the defined portions.