Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image

• US 8,527,903 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Ording, Bas, Anzures, Freddy Allen, van Os, Marcel, Forstall, Scott, Christie, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Andres E
• Application Number:
  US13/787,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 713/154, 713/182, 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/833
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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 device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a device with a touch-sensitive display;

receiving a first event while the device is in a user-interface lock state;

in response to receiving the first event, displaying a user-interface on the touch-sensitive display, the user-interface including a first unlock image that corresponds to the first event;

receiving a second event while the device is in the user-interface lock state, wherein the first event and the second event are different types of events; and

in response to receiving the second event, displaying a second unlock image that corresponds to the second event, in addition to the displayed first unlock image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second events includes a respective one of an incoming phone call, an incoming message, an incoming electronic mail, and a voicemail.

3. The method of claim 1, including presenting on the user-interface a first predefined location to receive the first unlock image to unlock access to the received first event.

4. The method of claim 1, including presenting on the user-interface a first visual cue indicating movement of the first unlock image necessary to unlock access to the received first event.

5. The method of claim 1, including detecting a gesture made relative to one of the first unlock image and the second unlock image.

6. The method of claim 5, including transitioning the device to a first active state when the detected gesture is made relative to the first unlock image and satisfies a first predefined condition, wherein the first active state corresponds to the received first event.

7. The method of claim 5, including transitioning the device to a second active state when the detected gesture is made relative to the second unlock image and satisfies a second predefined condition, wherein the second active state corresponds to the received second event.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first predefined condition includes the first unlock image being moved to a predefined location on the user-interface by a continuous contact with the touch-sensitive display.

9. The method of claim 6, including presenting a first event user-interface at the touch-sensitive display in response to the detected gesture satisfying the first predefined condition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first event user-interface includes at least one user-interface object associated with the received first event.

11. A computer readable memory including instructions that, when executed by a processor of a portable device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first event while the device is in a user-interface lock state;

in response to receiving the first event, displaying a user-interface on the touch-sensitive display, the user-interface including a first unlock image that corresponds to the first event;

receiving a second event while the device is in the user-interface lock state, wherein the first event and the second event are different types of events; and

in response to receiving the second event, displaying a second unlock image that corresponds to the second event, in addition to the displayed first unlock image.

12. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second events includes a respective one of an incoming phone call, an incoming message, an incoming electronic mail, and a voicemail.

13. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the operations include presenting on the user-interface a first predefined location to receive a dragged first unlock image to unlock access to the received first event.

14. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the operations include presenting on the user-interface a first visual cue indicating movement of the first unlock image necessary to unlock access to the received first event.

15. The computer readable memory of claim 11, wherein the operations include detecting a gesture made relative to one of the first unlock image and the second unlock image.

16. The computer readable memory of claim 15, wherein the operations include transitioning the device to a first active state when the detected gesture is made relative to the first unlock image and satisfies a first predefined condition, wherein the first active state corresponds to the received first event.

17. The computer readable memory of claim 15, wherein the operations include transitioning the device to a second active state when the detected gesture is made relative to the second unlock image and satisfies a second predefined condition, wherein the second active state corresponds to the received second event.

18. The computer readable memory of claim 16, wherein the first predefined condition includes the first unlock image being moved to a predefined location on the user-interface though continuous contact with the touch-sensitive display moving the first unlock image.

19. The computer readable memory of claim 16, including presenting a first event user-interface at the touch-sensitive display in response to the detected gesture satisfying the first predefined condition.

20. The computer readable memory of claim 19, wherein the first event user-interface includes at least one interactive user-interface object associated with the received first event.

21. A portable device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

at least one processor in communication with the touch-sensitive display; and

at least one memory in communication with the processor, the memory including instructions that when executed by the processor cause the device to perform operations including;

receiving a first event while the device is in a user-interface lock state;

in response to receiving first event, displaying a user-interface on the touch-sensitive display, the user-interface including a first unlock image that corresponds to the first event;

receiving a second event while the device is in the user-interface lock state, wherein the first event and the second event are different types of events; and

in response to receiving the second event, displaying a second unlock image that corresponds to the second event, in addition to the displayed first unlock image.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein each of the first and second events includes a respective one of an incoming phone call, an incoming message, an incoming electronic mail, and a voicemail.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the operations include presenting on the user-interface a first predefined location to receive the first unlock image to unlock access to the received first event.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the operations include presenting on the user-interface a first visual cue indicating movement of the first unlock image necessary to unlock access to the received first event.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the operations include detecting a gesture made relative to one of the first unlock image and the second unlock image.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the operations include transitioning the device to a first active state when the detected gesture is made relative to the first unlock image and satisfies a first predefined condition, wherein the first active state corresponds to the received first event.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein the operations include transitioning the device to a second active state when the detected gesture is made relative to the second unlock image and satisfies a second predefined condition, wherein the second active state corresponds to the received second event.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the first predefined condition includes the first unlock image being moved to a predefined location on the user-interface by a continuous contact with the touch-sensitive display moving the first unlock image.

29. The device of claim 26, including presenting a first event user-interface at the touch-sensitive display in response to the detected gesture satisfying the first predefined condition.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the first event user-interface includes at least one interactive user-interface object associated with the received first event.