User authentication on an electronic device

• US 8,638,939 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Casey, Brandon J., Cressall, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US12/544,944
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 380/277, 726/19
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for the use of non-alphanumeric, non-biometric inputs to authenticate a user accessing secured data or functions on an electronic device. In one embodiment, an authentication screen is invoked by use of a gesture input via a touch-sensitive structure. In such an embodiment, an authentication screen may be invoked with no outward appearance on the display as to the existence of the data or function for which access is sought. The authentication may be based upon a gesture, a sequence of selected objects, or another non-alphanumeric, non-biometric input.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to:

display, on the touch-sensitive display, an authentication screen comprising a plurality of images associated with a home screen, including a plurality of application launch icons, such that the authentication screen has the appearance but not the functionality of the home screen, wherein the authentication screen does not include a visual indication that the authentication screen is used for authentication;

receive an input based on a sequence of interactions with the plurality of images;

evaluate the input to determine if the input authenticates a user;

in response to a determination that the input authenticates the user, grant the user access to secure content on the device; and

in response to a determination that the input does not authenticate the user, maintain unavailability of the secure content on the device to the user.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images are reordered each time the authentication screen is displayed.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of images have respective visual appearances of the plurality of application launch icons.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, comprising instructions which cause the device to:

evaluate the input to determine if the input corresponds to a reference sequence associated with the user;

wherein;

the determination that the input authenticates the user comprises a determination that the input corresponds to the reference sequence; and

the determination that the input does not authenticate the user comprises a determination that the input does not correspond to the reference sequence.

4. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

displaying on the touch-sensitive display an authentication screen having the appearance but not the functionality of an application screen, the authentication screen including a plurality of graphical elements for the application screen, wherein the authentication screen does not include a visual indication that the authentication screen is used for authentication;

receiving an input based on a sequence of interactions with the authentication screen;

evaluating the input to determine if the input authenticates a user;

in response to a determination that the input authenticates the user, granting the user access to secure content on the device; and

in response to a determination that the input does not authenticate the user, maintaining unavailability of the secure content on the device to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the authentication screen has the appearance of a photo album application screen, a music application screen, a map application screen, a stock application screen, a clock application screen, a contact list application screen, a calendar application screen, a browser application screen, or an e-mail application screen.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the authentication screen comprises one or more pictures found in a photo album or media player application.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

evaluating the input to determine if the input authenticates a user comprises evaluating the input to determine if the input corresponds to a reference sequence associated with the user;

the determination that the input authenticates the user comprises a determination that the input corresponds to the reference sequence; and

the determination that the input does not authenticate the user comprises a determination that the input does not correspond to the reference sequence.

9. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, an authentication screen comprising a plurality of images associated with a home screen, including a plurality of application launch icons, such that the authentication screen has the appearance but not the functionality of the home screen, wherein the authentication screen does not include a visual indication that the authentication screen is used for authentication;

receiving an input based on a sequence of interactions with the plurality of images;

evaluating the input to determine if the input authenticates a user;

in response to a determination that the input authenticates the user, granting the user access to secure content on the device; and

in response to a determination that the input does not authenticate the user, maintaining unavailability of the secure content on the device to the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of images are reordered each time the authentication screen is displayed.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of images have respective visual appearances of the plurality of application launch icons.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

evaluating the input to determine if the input authenticates a user comprises evaluating the input to determine if the input corresponds to a reference sequence associated with the user;

the determination that the input authenticates the user comprises a determination that the input corresponds to the reference sequence; and

the determination that the input does not authenticate the user comprises a determination that the input does not correspond to the reference sequence.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, an authentication screen comprising a plurality of images associated with a home screen, including a plurality of application launch icons, such that the authentication screen has the appearance but not the functionality of the home screen, wherein the authentication screen does not include a visual indication that the authentication screen is used for authentication;

receiving an input based on a sequence of interactions with the plurality of images;

evaluating the input to determine if the input authenticates a user;

in response to a determination that the input authenticates the user, granting the user access to secure content on the device; and

in response to a determination that the input does not authenticate the user, maintaining unavailability of the secure content on the device to the user.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of images are reordered each time the authentication screen is displayed.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of images have respective visual appearances of the plurality of application launch icons.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, including instructions for:

evaluating the input to determine if the input corresponds to a reference sequence associated with the user;

wherein;

the determination that the input authenticates the user comprises a determination that the input corresponds to the reference sequence; and

the determination that the input does not authenticate the user comprises a determination that the input does not correspond to the reference sequence.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying on the touch-sensitive display an authentication screen having the appearance but not the functionality of an application screen, the authentication screen including a plurality of graphical elements for the application screen, wherein the authentication screen does not include a visual indication that the authentication screen is used for authentication;

receiving an input based on a sequence of interactions with the authentication screen;

evaluating the input to determine if the input authenticates a user;

in response to a determination that the input authenticates the user, granting the user access to secure content on the device; and

in response to a determination that the input does not authenticate the user, maintaining unavailability of the secure content on the device to the user.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the authentication screen has the appearance of a photo album application screen, a music application screen, a map application screen, a stock application screen, a clock application screen, a contact list application screen, a calendar application screen, a browser application screen, or an e-mail application screen.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the authentication screen comprises one or more pictures found in a photo album or media player application.

20. The device of claim 17, including instructions for:

evaluating the input to determine if the input corresponds to a reference sequence associated with the user;

wherein;

the determination that the input authenticates the user comprises a determination that the input corresponds to the reference sequence; and

the determination that the input does not authenticate the user comprises a determination that the input does not correspond to the reference sequence.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

display on the touch-sensitive display an authentication screen having the appearance but not the functionality of an application screen, the authentication screen including a plurality of graphical elements for the application screen, wherein the authentication screen does not include a visual indication that the authentication screen is used for authentication;

receive an input based on a sequence of interactions with the authentication screen;

evaluate the input to determine if the input authenticates a user;

in response to a determination that the input authenticates the user, grant the user access to secure content on the device; and

in response to a determination that the input does not authenticate the user, maintain unavailability of the secure content on the device to the user.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the authentication screen has the appearance of a photo album application screen, a music application screen, a map application screen, a stock application screen, a clock application screen, a contact list application screen, a calendar application screen, a browser application screen, or an e-mail application screen.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the authentication screen comprises one or more pictures found in a photo album or media player application.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions which cause the device to:

evaluate the input to determine if the input corresponds to a reference sequence associated with the user; and

wherein;

the determination that the input authenticates the user comprises a determination that the input corresponds to the reference sequence; and

the determination that the input does not authenticate the user comprises a determination that the input does not correspond to the reference sequence.