Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image

• US 8,640,057 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• 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): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Andres E
• Application Number:
  US13/563,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20120293438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 715/154, 715/863, 345/156
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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

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 of controlling a device comprising a touch-sensitive display, comprising:

receiving an event at the device while the device is in a lock state, the event associated with an application on the device;

displaying on the touch-sensitive display an unlock interface, the unlock interface including information about the received event and further including an unlock image to access functionality associated with the received event, wherein the unlock image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object;

detecting a gesture on the unlock image of the unlock interface on the touch-sensitive display that satisfies a predefined condition; and

in response to the detected gesture satisfying the predefined condition;

transitioning the device to a user-interface unlocked state for the application associated with the received event, and

displaying an application interface for the application associated with the received event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises an incoming phone call, and wherein the unlocked state displays an application interface for the phone application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the unlock interface information comprises notification of the incoming phone call.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unlock interface information comprises an identifier of the incoming phone call.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the application interface comprises an accept call user-interface object.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the application interface further comprises a decline call user-interface object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein information about the received event identifies the type of event.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the type of event is one of one of an incoming phone call, an incoming message, an incoming electronic mail, and a voicemail.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the unlock image provides visual feedback to indicate progress towards completion of the unlock gesture.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture includes continuous contact with the touch-sensitive display that moves the unlock image from a first region to a second region on the touch-sensitive display.

9. A non-transitory computer readable memory device containing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a portable device also having a touch-sensitive display, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an event at the device while the device is in a first lock state, the event associated with an application on the device;

displaying on the touch-sensitive display an unlock interface, the unlock interface including information about the received event and further including an unlock image to access functionality associated with the received event, wherein the unlock image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object;

detecting a gesture on the unlock image of the unlock interface on the touch-sensitive display that satisfies a predefined condition; and

in response to the detected gesture satisfying the predefined condition;

transitioning the device to a user-interface unlocked state for the application associated with the received event, and

displaying an application interface for the application associated with the received event.

10. The computer readable memory device of claim 9, wherein the event comprises an incoming phone call, and wherein the unlocked state displays an application interface for the phone application.

11. The computer readable memory device of claim 10, wherein the unlock interface information comprises notification of the incoming phone call.

12. The computer readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the unlock interface information comprises an identifier of the incoming phone call.

13. The computer readable memory device of claim 10, wherein the application interface comprises an accept call user-interface object.

14. The computer readable memory device of claim 10, wherein the application interface comprises a decline call user-interface object.

15. The computer readable memory device of claim 9, wherein information about the received event identifies the type of event.

16. The computer readable memory device of claim 15, wherein the identified type of event is one of one of:

an incoming phone call, an incoming message, an incoming electronic mail, and a voicemail.

27. The computer readable memory device of claim 9, wherein the unlock image provides visual feedback to indicate progress towards completion of the unlock gesture.

28. The computer readable memory device of claim 9, wherein the gesture includes continuous contact with the touch-sensitive display that moves the unlock image from a first region to a second region on the touch-sensitive display.

17. 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 comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising,

receiving an event at the device while the device is in a first lock state, the event associated with an application on the device;

displaying on the touch-sensitive display an unlock interface, the unlock interface including information about the received event and further including an unlock image to access functionality associated with the received event, wherein the unlock image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object; and

detecting a gesture on the unlock image of the unlock interface on the touch-sensitive display that satisfies a predefined condition; and

in response to the detected gesture satisfying the predefined condition;

transitioning the device to a user-interface unlocked state for the application associated with the received event, and

displaying an application interface for the application associated with the received event.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the event comprises an incoming phone call, and wherein the unlocked state displays an application interface for the phone application.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the unlock interface information comprises notification of the incoming phone call.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the unlock interface information comprises an identification of the incoming phone call.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the application interface comprises an accept call user-interface object.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein the application interface further comprises a decline call user-interface object.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein information about the received event identifies the type of event.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the identified type of event is one of one of:

an incoming phone call, an incoming message, an incoming electronic mail, and a voicemail.

29. The portable device of claim 17, wherein the unlock image provides visual feedback to indicate progress towards completion of the unlock gesture.

30. The portable device of claim 17, wherein the gesture includes continuous contact with the touch-sensitive display that moves the unlock image from a first region to a second region on the touch-sensitive display.