Access to locked functions

• US 8,660,531 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hymel, James Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Paul P
• Application Number:
  US12/938,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20120108166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1, 455/26.1, 455/41.2, 455/58.2, 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/456.4, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/565, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/628, 455/456.1, 455/566, 341/22, 345/155, 345/168, 345/172, 345/166, 345/173, 345/418, 345/690, 379/62, 379/161, 380247-250, 382/118, 340/5.54, 340/571, 348/14.01, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communications device can have a locked mode in which the mobile communications device is protected against unauthorized use. A mobile communications device includes device applications implemented by a software program or firmware program that enables an application to be temporarily operable or operable under certain conditions when the mobile communications device is locked. Device applications can include a camera enabled for image data acquisition and a microphone or an audio recorder or a microphone and an audio recorder enabled for audio data acquisition. Acquired image data and audio data can be stored locally to the mobile communications device or stored externally to the mobile communications device. The mobile communications device can be configured to operate applications under different conditions. The mobile communications device can be configured to display a message that applications have been operated while the mobile communications device was locked or in a locked mode.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one computer readable medium in communication with the processor; and

at least one program module stored on the at least one medium and operable upon execution by the processor to;

maintain a locked function usage accumulator associated with a camera of the mobile communications device, the locked function usage accumulator comprising a current value and a predetermined limit, the current value corresponding to an amount of acquired image data and the predetermined limit corresponding to a percentage of available memory allocated for storage of image data;

receive a touch input on a predetermined area on a touch screen of the mobile communications device to activate the camera to perform a locked function of taking a photo, while the mobile communications device is in a locked mode;

compare the accumulator current value to the predetermined limit; and

perform the locked function of taking the photo when the accumulator current value is less than the predetermined limit.

2. The mobile communications device of claim 1, the at least one program module further operable, upon execution by the processor to:

increment the accumulator current value upon taking the photo.

3. The mobile communications device of claim 1, the at least one program module operable, upon execution by the processor to:

increment the accumulator current value upon taking the photo;

maintain a time calculator for determining an amount of elapsed time; and

lock the mobile communications device after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a specified event.

4. A processor-implemented method for enabling limited access to a locked function in a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

maintaining a locked function usage accumulator associated with a camera of the mobile communications device, the locked function usage accumulator comprising a current value and a predetermined limit, the current value corresponding to an amount of acquired image data and the predetermined limit corresponding to a percentage of available memory allocated for storage of image data;

receiving a touch input on a predetermined area on a touch screen of the mobile communications device to activate the camera to perform a locked function of taking a photo while the communications device is in a locked mode;

comparing the accumulator current value to the predetermined limit; and

taking the photo when the accumulator current value is less than the predetermined limit.

5. The processor-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

incrementing the accumulator current value upon taking the photo.

6. The processor-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

maintaining a time calculator for determining an amount of elapsed time; and

locking the mobile communications device after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a specified event.

7. The processor-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

incrementing the accumulator current value upon taking the photo;

maintaining a time calculator for determining an amount of elapsed time; and

locking the mobile communications device after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a specified event.

8. The processor-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the specified event is a first performance of taking a photo.

9. A mobile communications device comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium; and

at least one program module stored on the at least one medium and operative upon execution by at least one processor to;

maintain a locked function usage accumulator associated with a camera of the mobile communications device, the locked function usage accumulator comprising a current value and a predetermined limit, the current value corresponding to a number of acquired images and the predetermined limit corresponding to a predetermined number of stored images;

receiving a touch input on a predetermined area on a touch screen of the mobile communications device to activate the camera to perform a locked function of taking a photo while the communications device is in a locked mode;

compare the accumulator current value to the predetermined limit; and

take the photo when the accumulator current value is less than the predetermined limit.

10. The device of claim 9, the at least one program module further operative, upon execution by at least one processor to:

increment the accumulator current value upon taking the photo.

11. The device of claim 9, the at least one program module further operative, upon execution by at least one processor to:

maintain a time calculator for determining an amount of elapsed time; and

lock the electronic device after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a specified event.

12. The device of claim 9, the at least one program module further operative, upon execution by at least one processor to:

increment the accumulator current value upon taking the photo;

maintain a time calculator for determining an amount of elapsed time; and

lock the mobile communications device after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a specified event.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the specified event is a first performance of taking a photo.