Method and computer program product of switching locked state of electronic device

• US 8,723,643 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, John C., Chou, Fu-Chiang
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US12/887,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.83, 340/5.82, 340/5.52, 455/411, 455/556.2
• US Class Current: 340/5.83
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means

Abstract

In a method of switching a locked state of an electronic device with a user-verifying function, a biologic feature data from a user is captured while receiving an input from the user for an operation when the electronic device is in a locked state. Whether the biologic feature data conforms to a reference biologic feature data is then determined. If it is determined that the biologic feature data conforms to the reference biologic feature data, the electronic device is switched from the locked state into a non-locked state and directly controls the electronic device to perform the operation according to the input when the biologic feature data is determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data.

Claims

1. A method of switching a locked state of an electronic device with a user-verifying function, comprising:

capturing a first biologic feature data of a first user from a first input from the first user for a first operation while receiving the first input when the electronic device is in a locked state;

determining whether the first biologic feature data conforms to a reference biologic feature data;

switching the electronic device from the locked state into a non-locked state and directly controlling the electronic device to perform the first operation according to the first input when the first biologic feature data is determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data;

capturing a second biologic feature data from a second user while receiving a second input from the second user for a second operation after the electronic device is switched to the non-locked state;

determining whether the second biologic feature data conforms to the reference biologic feature data; and

switching the electronic device from the non-locked state into the locked state and prohibiting the electronic device from performing the second operation according to the second input when the second biologic feature data is not determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first biologic feature data comprises at least one of fingerprint data, voiceprint data, speech contents data, palm print data, iris image data, and face configuration data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first biologic feature data is captured by at least one of an optical sensor, a touch screen, a voice-identifying module, and an image-identifying module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of functions of the electronic device is disabled when the electronic device is in the locked state, and at least one of the disabled functions of the electronic device is enabled when the electronic device is in the non-locked state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference biologic feature data is stored in the electronic device or a remote device accessible by the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device remains in the locked state when the first biologic feature data is not determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data, and the method further comprises:

executing an alternative user-verifying procedure when the first biologic feature data is not determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the alternative user-verifying procedure comprises:

receiving an unlocking input; and

switching the electronic device from the locked state into the non-locked state when the unlocking input conforms to a specific data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the unlocking input comprises at least one of a password, a literal signature and a symbolic signature.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

an input module, configured to capture a first biologic feature data of a first user from a first input from a the first user for a first operation while receiving a the first input;

a determining module, coupled to the input module, configured to determine whether the first biologic feature data conforms to a reference biologic feature data;

a control module, coupled to the determining module, configured to switch the electronic device from the locked state into a non-locked state, and directly control the electronic device to perform the first operation according to the first input when the determining module determines the first biologic feature data conforms to the reference biologic feature data

the input module is configured to capture a second biologic feature data from a second user while receiving a second input from the second user for a second operation after the electronic device is switched to the non-locked state;

the determining module is further configured to determine whether the second biologic feature data conforms to the reference biologic feature data; and

the control module is further configured to switch the electronic device from the non-locked state into the locked state and prohibit the electronic device from performing the second operation according to the second input when the determining module determines the second biologic feature data does not conform to the reference biologic feature data.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the input module comprises at least one of an optical sensor, a touch screen, and a microphone.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the biologic feature data comprises at least one of fingerprint data, voiceprint data, speech contents data, palm print data, iris image data, and face configuration data.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein when the determining module determines the first biologic feature data does not conform to the reference biologic feature data, the electronic device remains in the locked state, and the control module is further configured to:

execute an alternative user-verifying procedure.

13. A computer-readable non-transitory medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor in an electronic device, cause the processor to perform operations of:

capturing a biologic feature data of a user from an input from a the user for an operation while receiving an the input when the electronic device is in a locked state;

determining whether the biologic feature data conforms to a reference biologic feature data;

switching the electronic device from the locked state into a non-locked state and directly controlling the electronic device to perform the operation according to the input when the biologic feature data is determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data;

capturing a second biologic feature data from a second user while receiving a second input from the second user for a second operation after the electronic device is switched to the non-locked state;

determining whether the second biologic feature data conforms to the reference biologic feature data; and

switching the electronic device from the non-locked state into the locked state and prohibiting the electronic device from performing the second operation according to the second input when the second biologic feature data is not determined conforming to the reference biologic feature data.