Lockable widgets on a mobile device

• US 8,966,612 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Farraro, Eric J., Tapley, John, Cockcroft, Oliver N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US13/674,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20130312083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 836 Days
• Field of Search: 726/16
• US Class Current: 726/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00419 Arrangements for navigating between pages or parts of the menu

Abstract

A software widget running on a user device may be designed to operate in a locked or an unlocked mode. In unlocked mode, the user has full interactivity with the widget. In locked mode, however, at least some of the interactivity with the widget is restricted, despite the fact that the widget still operates normally otherwise while in the locked mode. While in locked mode, user input may be compared against a predefined unlocking sequence to determine if the widget should be unlocked.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

running an individual software widget on a user device, wherein a software widget is a software application designed to automatically display information on the user device and to permit user interaction with the software application to modify the information displayed;

securing the individual software widget in a locked mode;

while the software widget is operating in a locked mode, placing restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user;

receiving user input on the user device;

comparing the user input to a predefined unlocking sequence;

in response to a determination that the user input matches the predefined unlocking sequence, altering the state of the individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode;

securing the user device, including all software widgets on the user device;

receiving additional user input on the user device;

comparing the additional user input to another unlocking sequence different than the predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the additional user input matches the another unlocking sequence, unsecuring the user device, including removing restrictions on interactivity between the user and each software widget on the device not individually secured.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating an authentication sequence, based at least in part on receiving a predefined number of user input attempts failing to match the predefined unlocking sequence, wherein the authentication sequence requires the user to enter specific user input corresponding to the user;

receiving, in response to initiating the authentication sequence, additional user input; and

altering the state of the individual software widget to an unlocked mode, upon validation that the additional user input matches the authentication sequence, the unlocked mode removing the restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, with the individual software widget in a locked mode, instructions as to how to perform the predefined unlocking sequence.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined unlocking sequence includes dragging an icon across a touchscreen display in a predefined direction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined unlocking sequence includes moving an icon back and forth across a touchscreen display in a rapid manner.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined unlocking sequence includes tapping an area of a touchscreen display a predefined number of times in successive fashion.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the authentication sequence is a password.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the authentication sequence is a series of taps on colored areas displayed on a display of the user device, in a particular order.

9. A user device comprising:

a touchscreen display;

a memory;

a processor operable to execute an individual software widget, wherein the software widget automatically displays information on the touchscreen display and permits user interaction with the software widget to modify the information displayed;

a widget locking module configured to;

secure the individual software widget in a locked mode;

while the software widget is operating in a locked mode, place restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user;

receive user input on the user device;

compare the user input to a predefined unlocking sequence;

in response to a determination that the user input matches the predefined unlocking sequence, alter the state of the individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode;

secure the user device, including all software widgets on the user device;

receive additional user input on the user device;

compare the additional user input to another unlocking sequence different than the predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the additional user input matches the another unlocking sequence, unsecure the user device, including removing restrictions on interactivity between the user and each software widget on the device not individually secured.

10. The user device of claim 9, wherein the user device is a smartphone.

11. The user device of claim 9, wherein the user device is a tablet computer.

12. The user device of claim 9, wherein the user device is a head unit of a vehicle.

13. The user device of claim 9, wherein the processor is operable to further run applications in an operating system, the operating system capable of being locked or unlocked independently of the individual software widget.

14. The user device of claim 13, wherein interactivity of a plurality of applications on the user device are restricted while the operating system is locked.

15. A user device comprising:

a touchscreen display;

a memory;

a processor operable to execute an individual software widget, wherein the software widget is designed to automatically display information on the touchscreen display and to permit user interaction with the software application to modify the information displayed, the processor further operable to;

secure the individual software widget in a locked mode;

while the individual software widget is operating in a locked mode, place restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user;

receive user input on the user device;

compare the user input to a predefined unlocking sequence;

in response to a determination that the user input matches the predefined unlocking sequence, alter the state of the individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode secure the user device, including all software widgets on the user device;

receive additional user input on the user device;

compare the additional user input to another unlocking sequence different than the predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the additional user input matches the another unlocking sequence, unsecure the user device, including removing restrictions on interactivity between the user and each software widget on the device not individually secured.

16. The user device of claim 15, wherein the predefined unlocking sequence includes dragging an icon across a touchscreen display in a predefined direction.

17. The user device of claim 15, wherein the predefined unlocking sequence includes moving an icon back and forth across a touchscreen display in a rapid manner.

18. The user device of claim 15, wherein the predefined unlocking sequence includes tapping an area of a touchscreen display a predefined number of times in successive fashion.

19. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium having instruction data to cause a machine to execute a method comprising:

running a software widget on a user device, wherein a software widget is a software application designed to automatically display information on the user device and to permit user interaction with the software application to modify the information displayed;

securing the software widget in a locked mode;

while the software widget is operating in a locked mode, allowing a user of the user device to fully interact with all software widgets other than the software widget on the user device while placing restrictions on interactivity between the software widget and the user;

receiving user input on the user device;

comparing the user input to a predefined unlocking sequence;

in response to a determination that the user input matches the predefined unlocking sequence, altering the state of the software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the software widget and the user placed in the locked mode;

securing the user device, including all software widgets on the user device;

receiving additional user input on the user device;

comparing the additional user input to another unlocking sequence different than the predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the additional user input matches the another unlocking sequence, unsecuring the user device, including removing restrictions on interactivity between the user and each software widget on the device not individually secured.