Image pattern unlocking techniques for touch sensitive devices

• US 8,966,617 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barnes & Noble College Booksellers LLC (Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nook Digital, LLC (f/k/a Barnesandnoble.com LLC) (Bahwan CyberTek Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hicks, Kourtny M., Cueto, Gerald B., Mesguich Havilio, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Teshome
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US13/868,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20140317723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 726/19
• US Class Current: 726/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing an image pattern unlock mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The image pattern unlock mode can display an unlock screen to the user, prompting the user to arrange or create or otherwise select a specific image pattern in order to unlock the device. The customizable image pattern may include any uniquely identifiable unlocking pattern including a combination of images, or even a single image selected from an image group. The unlocking mechanism may include images gathered from the user'"'"'s photo collection and/or one or more online profiles, and the unlock pattern could be a selection of such images. In other embodiments, a combination of color and images can also be used, such as matching colors to images. When the user has arranged the proper image pattern, the device unlocks and may be used. If the correct image pattern is not arranged, the device remains locked.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a touch screen display for displaying content to a user and allowing user input; and

a user interface including an image pattern unlock mode configured to activate in response to the device entering a locked state thereby causing an unlock screen to display, wherein the image pattern unlock mode is further configured to display a random image on the unlock screen, and unlock the device in response to receiving an unlock code including a correct unlock screen input that corresponds to the random image, wherein the combination of the random image and the correct unlock screen input is pre-established and provides at least part of the unlock code.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the correct unlock screen input comprises a color that is selected from a palette of colors displayed on the unlock screen.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the image pattern unlock mode is further configured to display a plurality of random images, at least one of which is gathered from a user'"'"'s photo collection and each random image is associated with a corresponding correct unlock screen input so as to provide a plurality of pre-established image-input pairs.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the image pattern unlock mode is further configured to display a plurality of random images, at least one of which is associated with a social media profile, online networking service profile, or an online avatar, and each random image is associated with a corresponding correct unlock screen input so as to provide a plurality of pre-established image-input pairs.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the correct unlock screen input comprises a doodle input via the touch screen display.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the correct unlock screen input comprises a password input via the touch screen display.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of random images are presented for display on the unlock screen, each random image associated with a correct unlock screen input, such that the unlock code includes a plurality image-input pairs.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the image pattern unlock mode is further configured to display an unlocking animation as the device is being unlocked.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the image pattern unlock mode is further configured to display a plurality of random images one at a time, and each random image is associated with a corresponding correct unlock screen input so as to provide a plurality of pre-established image-input pairs.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is an eReader device or a tablet computer or a smartphone.

11. A mobile computing system, comprising:

a processor and a display for displaying content to a user and a touch sensitive surface for allowing user input; and

a user interface executable on the processor and including an image pattern unlock mode, wherein the image pattern unlock mode is configured to display a random image on an unlock screen and maintain the mobile computing device in a locked state until receiving an unlock code including a correct unlock screen input that corresponds to the random image, wherein the combination of the random image and the correct unlock screen input is pre-established and provides at least part of the unlock code.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the correct unlock screen input comprises a color that is selected from a palette of colors displayed on the unlock screen.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the and correct unlock screen input comprises a doodle input via the touch screen display.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the image pattern unlock mode is further configured to display a plurality of random images, at least one of which is associated with a social media profile, online networking service profile, or an online avatar, and each random image is associated with a corresponding correct unlock screen input so as to provide a plurality of pre-established image-input pairs.

15. A non-transient computer program product comprising a plurality of instructions encoded thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause a process to be carried out, the process comprising:

display on the electronic device an unlock screen, wherein the unlock screen is configured to display a random image and prompt a user to input an unlock code; and

unlock the electronic device in response to receiving the unlock code, the unlock code including a correct unlock screen input that corresponds to the random image, wherein the combination of the random image and the correct unlock screen input is pre-established and provides at least part of the unlock code.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the correct unlock screen input comprises a color that is selected from a palette of colors displayed on the unlock screen.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the correct unlock screen input comprises a doodle input via the touch screen display.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein a plurality of random images is displayed on the unlock screen, and each random image is associated with a corresponding correct unlock screen input so as to provide a plurality of pre-established image-input pairs.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the random image is associated with a social media profile, online networking service profile, or an online avatar.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the process further comprises:

display a plurality of random images one at a time, and each random image is associated with a corresponding correct unlock screen input so as to provide a plurality of pre-established image-input pairs.