Comparison of an applied gesture on a touch screen of a mobile device with a remotely stored security gesture

• US 9,024,890 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David H. Chin
• Original Assignee: David H. Chin
• Inventors: Chin, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US13/083,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 345/204, 178 1801- 1809, 178 1901- 1904, 178/20.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

A method of a mobile device comparing an applied gesture on a touch screen of a mobile device with a remotely stored security gesture is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a mobile device includes determining that an applied gesture on a touch screen of a mobile device in a locked state is associated with a user-defined gesture, comparing the applied gesture on the touch screen of the mobile device with a designated security gesture stored in a remote computer server, and unlocking the mobile device when the applied gesture on the touch screen of the mobile device in a dormant state matches the designated security gesture stored in the remote computer server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accepting an applied gesture on a touch screen of a mobile device in a locked state, wherein the applied gesture does not depend on touching predetermined contact areas on the touch screen in a given order;

comparing the applied gesture with a designated security gesture stored in a remote computer server, wherein the remote computer server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device through a network; and

unlocking the mobile device when the applied gesture matches the designated security gesture stored in the remote computer server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

unlocking another mobile device in the locked state when an another applied gesture on a touch screen of the another mobile device matches the designated security gesture stored in the remote computer server.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to define the designated security gesture.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the unlocking comprises:

sending a signal from the remote computer server to the mobile device enabling a user to access the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disabling one or more mobile devices associated with the designated security gesture.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the applied gesture is applied without the use of a visual template.

7. A method comprising:

accepting a user-defined gesture as an input on a mobile device;

transmitting the user-defined gesture to a remote computer server, wherein the remote computer server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device through a network;

storing the user-defined gesture in the remote computer server;

comparing an applied gesture on a touch-receptive area of the mobile device to the user-defined gesture stored in the remote computer server, wherein the applied gesture does not depend on touching predetermined contact areas on the touch screen in a given order;

sending an authorizing signal to permit access to the mobile device if the applied gesture on the mobile device matches the user-defined gesture; and

allowing the mobile device to operate.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the mobile device is at least one of a mobile phone, a mobile tablet computer, a mobile media player, a mobile gaming device, and a mobile navigation device.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising at least one of:

permitting access to a remote resource, and permitting interaction with a plurality of remote computer resources.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising permitting access to a feature of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the feature of the mobile device is at least one of:

a contact list, a media player application, a web browser program, an email account, a voicemail system, an e-book reader, a game player, a camera, a scanner, a mobile teleconferencing system, a GPS navigation device and an electronic payment device.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the applied gesture and the user-defined gesture are applied without the use of a visual template.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the touch-receptive area of the mobile device is one of:

a touch screen of the mobile device, and an input area of the mobile device.

14. A method comprising:

storing a user-defined gesture in a remote computer server;

accepting an applied gesture as an input on a touch-receptive area of a mobile device, wherein the remote computer server is communicatively coupled to the mobile device through a network and the applied gesture does not depend on touching predetermined contact areas on the touch-receptive area in a given order;

transmitting the applied gesture to the remote computer server;

comparing the applied gesture to the user-defined gesture stored in the remote computer server;

determining that the applied gesture matches the user-defined gesture stored in the remote computer server;

sending an authorizing signal to the mobile device to permit access to a network resource; and

allowing the mobile device to access the network resource.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the applied gesture and the user-defined gesture are applied without the use of a visual template.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the touch-receptive area of the mobile device is one of:

a touch screen of the mobile device, and an input area of the mobile device.

17. A method of a mobile device comprising:

storing a user-defined gesture in a mobile device;

accepting an applied gesture as an input on a touch-receptive area of the mobile device, wherein the applied gesture does not depend on touching predetermined contact areas on the touch-receptive area in a given order;

determining whether the applied gesture is associated with the user-defined gesture stored in the mobile device;

authorizing the mobile device to permit access to a resource stored in a remote computer server; and

allowing the mobile device to access the resource stored in the remote computer server.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the applied gesture and the user-defined gesture are applied without the use of a visual template.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the touch-receptive area of the mobile device is one of:

a touch screen of the mobile device, and an input area of the mobile device.

20. A method to securely access a plurality of resources by applying a gesture, comprising the steps of:

storing a user-defined gesture in a remote computer server;

designating the user-defined gesture as a single sign-on gesture such that the single sign-on gesture single-handedly permits access from a mobile device to a plurality of otherwise restricted Internet sites and resources in a public web;

accepting an applied gesture as an input on a touch-receptive area of the mobile device, wherein the applied gesture does not depend on touching predetermined contact areas on the touch-receptive area in a given order;

transmitting the applied gesture to the remote computer server;

determining whether the applied gesture is associated with the user-defined gesture stored in the remote computer server;

permitting the mobile device access to the plurality of Internet sites and resources in the public web when an association is made between the user-defined gesture and the applied gesture; and

denying the mobile device access to the plurality of Internet sites or resources in the public web when the association fails to be made between the user-defined gesture and the applied gesture.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the plurality of Internet sites in the public web comprises at least one website that permits access to the mobile device without requiring entry of a username or a password on the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the defined gesture are applied without the use of a visual template.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the touch-receptive area of the mobile device is one of:

a touch screen of the mobile device, and an input area of the mobile device.