Input device and method for protecting input information from exposure

• US 9,122,310 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Soh, Byung-Seok, Kim, Kyu-yong, Kim, Sang-youn, Yang, Gyung-hye, Lee, Yong-beom
• Primary Examiner(s): XAVIER, ANTONIO J
• Application Number:
  US13/859,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20130222253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials

Abstract

An input device and method for protecting input information from exposure, in which the time of input of information is determined using a tactile output to protect the input information from being exposed. The input device for protecting input information from exposure includes a user-input module for receiving predetermined input information from a user, a control module for setting the information inputted in association with a tactile signal among the input information as user-input information, and a tactile-output-generation module for generating and providing the tactile signal to the user-input module under the control of the control module.

Claims

1. An input device for protecting input information from exposure, comprising:

a user-input device receiving information including user authentication information and other different type information;

a tactile-output-generator outputting a tactile signal to the user-input device; and

a controller controlling output of the tactile signal, comparing received other different type information to stored other different type information, and controlling the tactile-output- generator to output the tactile signal when the received other information is the same as the stored other information, such that a next successive N input entered by the user immediately is determined as user authentication information after the tactile signal is output,

wherein the received other information is determined by sensing an entry of a keystroke and the tactile signal is output during the keystroke,

wherein the controller processes input values input after the N inputs as insignificant values.

2. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other information is a keystroke and the tactile signal is output after the keystroke is entered.

3. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other information is an entry of a keystroke for a period of time and the tactile signal is output after the keystroke is entered for the period of time.

4. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other information is an entry of a keystroke a predetermined number of times and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined keystroke is entered the predetermined number of times.

5. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other information is a predetermined sequence of keystrokes and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined sequence of keystrokes has been entered.

6. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other information is a predetermined number of keystrokes and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined number of keystrokes has been entered.

7. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the user authentication information is input after the tactile signal is output, and the controller compares the user authentication information to stored user authentication information and, when the user authentication information is the same as the stored user authentication information, the controller executes a corresponding function.

8. An input method for protecting input information from exposure, comprising:

receiving information including user authentication information and other different type information;

outputting a tactile signal;

controlling the outputting of the tactile signal, comparing received other different type information to stored other different type information, and controlling an output of the tactile signal when the received other information is the same as the stored other information, such that a next successive N input entered by the user immediately is determined as user authentication information after the tactile signal is output, and processing input values input after the N inputs as insignificant values;

wherein the received other information is determined by sensing an entry of a keystroke and the tactile signal is output during the keystroke.

9. The input method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the other information is a keystroke and the tactile signal is output after the keystroke is entered.

10. The input method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the other information is an entry of a keystroke for a period of time and the tactile signal is output after the keystroke is entered for the period of time.

11. The input method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the other information is an entry of a keystroke a predetermined number of times and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined keystroke is entered the predetermined number of times.

12. The input method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the other information is a predetermined sequence of keystrokes and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined sequence of keystrokes has been entered.

13. The input method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the other information is a predetermined number of keystrokes and the tactile signal is output after the predetermined number of keystrokes has been entered.

14. The input method as claimed in claim 8, wherein, the user authentication information is input after the tactile signal is output, and the user authentication information is compared to stored user authentication information and, when the user authentication information is the same as the stored user authentication information, a corresponding function is executed.