Lockable widgets on a mobile device

• US 9,536,068 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• 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 Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US14/629,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 user device comprising:

a touchscreen display a memory;

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

a widget locking module executable by the processor and configured to;

secure the first individual software widget in a locked mode, the securing of the first individual software widget in a locked mode not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device;

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

receive first user input on the user device;

compare the first user input to a first predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the first user input matches the first predefined unlocking sequence, alter the state of the first individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the first individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode while not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device.

2. The user device of claim 1, the widget locking module further configured to:

run a second 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;

secure the second individual software widget in a locked mode, the securing of the second individual software widget in a locked mode not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device;

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

receive second user input on the user device;

compare the second user input to a second predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the second user input matches the second predefined unlocking sequence, alter the state of the second individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the second individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode while not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device.

3. The user device of claim 1, the widget locking module further configured to:

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

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

alter the state of the first 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.

4. The user device of claim 1, the widget locking module further configured to:

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

5. A method comprising:

running a first 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 first individual software widget in a locked mode, the securing of the first individual software widget in a locked mode not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device;

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

receiving first user input on the user device;

comparing the first user input to a first predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the first user input matches the first predefined unlocking sequence, altering the state of the first individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the first individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode while not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

running a second 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 second individual software widget in a locked mode, the securing of the second individual software widget in a locked mode not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device;

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

receiving second user input on the user device;

comparing the second user input to a second predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the second user input matches the second predefined unlocking sequence, altering the state of the second individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the second individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode while not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

initiating an authentication sequence, based at least in part on receiving a predefined number of user input attempts failing to match the first 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 first 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.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

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

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first predefined unlocking sequence includes dragging an icon across a touchscreen display in a predefined direction.

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

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the first predefined unlocking sequence includes tapping an area of a touchscreen display a predefined number of times in successive fashion.

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

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the authentication sequence is a series of taps on colored areas displayed on a display of the user device, in a particular order.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to execute operations comprising:

running a first 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 first individual software widget in a locked mode, the securing of the first individual software widget in a locked mode not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device;

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

receiving first user input on the user device;

comparing the first user input to a first predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the first user input matches the first predefined unlocking sequence, altering the state of the first individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the first individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode while not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

running a second 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 second individual software widget in a locked mode, the securing of the second individual software widget in a locked mode not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device;

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

receiving second user input on the user device;

comparing the second user input to a second predefined unlocking sequence; and

in response to a determination that the second user input matches the second predefined unlocking sequence, altering the state of the second individual software widget to an unlocked mode, the altering removing the restrictions on interactivity between the second individual software widget and the user placed in the locked mode while not affecting interactivity of any other software widgets on the user device.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

initiating an authentication sequence, based at least in part on receiving a predefined number of user input attempts failing to match the first 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 first 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.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

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

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first predefined unlocking sequence includes dragging an icon across a touchscreen display in a predefined direction.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first predefined unlocking sequence includes moving an icon back and forth across a touchscreen display in a rapid manner.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first predefined unlocking sequence includes tapping an area of a touchscreen display a predefined number of times in successive fashion.