Unlocking a portable electronic device by performing multiple actions on an unlock interface
First Claim
1. A method of unlocking a portable electronic device, the device including a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising:
- displaying on the touch-sensitive display an unlock interface comprising;
a plurality of access category images, wherein each of the plurality of access category images is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user may interact;
an active category image different from the plurality of access category images, wherein the active category image is a graphical object that has two states, a first state prior to interaction with an access category image and a second state to indicate interaction with an access category image;
an access subcategory image, wherein the access subcategory image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user may interact; and
an access subcategory value image, wherein the access subcategory value image is a graphical object configured to display information corresponding to a received subcategory value;
displaying the active category image in the first state;
detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display on one of the plurality of access category images displayed on the touch-sensitive display;
loading an access category from memory corresponding to the access category image displayed at the detected contact;
displaying the active category image in the second state;
modifying the access subcategory image to display an image corresponding to one of a plurality of access subcategories, the plurality of access subcategories corresponding to the loaded access category;
detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display on the access subcategory image displayed on the touch-sensitive display;
loading an access subcategory from memory corresponding to the access subcategory image displayed at a time of the detected contact;
receiving an access subcategory value;
modifying the access subcategory value window to display an image corresponding to the received access subcategory value;
comparing the loaded access category, the loaded access subcategory, and the received access subcategory value to stored access credentials, the stored access credentials comprising an unlock category, an unlock subcategory, and an unlock value;
if the loaded access category matches the unlock category, the loaded access subcategory matches the unlock subcategory and the received subcategory value matches the unlock value;
unlocking the portable electronic device; and
ceasing to display the unlock interface; and
if the loaded access category does not match the unlock category or the loaded access subcategory does not match the unlock subcategory or the received access subcategory value does not match the unlock value;
maintaining the device in a locked state; and
displaying a magnified version of the unlock interface wherein the magnification is based at least in part on differences between the loaded access category and the unlock category, differences between the loaded access subcategory and the unlock subcategory, and/or differences between the received access subcategory value and the unlock value,wherein the unlock category, the unlock subcategory, and the unlock value are related to one another as logically related pieces of information.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure provided herein includes a multi-step authentication process to unlock a portable electronic device. To unlock the device, a user can use a touch screen on the device to select an access category, to select an access subcategory, and to enter an access subcategory value. The access subcategory can depend on the access category, making them logically related. The access subcategory value can be a value that corresponds to the selected access category and subcategory. The multi-step authentication or unlocking process can advantageously be easy to remember because the pieces of information to be provided are logically related to one another. In addition, the multi-step authentication or unlocking process can be difficult to guess as each step in the process decreases the chances an unwanted person or system correctly guesses the correct values for each step.
21 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of unlocking a portable electronic device, the device including a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising:
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displaying on the touch-sensitive display an unlock interface comprising; a plurality of access category images, wherein each of the plurality of access category images is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user may interact; an active category image different from the plurality of access category images, wherein the active category image is a graphical object that has two states, a first state prior to interaction with an access category image and a second state to indicate interaction with an access category image; an access subcategory image, wherein the access subcategory image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user may interact; and an access subcategory value image, wherein the access subcategory value image is a graphical object configured to display information corresponding to a received subcategory value; displaying the active category image in the first state; detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display on one of the plurality of access category images displayed on the touch-sensitive display; loading an access category from memory corresponding to the access category image displayed at the detected contact; displaying the active category image in the second state; modifying the access subcategory image to display an image corresponding to one of a plurality of access subcategories, the plurality of access subcategories corresponding to the loaded access category; detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display on the access subcategory image displayed on the touch-sensitive display; loading an access subcategory from memory corresponding to the access subcategory image displayed at a time of the detected contact; receiving an access subcategory value; modifying the access subcategory value window to display an image corresponding to the received access subcategory value; comparing the loaded access category, the loaded access subcategory, and the received access subcategory value to stored access credentials, the stored access credentials comprising an unlock category, an unlock subcategory, and an unlock value; if the loaded access category matches the unlock category, the loaded access subcategory matches the unlock subcategory and the received subcategory value matches the unlock value; unlocking the portable electronic device; and ceasing to display the unlock interface; and if the loaded access category does not match the unlock category or the loaded access subcategory does not match the unlock subcategory or the received access subcategory value does not match the unlock value; maintaining the device in a locked state; and displaying a magnified version of the unlock interface wherein the magnification is based at least in part on differences between the loaded access category and the unlock category, differences between the loaded access subcategory and the unlock subcategory, and/or differences between the received access subcategory value and the unlock value, wherein the unlock category, the unlock subcategory, and the unlock value are related to one another as logically related pieces of information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A portable electronic device, comprising:
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a touch-sensitive display; memory; one or more processors; one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for; displaying on the touch-sensitive display an unlock interface comprising; a plurality of access category images, wherein each of the plurality of access category images is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user may interact; an active category image different from the plurality of access category images, wherein the active category image is a graphical object that has two states, a first state prior to interaction with an access category image and a second state to indicate interaction with an access category image; an access subcategory image, wherein the access subcategory image is a graphical, interactive user-interface object with which a user may interact; and an access subcategory value image, wherein the access subcategory value image is a graphical object configured to display information corresponding to a received subcategory value; displaying the active category image in the first state; detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display on one of the plurality of access category images displayed on the touch-sensitive display; loading an access category in response to the detected contact; displaying the active category image in the second state; modifying the access subcategory image to display an image corresponding to one of a plurality of access subcategories, the plurality of access subcategories corresponding to the loaded access category; detecting a contact with the touch-sensitive display on the access subcategory image displayed on the touch-sensitive display; loading an access subcategory in response to the detected contact; modifying the access subcategory value window to display an image corresponding to a received access subcategory value; unlocking the portable electronic device if the loaded access category matches a stored unlock category, the loaded access subcategory matches a stored unlock subcategory, and the received subcategory value matches a stored unlock value; and displaying a magnified version of the unlock interface if the loaded access category does not match the stored unlock category or the loaded access subcategory does not match the stored unlock subcategory or the received access subcategory value does not match the stored unlock value, wherein the magnification is based at least in part on differences between the loaded access category and the stored unlock category, differences between the loaded access subcategory and the stored unlock subcategory, and/or differences between the received access subcategory value and the stored unlock value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification