Method and apparatus for device unlocking

• US 9,734,318 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Raetae
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL, KALISH K
• Application Number:
  US14/554,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20150161374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2, 726 4, 726 16, 726 17, 726 19, 726 21, 726 26- 29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724095 Worn on the wrist, hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A method is provided including: generating, by a first device, a first signal indicating a first pattern of movement of the first device; receiving, by the first device, a second signal indicating a second pattern of movement of a second device that is paired to the first device in accordance with a wireless communication protocol; comparing the first pattern of movement of the first device to the second pattern of movement of the second device; and unlocking the first device based on the first pattern of movement of the first device matching the second pattern of movement of the second device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by a first device, a first signal indicating a first pattern of movement of the first device;

receiving, by the first device, a second signal indicating a second pattern of movement of a second device that is paired to the first device in accordance with a wireless communication protocol;

delaying the second signal by a delay interval so that the first signal and the second signal are temporally aligned, wherein length of the delay interval is based on a distance between the first device and the second device and a signal intensity of the second signal;

comparing the first pattern of movement of the first device to the second pattern of movement of the second device; and

unlocking the first device based on the first pattern of movement of the first device matching the second pattern of movement of the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device includes a smartphone and the second device includes a wearable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is generated by using at least one of an acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, proximity sensor, GPS module, camera, motion sensor, gravity sensor, and dynamic visual sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing includes identifying a measure of correlation between the first pattern and the second pattern and detecting whether the measure of correlation satisfies a threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold is based on a strength of the second signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein length of the delay interval is further based on a processing speed of the second device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a speed of the first device, wherein the first device is unlocked only when the speed is below a threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting a prompt for a user to enter further input for unlocking the first device in response to the first pattern and the second pattern not matching.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising locking the first device unless a condition is satisfied before a timeout period expires, wherein the condition is satisfied when the first device is located within a wireless communication range of the second device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising locking the first device unless a condition is satisfied before a timeout period expires, wherein the condition is satisfied when a third pattern of movement of the first device matches a fourth pattern of movement of the second device.

11. An electronic device comprising processor configured to:

receive a first signal indicating a first pattern of movement of the electronic device;

receive, from an external device paired to the electronic device in accordance with a wireless communication protocol, a second signal indicating a second pattern of movement of the external device;

delay the second signal by a delay interval so that the first signal and the second signal are temporally aligned, wherein length of the delay interval is based on a distance between the first device and the second device and a signal intensity of the second signal;

compare the first pattern of movement of the electronic device to the second pattern of movement of the external device; and

unlock the electronic device based on the first pattern of movement of the electronic device matching the second pattern of movement of the external device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the electronic device includes a smartphone and the external device includes a wearable device.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first signal is generated by using at least one of an acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, proximity sensor, GPS module, camera, motion sensor, gravity sensor, and dynamic visual sensor.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the comparing includes identifying a measure of correlation between the first pattern and the second pattern and detecting whether the measure of correlation satisfies a threshold.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the threshold is based on a strength of the second signal.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the length of the delay interval is further based on a processing speed of the second device.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to identify a speed of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is unlocked only when the speed is below a threshold.

18. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to output a prompt for a user to enter further input for unlocking the electronic device in response to the first pattern and the second pattern not matching.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to lock the electronic device unless a condition is satisfied before a timeout period expires, wherein the condition is satisfied when the electronic device is located within a wireless communication range of the external device.

20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor control unit is further configured to lock the electronic device unless a condition is satisfied before a timeout period expires, wherein the condition is satisfied when a third pattern of movement of the electronic device matches a fourth pattern of movement of the external device.