Portable device and method for restricting use of portable device

• US 9,948,763 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Hwa-Kyung, Lee, Jun-Seok, Jun, Jin-Ha
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang-Hurst, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elnoubi, Said
• Application Number:
  US14/156,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20150056974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 455411, 455567
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

A method for restricting a use of a portable device is provided. The method includes receiving an input for selecting an icon displayed on a screen of the portable device, the icon corresponding to an application for executing a concentration improvement mode that restricts the use of the application, setting a restriction time for the concentration improvement mode, deactivating the selected icon in the concentration improvement mode, and blocking a notification message provided by the application corresponding to the selected icon in the concentration improvement mode.

Claims

1. A method of restricting a use of a portable device, the method comprising:

displaying an application list) of a setting menu for a first on a display screen of the portable device in response to a first user input for setting of the first mode in which execution of at least one application is restricted on the portable device before executing the at least one application, wherein the application list comprises a plurality of applications to which the first mode is applicable;

receiving a second user input for at least one application for the first mode through the application list;

receiving a third user input for setting a restriction time for the first mode;

in response to a fourth user input for activation of the first mode, deactivating at least one icon corresponding to the at least one application on the display screen of the portable device, and blocking at least one notification message provided by the at least one application;

when a fifth user input for deactivation of the first mode is received, determining whether a number of times that the first mode has been deactivated is more than a predetermined times;

if the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated is more than the predetermined times, displaying a message that the deactivation of the first mode is not available on the display screen of the portable device, and

if the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated is less than or equal to the predetermined times, deactivating the first mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating the at least one icon corresponding to the at least one application when the restriction time has expired.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

displaying at least one notification message when the restriction time has expired.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the fifth user input for the deactivation comprises an entry of a personal identification number (PIN).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the deactivating of the first mode further comprises:

deactivating the first mode if the PIN corresponds to a PIN for deactivating the first mode; and

updating the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, during the restriction time, an indicator corresponding to activation of the first mode on the display screen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the deactivating of the at least one icon comprises hiding the at least one icon from at least one of a home screen, a menu, a file explorer, or a launcher on the display screen.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the deactivating of the at least one icon, comprises ignoring a selection of the at least one icon on at least one of a home screen, a menu, a file explorer, and a launcher by not executing the at least one application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one notification message comprises at least one of a message received from outside of the portable device and a message generated in the portable device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocking of the at least one notification message comprises:

determining whether a received push notification message is related to the at least one application, and

storing the received push notification message without displaying on the display screen if the received push notification message is related to the at least one application and the first mode has been activated.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying a notification window in response to a user input that requests opening of the notification window on a status bar of the display screen during the first mode,

wherein the notification window comprises a notification line informing that the first mode is being activated, and

wherein the notification line comprises at least one of an amount of time remaining before the first mode is deactivated or the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated.

12. A portable device comprising:

a display screen; and

at least one processor configured to execute instructions to;

control a first mode of the portable device, display an application list of a setting menu for a first mode on the display screen in response to a first user input for setting of the first mode in which execution of at least one application is restricted on the portable device before executing the at least one application, wherein the application list comprises a plurality of applications to which the first mode is applicable, receive a second user input for at least one application for through the application list, receive a third user input for setting a restriction time for the first mode;

in response to a fourth user input for activation of the first mode, deactivate at least one icon corresponding to the at least one application on the display screen of the portable device, and block at least one notification message provided by the at least one application;

when a fifth user input for deactivation of the first mode is received, determining whether a number of times that the first mode has been deactivated is more than a predetermined times;

if the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated is more than the predetermined times, display a message that the deactivation of the first mode is not available on the display screen of the portable device, and

if the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated is less than or equal to the predetermined times, deactivate the first mode.

13. The portable device of claim 12, wherein, when the restriction time has expired, the at least one processor is further configured to activate the at least one icon corresponding to the at least one application.

14. The portable device of claim 12, wherein, when the restriction time has expired, the at least one processor is further configured to display at least one notification message.

15. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one notification message comprises at least one of a message received from outside of the portable device or a message generated in the portable device.

16. The portable device of claim 12,

wherein the fifth user input for the deactivation comprises an entry of a personal identification number (PIN).

17. The portable device of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

deactivate the first mode if the PIN corresponds to a PIN for deactivating the first mode, and

update the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated.

18. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display, during the restriction time, an indicator corresponding to activation of the first mode on the display screen.

19. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, when deactivating of the at least one icon, hide the at least one icon from at least one of a home screen, a menu, a file explorer, or a launcher on the display screen.

20. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, when deactivating the at least one icon, ignore a selection of the at least one icon on at least one of a home screen, a menu, a file explorer, or a launcher by not executing the at least one application.

21. The portable device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine whether a received push notification message is related to the at least one application, and

store the received push notification message without displaying on the display screen if the received push notification message is related to the at least one application and the first mode has been activated.

22. The portable device of claim 17,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display a notification window in response to a user input that requests opening of the notification window on a status bar of the display screen during the first mode,

wherein the notification window comprises a notification line informing that the first mode is being activated, and

wherein the notification line comprises at least one of an amount of time remaining before the first mode is deactivated or the number of times that the first mode has been deactivated.