METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOCKING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110237220A1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoshimichi (Yomi)
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for unlocking an electronic device. In an embodiment, a process causes a device such as a smartphone to receive a sound input from a fixed position microphone and determine if the device should be unlocked based on a comparison of the sound input with a previously defined sound input.

Claims

1. A method of unlocking an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a sound input from a microphone associated with the electronic device;

determining a first plurality of peak amplitudes associated with the sound input;

determining a first plurality of time intervals associated with the first plurality of peak amplitudes;

determining if the first plurality of peak amplitudes are within a first range defined by a second plurality of peak amplitudes;

determining if the first plurality of time intervals are within a second range defined by a second plurality of time intervals; and

unlocking the electronic device if (i) the first plurality of peak amplitudes are within the first range and (ii) the first plurality of time intervals are within the second range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sound input from the microphone includes receiving the sound input from a user tracing a pattern on the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sound input from the microphone includes receiving the sound input from a user whistling in to the microphone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sound input from the microphone includes receiving the sound input from a user blank whistling in to the microphone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sound input from the microphone includes receiving the sound input from a user tapping a pattern on the electronic device using a plurality of different fingers at a plurality of different locations on the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sound input from the microphone includes receiving the sound input from a user rubbing a finger across the microphone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sound input from the microphone includes receiving the sound input from a user tapping a pattern on a plurality of different surfaces made of a plurality of different materials.

8. An apparatus for unlocking an electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a display device operatively coupled to the processor;

a user input device operatively coupled to the processor; and

a memory device operatively coupled to the processor, the memory device storing software instructions to cause the processor to;

receive a sound input from a microphone associated with the electronic device;

determine a first plurality of peak amplitudes associated with the sound input;

determine a first plurality of time intervals associated with the first plurality of peak amplitudes;

determine if the first plurality of peak amplitudes are within a first range defined by a second plurality of peak amplitudes;

determine if the first plurality of time intervals are within a second range defined by a second plurality of time intervals; and

unlock the electronic device if (i) the first plurality of peak amplitudes are within the first range and (ii) the first plurality of time intervals are within the second range.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the processor to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user tracing a pattern on the electronic device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the processor to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user whistling in to the microphone.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the processor to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user blank whistling in to the microphone.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the processor to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user tapping a pattern on the electronic device using a plurality of different fingers at a plurality of different locations on the electronic device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the processor to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user rubbing a finger across the microphone.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the processor to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user tapping a pattern on a plurality of different surfaces made of a plurality of different materials.

15. A computer readable device storing software instructions to cause a computing device to:

receive a sound input from a microphone associated with the electronic device;

determine a first plurality of peak amplitudes associated with the sound input;

determine a first plurality of time intervals associated with the first plurality of peak amplitudes;

determine if the first plurality of peak amplitudes are within a first range defined by a second plurality of peak amplitudes;

determine if the first plurality of time intervals are within a second range defined by a second plurality of time intervals; and

unlock the electronic device if (i) the first plurality of peak amplitudes are within the first range and (ii) the first plurality of time intervals are within the second range.

16. The computer readable device of claim 15, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the computing device to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user tracing a pattern on the electronic device.

17. The computer readable device of claim 15, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the computing device to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user whistling in to the microphone.

18. The computer readable device of claim 15, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the computing device to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user blank whistling in to the microphone.

19. The computer readable device of claim 15, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the computing device to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user tapping a pattern on the electronic device using a plurality of different fingers at a plurality of different locations on the electronic device.

20. The computer readable device of claim 15, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the computing device to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user rubbing a finger across the microphone.

21. The computer readable device of claim 15, wherein the software instructions are structured to cause the computing device to receive the sound input from the microphone by receiving the sound input from a user tapping a pattern on a plurality of different surfaces made of a plurality of different materials.