MULTIPLE-ACCESS-LEVEL LOCK SCREEN

• US 20120084734A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilairat, Weerapan
• Granted Patent: US 9,027,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application

Abstract

A multiple-access-level lock screen system allows different levels of functionality to be accessed on a computing device. For example, when a device is in a locked state, a user can select (e.g., by making one or more gestures on a touchscreen) a full-access lock screen pane and provide input that causes the device to be fully unlocked, or a user can select a partial-access lock screen pane and provide input that causes only certain resources (e.g., particular applications, attached devices, documents, etc.) to be accessible. Lock screen panes also can be selected (e.g., automatically) in response to events. For example, when a device is in a locked state, a messaging access lock screen pane can be selected automatically in response to an incoming message, and a user can provide input at the messaging access lock screen pane that causes only a messaging application to be accessible.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving selection input comprising one or more gestures on a touchscreen of a computing device;

responsive to the selection input, selecting a first lock screen pane of plural lock screen panes in a multiple-access-level lock screen user interface, each of the plural lock screen panes associated with a different one of plural access levels, each of the plural access levels having corresponding different functionality on the computing device; and

displaying the first lock screen pane in response to the selecting.

2. One or more computer-readable storage devices having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions operable to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more gestures comprise one or more horizontal gestures on the touchscreen, and wherein the displaying the first lock screen pane comprises moving the first lock screen pane horizontally into a display area of the touchscreen.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first lock screen pane comprises a visual indicator of its respective access level.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving unlock input via the first lock screen pane; and

determining whether the unlock input is sufficient to enable functionality on the computing device corresponding to a first access level associated with the first lock screen pane.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising, based on the determining, enabling the functionality associated with the first access level on the computing device.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the unlock input comprises password input.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the unlock input comprises touchscreen input.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the plural access levels comprise a full access level and plural partial access levels, the partial access levels comprising a basic access level and an enhanced access level, wherein functionality associated with the enhanced access level is greater than the basic access level and less than the full access level.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein functionality associated with the basic access level comprises phone call functionality.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a first access level associated with the first lock screen pane comprises a user-definable access level.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the functionality associated with the user-definable access level comprises access to at least one resource selected by a user.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one resource comprises an application.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one resource comprises a group of applications.

15. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a display; and

one or more computer readable storage media having stored therein computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising;

receiving an indicator of an event at the computing device;

responsive to the indicator of the event, selecting a first lock screen pane in a multiple-access-level lock screen user interface comprising plural lock screen panes, wherein each of the plural lock screen panes is associated with a different one of plural access levels each having corresponding different functionality on the computing device, and wherein the first lock screen pane is associated with a first access level having corresponding functionality associated with the event; and

displaying the first lock screen pane in response to the selecting.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the event is a new message detected by a messaging application, and wherein the corresponding functionality associated with the event is restricted to messaging functionality only.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving unlock input comprising one or more gestures on a touchscreen of the computing device; and

determining whether the unlock input is sufficient to enable the messaging functionality associated with the first access level.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising, based on the determining, enabling the messaging functionality on the computing device.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving selection input comprising one or more gestures on a touchscreen of the computing device;

responsive to the selection input, selecting a second lock screen pane of the plural lock screen panes, wherein the second lock screen pane is associated with a second access level; and

displaying the second lock screen pane.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

displaying on a touchscreen of a mobile computing device having a display area, a default lock screen pane in a graphical user interface comprising plural lock screen panes, wherein the default lock screen pane is associated with a default access level, and wherein the default lock screen pane comprises a visual indication that the mobile computing device is in a locked state;

receiving selection input comprising gesture input on the touchscreen;

selecting a lock screen pane other than the default lock screen pane based on the selection input;

displaying the selected lock screen pane in the display area, wherein the selected lock screen pane is associated with an access level that differs from the default access level;

receiving unlock input at the selected lock screen pane;

determining whether the unlock input is sufficient to enable functionality on the mobile computing device that corresponds to the access level associated with the selected lock screen pane;

exiting the locked state in response to the determining;

displaying a visual indication that the locked state has been exited in the display area; and

enabling the functionality that corresponds to the access level associated with the selected lock screen pane.