METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOCKING ELECTRONIC APPLIANCE

• US 20150227282A1
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Woo Je, OH, Mi A
• Granted Patent: US 10,175,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An unlocking method and apparatus for an electronic appliance are disclosed. The method and apparatus may enable a user to unlock the electronic appliance by identifying a gesture and to invoke a function mapped to the gesture. The unlocking method includes detecting a preset gesture input when an input means is locked. The method includes unlocking the input means in response to the input gesture. The method also includes invoking an application mapped to the input gesture in response to unlocking.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor; and

a controller configured to;

receive a gesture of an external object via the sensor while the apparatus is locked;

determine that the gesture corresponds to a specified gesture of a plurality of specified gestures, each of the plurality of specified gestures corresponding to at least one application of a plurality of applications; and

perform the at least one application corresponding to the specified gesture in response to the determining.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gesture comprises at least one of a movement of the external object on or near the apparatus, or a sound of the external object.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

concurrently present, via a display operatively coupled with the apparatus, information corresponding to the specified gesture prior to the receiving of the gesture, the information including a representation corresponding to the specified gesture and a name associated with the at least one application corresponding to the specified gesture.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

concurrently present, via a display operatively coupled with the apparatus, first information corresponding to the specified gesture and second information corresponding to another specified gesture of the plurality of the specified gestures prior to the receiving of the gesture, the first information including a representation corresponding to the specified gesture and a name associated with the at least one application corresponding to the specified gesture, and the second information including another representation corresponding to the other specified gesture and another name associated with another application of the plurality of the applications corresponding to the other specified gesture.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of specified gestures comprises:

a figure or a pattern drawn using the external object.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

perform a first application of the plurality of applications as the at least one application if the gesture corresponds to a first specified gesture of the plurality of specified gestures; and

perform a second application of the plurality of applications as the at least one application if the gesture corresponds to a second specified gesture of the plurality of specified gestures.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a first application and a second application, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

concurrently present, via a display operatively coupled with the apparatus, first content corresponding to the first application and second content corresponding to the second application as at least part of the performing.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor; and

a controller configured to;

receive a gesture of an external object via the sensor while the apparatus is locked;

determine that the gesture corresponds to a specified gesture of a plurality of specified gestures, each of the plurality of specified gestures corresponding to at least one function of a plurality of functions; and

perform the at least one function corresponding to the specified gesture in response to the determining.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gesture is received while a display operatively coupled with the apparatus is turned off.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

concurrently present, via a display operatively coupled with the apparatus, information corresponding to the specified gesture prior to the receiving of the gesture, the information including a representation corresponding to the specified gesture and a name associated with the at least one function corresponding to the specified gesture.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

unlock the electronic device as at least part of the performing.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to:

perform a first function of the plurality of functions as the at least one function if the gesture corresponds to a first specified gesture of the plurality of specified gestures; and

perform a second function of the plurality of functions as the at least one function if the gesture corresponds to a second specified gesture of the plurality of specified gestures.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one function comprises a first function and a second function, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

perform the first function as a foreground; and

perform the second function as a background.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first function is associated with a first priority and the second function is associated with a second priority.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic device, a gesture of an external object via at least one sensor while the electronic device is locked;

determining that the gesture corresponds to a specified gesture of a plurality of specified gestures, each of the plurality of specified gestures corresponding to at least one function of a plurality of functions; and

performing, using one or more processors of the electronic device, the at least one function corresponding to the specified gesture in response to the determining.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the gesture is received via another electronic device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of specified gestures is stored in the electronic device as a figure or a pattern to be used to unlock the electronic device when selected.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of functions is associated with a different application.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the performing comprises:

unlocking the electronic device.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one function comprises a first function and a second function, and wherein the performing comprises:

concurrently present, via a display operatively coupled with the electronic device, first content corresponding to the first function and second content corresponding to the second function.