Management of Application Access

• US 20160253507A1
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Published: 09/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chien, Ginger Li
• Granted Patent: US 10,049,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/30 Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for management of application access. A security management application can be configured to set access controls and/or other security settings relating to application programs. Additionally, or alternatively, particular functions and/or functionality associated with application programs may be individually configured. Settings reflecting the access controls and/or other security settings can be stored and can be applied at the user device. The security management application also can be configured to determine if security settings and/or access controls are to be overridden. Data can be collected from various sensors and/or other sources to use in determining if particular application programs and/or application program functionality is to be allowed. Thus, normally disallowed activities can be allowed in emergency conditions, when in a business location associated with a particular device, and/or at other times and/or under other circumstances.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, by a device that comprises a processor, a user interface that comprises a lock screen comprising a first user interface control that is selectable to present an application access screen and a second user interface control that is selectable to initiate unlocking of the device;

detecting, by the device, an interaction with the first user interface control; and

in response to detecting the interaction with the first user interface control, presenting, by the device, the application access screen, wherein the application access screen comprises a third user interface control that corresponds to an application program that is installed at the device, wherein the third user interface control is selectable to cause the device to allow access to the application program that is installed at the device without unlocking the device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting selection of the third user interface control; and

in response to detecting the selection of the third user interface control, allowing the access to the application program that is installed at the device without unlocking the device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting an access control for the application program that is installed at the device, wherein the access control specifies that the access to the application program that is installed at the device is allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a setting that defines the access control.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein setting the access control comprises:

presenting a list comprising data that indicates the application program that is installed at the device and a user interface control that assigns the access control to the application program that is installed at the device; and

receiving input corresponding to the access control via the user interface control.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

adding the third user interface control to the application access screen in response to setting the access control.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a further access control for a further application program, wherein the further access control specifies that access to the further application program is not allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a further setting that defines the further access control.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

collecting data at the device;

determining that the further setting is to be overridden based upon the data collected; and

presenting, in the application access screen, a fourth user interface control that is selectable to cause the device to allow the access to the further application program without unlocking the device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein collecting the data comprises collecting sensor data that indicates an emergency condition at the device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein collecting the data comprises determining a geographic location of the device.

10. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

presenting a user interface that comprises a lock screen comprising a first user interface control that is selectable to present an application access screen and a second user interface control that is selectable to initiate unlocking of a device;

detecting an interaction with the first user interface control; and

in response to detecting the interaction with the first user interface control, presenting the application access screen, wherein the application access screen comprises a third user interface control that corresponds to an application program that is installed at the device, wherein the third user interface control is selectable to cause the device to allow access to the application program that is installed at the device without unlocking the device.

11. The computer storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

detecting selection of the third user interface control; and

in response to detecting the selection of the third user interface control, allowing the access to the application program that is installed at the device without unlocking the device.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

setting an access control for the application program that is installed at the device, wherein the access control specifies that the access to the application program that is installed at the device is allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a setting that defines the access control.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adding the third user interface control to the application access screen in response to setting the access control.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

setting a further access control for a further application program, wherein the further access control specifies that access to the further application program is not allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a further setting that defines the further access control.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

collecting data at the device;

determining that the further setting is to be overridden based upon the data collected; and

presenting, in the application access screen, a fourth user interface control that is selectable to cause the device to allow the access to the further application program without unlocking the device.

16. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

presenting a user interface that comprises a lock screen comprising a first user interface control that is selectable to present an application access screen and a second user interface control that is selectable to initiate unlocking of the device,

detecting an interaction with the first user interface control, and

in response to detecting the interaction with the first user interface control, presenting the application access screen, wherein the application access screen comprises a third user interface control that corresponds to an application program that is installed at the device, wherein the third user interface control is selectable to cause the device to allow access to the application program that is installed at the device without unlocking the device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

detecting selection of the third user interface control; and

in response to detecting the selection of the third user interface control, allowing access to the application program that is installed at the device without unlocking the device.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

setting an access control for the application program that is installed at the device, wherein the access control specifies that the access to the application program that is installed at the device is allowed without unlocking the device; and

storing a setting that defines the access control.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

adding the third user interface control to the application access screen in response to setting the access control.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

setting a further access control for a further application program, wherein the further access control specifies that access to the further application program is not allowed without unlocking the device;

storing a further setting that defines the further access control;

collecting data at the device;

determining that the further setting is to be overridden based upon the data collected; and

presenting, in the application access screen, a fourth user interface control that is selectable to cause the device to allow the access to the further application program without unlocking the device.