Alternative unlocking patterns

• US 8,504,842 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Meacham, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, LISA C
• Application Number:
  US13/428,619
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 713/183
• US Class Current: 713/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern. During entry of the unlocking pattern, a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern. The computing system compares the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns. The stored unlocking patterns are associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns. The unlocking patterns are associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system. The computing system responds by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking pattern a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern;

comparing, by the computing system, the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns, the stored unlocking patterns being associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns, the unlocking patterns being associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system,

wherein a first unlocking pattern of the plurality of stored unlocking patterns is associated with a first action that includes displaying a home screen user interface of the computing system,

wherein a second unlocking pattern of the plurality of stored unlocking patterns is associated with a second action that includes displaying a user interface that is not the home screen user interface and that is a most-recent user interface that the computing system would display (i) before receiving input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern and (ii) while the computing system is unlocked; and

responding, by the computing system, to a determination that the provided unlocking pattern matches one of the stored unlocking patterns, by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user is unable to access features of the computing system while the computing system is locked, and is able to access the features while the computing system is unlocked.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computing system with an unlocking pattern configuration user interface, input from the user that specifies:

(a) multiple of the stored unlocking patterns, and (b) the respective actions that are associated with the multiple unlocking patterns.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input from the user that provides the unlocking pattern comprises receiving input from the user that specifies a numeric or alphanumeric code.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input from the user that provides the unlocking pattern comprises receiving input from the user that contacts a touchscreen of the computing system and traces a path across the touchscreen.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein at least two of the stored unlocking patterns identify paths that end with selection from the user of a same user interface element.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising, after the input from the user has completed tracing the path and while the input from the user remains in contact with the touchscreen, adding to a display on the touchscreen selectable user interface elements that were not displayed on the touchscreen during tracing of the path.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising identifying, by the computing system, that the input from the user releases contact with the touchscreen at one of the selectable user interface elements;

wherein the action is associated with the one selectable user interface element and is one of multiple actions that are respectively associated with the selectable user interface elements.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising, before the input from the user releases contact with the touchscreen at the one selectable user interface element, beginning to load multiple application programs, wherein the multiple application programs are application programs that are launched for display upon selection from the user of respective ones of the selectable user interface elements.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising performing the second action as a consequence of receiving input from the user while the computing system is unlocked and after the action has been performed.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input from the user that provides the unlocking pattern is associated with selection from the user of at least four graphical interface elements.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from the user that provides a first unlocking pattern and input from the user that provides a second unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking patterns a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon receiving input from the user that provides a valid unlocking pattern, wherein the computing system is responsive to both the first unlocking pattern and the second unlocking pattern so as to perform a first action or a second action based on the received unlocking pattern, wherein;

the first action includes displaying a home screen user interface of the computing system, and

the second action includes displaying a user interface that is not the home screen user interface and that is a most-recent user interface that the computing system displayed (i) before receiving the input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern and (ii) while the computing system was unlocked;

responding, by the computing system, to the input from the user that provides the first unlocking pattern by unlocking the computing system and performing the first action in order to provide unlocked security access to the computing system; and

responding, by the computing system, to the input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern by unlocking the computing system and performing the second action in order to provide the unlocked security access to the computing system.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising locking the computing system at some time after the first action has been performed, wherein the input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern is received after the device has been locked at the some time.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein:

the first action is performed without the user providing input subsequent to providing the first unlocking pattern; and

the second action is performed without the user providing input subsequent to providing the second unlocking pattern.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising, while the computing system is unlocked after having performed the first action, performing the second action as a consequence of receiving input from the user that selects a user interface element that is associated with the second action.

16. A computerized system, comprising:

a touchscreen for displaying user interfaces;

a computer-accessible repository that stores information that identifies multiple unlocking patterns and associated actions; and

a computer, communicatively-connected to the touchscreen and the repository, that is configured to;

receive, while the computer is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking pattern the touchscreen does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon completion of a valid unlocking pattern;

determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the multiple unlocking patterns;

if the provided unlocking pattern matches a first of the multiple unlocking patterns, unlock the computer and perform a first action to display on the touchscreen a home screen user interface; and

if the provided unlocking pattern matches a second of the multiple unlocking patterns, unlock the computer and perform a second action to display on the touchscreen a second user interface, the second user interface being a user interface of an application program that the user is able to launch by selecting a user interface element that is displayed on the home screen user interface or another user interface that is navigable from the home screen user interface, the second user interface not being the home screen user interface and being a most-recent user interface that the touchscreen displayed (i) before receiving the input from the user that provides the unlocking pattern and (ii) while the computer was unlocked.

17. The computerized system of claim 16, wherein the computer is configured to display multiple selectable user interface elements on the touchscreen upon determining that the provided unlocking pattern matches the second unlocking pattern, the multiple selectable user interface elements being associated with different user interfaces.

18. The computerized system of claim 17, wherein the computer remains locked until the user selects one of the multiple selectable user interface elements.

19. The computerized system of claim 17, wherein:

the user provides the unlocking pattern by contacting the touchscreen in a path that selects at least three graphical interface elements; and

the computer is configured to identify that the user has selected one of the multiple selectable user interface elements by identifying that the user moved the contact with the touchscreen from the path to the selected user interface element without releasing the contact with the touchscreen.

20. One or more computer-readable devices including instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable computer processor, cause performance of a method that comprises:

receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking pattern a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern;

comparing, by the computing system, the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns, the stored unlocking patterns being associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns, the unlocking patterns being associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system,

wherein a first unlocking pattern of the plurality of stored unlocking patterns is associated with a first action that includes displaying a home screen user interface of the computing system,

wherein a second unlocking pattern of the plurality of stored unlocking patterns is associated with a second action that includes displaying a user interface that is not the home screen user interface and that is a most-recent user interface that the computing system would display (i) before receiving input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern and (ii) while the computing system is unlocked; and

responding, by the computing system to a determination that the provided unlocking pattern matches one of the stored unlocking patterns, by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.

21. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 20, wherein the user is unable to access features of the computing system while the computing system is locked, and is able to access the features while the computing system is unlocked.

22. One or more computer-readable devices including instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable computer processor, causes performance of a method that comprises:

receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from the user that provides a first unlocking pattern and input from the user that provides a second unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking patterns a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon receiving input from the user that provides a valid unlocking pattern, wherein the computing system is responsive to both the first unlocking pattern and the second unlocking pattern so as to perform a first action or a second action based on the received unlocking pattern, wherein;

the first action includes displaying a home screen user interface of the computing system, and

the second action includes displaying a user interface that is not the home screen user interface and that is a most-recent user interface that the computing system displayed (i) before receiving the input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern and (ii) while the computing system was unlocked;

responding, by the computing system, to the input from the user that provides the first unlocking pattern by unlocking the computing system and performing the first action in order to provide unlocked security access to the computing system; and

responding, by the computing system, to the input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern by unlocking the computing system and performing the second action in order to provide the unlocked security access to the computing system.

23. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises locking the computing system at some time after the first action has been performed, wherein the input from the user that provides the second unlocking pattern is received after the device has been locked at the some time.

24. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 22, wherein:

the first action is performed without the user providing input subsequent to providing the first unlocking pattern; and

the second action is performed without the user providing input subsequent to providing the second unlocking pattern.

25. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises, while the computing system is unlocked after having performed the first action, performing the second action as a consequence of receiving input from the user that selects a user interface element that is associated with the second action.

26. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking pattern a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern, wherein receiving the input from the user that provides the unlocking pattern comprises receiving input from the user that contacts a touchscreen of the computing system and traces a path across the touchscreen;

after the input from the user has completed tracing the path and while the input from the user remains in contact with the touchscreen, adding to a display on the touchscreen selectable user interface elements that were not displayed on the touchscreen during tracing of the path;

identifying, by the computing system, that the input from the user releases contact with the touchscreen at one of the selectable user interface elements, wherein the action is associated with the one selectable user interface element and is one of multiple actions that are respectively associated with the selectable user interface elements;

comparing, by the computing system, the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns, the stored unlocking patterns being associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns, the unlocking patterns being associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system; and

responding, by the computing system to a determination that the provided unlocking pattern matches one of the stored unlocking patterns, by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising, before the input from the user releases contact with the touchscreen at the one selectable user interface element, beginning to load multiple application programs, wherein the multiple application programs are application programs that are launched for display upon selection from the user of respective ones of the selectable user interface elements.

28. One or more computer-readable devices including instructions, that when executed by at least one programmable computer processor, perform a method that comprises:

receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern, wherein during entry of the unlocking pattern a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern, wherein receiving the input from the user that provides the unlocking pattern comprises receiving input from the user that contacts a touchscreen of the computing system and traces a path across the touchscreen;

after the input from the user has completed tracing the path and while the input from the user remains in contact with the touchscreen, adding to a display on the touchscreen selectable user interface elements that were not displayed on the touchscreen during tracing of the path;

identifying, by the computing system, that the input from the user releases contact with the touchscreen at one of the selectable user interface elements, wherein the action is associated with the one selectable user interface element and is one of multiple actions that are respectively associated with the selectable user interface elements;

comparing, by the computing system, the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns, the stored unlocking patterns being associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns, the unlocking patterns being associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system; and

responding, by the computing system to a determination that the provided unlocking pattern matches one of the stored unlocking patterns, by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.

29. The one or more computer-readable devices of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises, before the input from the user releases contact with the touchscreen at the one selectable user interface element, beginning to load multiple application programs, wherein the multiple application programs are application programs that are launched for display upon selection from the user of respective ones of the selectable user interface elements.