Unlocking an electronic device

• US 8,847,903 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sanchez, Enrique, Stolyarov, Denis B, Stokes, Mark S, Maxham, Jason G, Nguyen, Catherine T
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US13/457,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20130285925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 455/411, 715/863, 713/183
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• 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 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A method and apparatus for unlocking an electronic device includes displaying (110) a lockscreen with an initial image in an initial region on a touch screen of the electronic device when it is in a locked state (100). Responsive to detecting (120) a first touch contact in the initial region, the electronic device displays (130) an intermediate image in a secondary region of the touch screen. Responsive to detecting (140) a second touch contact in the secondary region, the electronic device displays (150) an action image in a tertiary region of the touch screen. Responsive to detecting (160) a third touch contact in the tertiary region, the electronic device executes (180) an action associated with the action image and transitions the electronic device to an unlocked state (190).

Claims

1. A method for unlocking an electronic device comprising:

on a touch screen of the electronic device, displaying a lockscreen with an initial image in an initial region;

detecting a first touch contact in the initial region;

responsive to the detecting the first touch contact, displaying an intermediate image in a first secondary region of the touch screen;

detecting a second touch contact in the first secondary region;

responsive to the detecting the second touch contact, displaying an action image in a first tertiary region of the touch screen;

detecting a third touch contact in the first tertiary region;

responsive to the detecting the third touch contact, executing an action associated with the action image and unlocking the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch contact and the second touch contact are part of a single slide gesture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second touch contact and the third touch contact are part of a single slide gesture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch contact, the second touch contact, and the third touch contact are part of a single slide gesture.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch contact is a tap gesture.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial region is larger than the initial image.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first secondary region is larger than the intermediate image.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tertiary region is larger than the action image.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the first touch contact, displaying a second intermediate image in a second secondary region of the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first secondary region and the second secondary region do not overlap.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first secondary region and the second secondary region overlap.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the second touch contact, displaying a second action image in a second tertiary region of the touch screen.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first tertiary region and the second tertiary region do not overlap.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first tertiary region and the second tertiary region overlap.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tertiary region overlaps with the initial region.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first tertiary region overlaps with the first secondary region.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the first touch contact, visually modifying the initial image.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the detecting the second touch contact, visually modifying the intermediate image.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the intermediate image refers to messaging.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the action image refers to a messaging application.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the intermediate image refers to telephony.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the action image refers to answering an incoming call.

23. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a processor coupled to the touch-sensitive display; and

a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

detect a first contact with the touch-sensitive display at an initial region associated with an unlock image;

responsive to detecting the first contact, display an intermediate image in a secondary region of the touch-sensitive display;

detect a second contact with the touch-sensitive display at the secondary region;

responsive to detecting the second contact, display an action image in a tertiary region of the touch-sensitive display;

detect a third contact with the touch-sensitive display at the tertiary region; and

responsive to detecting the third contact, execute an action associated with the action image, wherein execute the action associated with the action image comprises;

transition the electronic device from a locked state to an unlocked state.