Electronic device and unlocking method thereof

• US 9,213,824 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Hsu-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, David
• Application Number:
  US14/159,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation

Abstract

An electronic device and an unlocking method thereof are provided. The electronic device has a touch screen, and the unlocking method includes following steps. When the electronic device is at a locking state, a first input and a second input corresponding to each other are received. Symbol information displayed on the touch screen is obtained according to the first input, and direction information is obtained according to the second input. When the symbol information and the direction information are matched to a predefined unlocking condition, the electronic device is switched to an unlocking state. When the symbol information and the direction information are not matched to the predefined unlocking condition, the electronic device is maintained in the locking state.

Claims

1. An unlocking method of an electronic device having a touch screen, the unlocking method comprising:

receiving at least one touch operation performed on the touch screen;

receiving a first input and a second input corresponding to each other when the electronic device is at a locking state, wherein the first input and the second input are generated according to the at least one touch;

obtaining symbol information displayed on the touch screen according to the first input and obtaining direction information according to the second input;

simultaneously comparing the symbol information and the direction information with a predefined unlocking condition to determine whether the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition, wherein the symbol information of the first input comprises at least one input symbol entered by a user, the direction information of the second input comprises at least one moving direction of at least one sliding operation performed by the user, the at least one input symbol is respectively corresponding to the at least one moving direction, and the predefined unlocking condition includes an unlocking symbol and an unlocking direction;

switching the electronic device to an unlocking state if the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition; and

maintaining the electronic device at the locking state if the symbol information and the direction information do not match the predefined unlocking condition.

2. The unlocking method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the first input and the second input corresponding to each other when the electronic device is at the locking state includes:

receiving the first input after receiving the second input.

3. The unlocking method according to claim 2, wherein the step of receiving the first input after receiving the second input includes:

displaying an unlocking operation interface on the touch screen, wherein the unlocking operation interface includes a symbol confirmation region;

receiving the second input applied on the unlocking operation interface through the touch screen, wherein the moving direction of the second input matches a first predefined direction or a second predefined direction;

displaying one of a plurality of candidate symbols in turns in the symbol confirmation region of the unlocking operation interface according to the moving direction of the second input, wherein types of the candidate symbols include one of or a combination of numerical symbols, alphabetical symbols, and punctuation symbols; and

receiving the input symbol of the first input generated in the symbol confirmation region of the unlocking operation interface after the second input disappears for a predefined period of time.

4. The unlocking method according to claim 3, wherein the step of obtaining the symbol information displayed on the touch screen according to the first input and obtaining the direction information according to the second input includes:

obtaining the direction information according to the moving direction before the second input disappears; and

obtaining the symbol information according to the one of the candidate symbols displayed in the symbol confirmation region when receiving the first input.

5. The unlocking method according to claim 3, wherein the method further includes:

displaying a setting interface on the touch screen before the electronic device enters the locking state, wherein the setting interface includes the symbol confirmation region;

receiving an unlocking setting input applied on the setting interface through the touch screen, wherein a moving direction of the unlocking setting input matches the first predefine direction or the second predefine direction;

displaying one of the candidate symbols in turns in the symbol confirmation region of the setting interface according to the moving direction of the unlocking setting input;

setting the one of the candidate symbols displayed in the symbol confirmation region of the setting interface as the unlocking symbol after receiving an input confirmation; and

setting the last moving direction of the unlocking setting input as the unlocking direction before receiving the input confirmation.

6. The unlocking method according to claim 5 further including:

determining the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition if the symbol information matches the unlocking symbol and if the direction information matches the unlocking direction.

7. The unlocking method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the first input and the second input corresponding to each other when the electronic device is at the locking state includes:

receiving the second input after receiving the first input.

8. The unlocking method according to claim 7, wherein the step of receiving the second input after receiving the first input includes:

receiving the first input after displaying a first unlocking operation interface on the touch screen;

displaying a second unlocking operation interface on the touch screen according to the first input and an interface parameter, wherein the interface parameter includes an appearance setting and the number of sub-regions, the second unlocking operation interface includes a plurality of sub-regions corresponding to the number of the sub-regions;

receiving the sliding operation applied on the second unlocking operation interface through the touch screen, wherein a start point of the sliding operation is located at a first sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second unlocking operation interface, and an end point of the sliding operation is located at a second sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second unlocking operation interface; and

recognizing the sliding operation as the second input.

9. The unlocking method according to claim 8, wherein the second unlocking operation interface displayed on the touch screen overlaps with the first unlocking operation interface on the touch screen.

10. The unlocking method according to claim 8 further including:

recognizing the input symbol which is a candidate symbol corresponding to the first input after receiving the first input, wherein the candidate symbol is a numerical symbol, an alphabetical symbol, or a punctuation symbol;

displaying the candidate symbol on the first unlocking operation interface; and

displaying the candidate symbol in each of the sub-regions respectively when displaying the second unlocking operation interface on the touch screen.

11. The unlocking method according to claim 8 further including:

receiving the first input through the touch screen or through a physical input unit of the electronic device.

12. The unlocking method according to claim 10, wherein the steps of obtaining the symbol information displayed on the touch screen according to the first input and obtaining the direction information according to the second input include:

obtaining the symbol information according to the candidate symbol; and

obtaining the direction information according to the moving direction of the sliding operation.

13. The unlocking method according to claim 10, wherein the method further includes:

before the electronic device enters the locking state, setting the interface parameter and displaying a first setting interface on the touch screen to receive a first unlocking setting input;

recognizing a symbol corresponding to the first unlocking setting input, wherein the symbol is a numerical symbol, an alphabetical symbol, or a punctuation symbol;

after receiving an input confirmation, setting the symbol as the unlocking symbol and displaying a second setting interface on the touch screen according to the symbol and the interface parameter, wherein the second setting interface includes a plurality of sub-regions, the number of the sub-regions matches the number of the sub-regions, and the symbol is displayed in a portion of or all of the sub-regions, respectively;

receiving a second unlocking setting input through the touch screen, wherein a start point of the second unlocking setting input is located at a start sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second setting interface, and an end point of the second unlocking setting input is located at an end sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second setting interface; and

setting a moving direction of the second unlocking setting input as the unlocking direction when receiving another input confirmation.

14. The unlocking method according to claim 13, wherein the end sub-region among the sub-regions in the second setting interface has a fixed position.

15. The unlocking method according to claim 13 further including:

displaying a first reminding effect in the start sub-region when the touch screen receives the second unlocking setting input; and

displaying a second reminding effect in the end sub-region when the second unlocking setting input is completed.

16. The unlocking method according to claim 13 further including:

determining whether a relative position between the second sub-region and the sub-regions included in the second unlocking operation interface matches a relative position between the end sub-region and the sub-regions included in the second setting interface; and

if yes, then determining that the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition if the symbol information matches the unlocking symbol and if the direction information matches the unlocking direction.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen;

a memory;

at least one processor; and

at least one program, wherein the at least one program is stored in the memory and is configured to be executed by the at least one processor, and the at least one program includes following commands;

receiving at least one touch operation performed on the touch screen;

receiving a first input and a second input corresponding to each other when the electronic device is at a locking state, wherein the first input and the second input are generated according to the at least one touch;

obtaining symbol information displayed on the touch screen according to the first input and obtaining direction information according to the second input;

simultaneously comparing the symbol information and the direction information with a predefined unlocking condition to determine whether the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition, wherein the symbol information of the first input comprises at least one input symbol entered by a user, the direction information of the second input comprises at least one moving direction of at least one sliding operation performed by the user, the at least one input symbol is respectively corresponding to the at least one moving direction, and the predefined unlocking condition includes an unlocking symbol and an unlocking direction;

switching the electronic device to an unlocking state if the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition; and

maintaining the electronic device at the locking state if the symbol information and the direction information do not match the predefined unlocking condition.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the command of receiving the first input and the second input corresponding to each other when the electronic device is at the locking state includes:

receiving the first input after receiving the second input.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the command of receiving the first input after receiving the second input includes:

displaying an unlocking operation interface on the touch screen, wherein the unlocking operation interface includes a symbol confirmation region;

receiving the second input applied on the unlocking operation interface through the touch screen, wherein the moving direction of the second input matches a first predefined direction or a second predefined direction;

displaying one of a plurality of candidate symbols in turns in the symbol confirmation region of the unlocking operation interface according to the moving direction of the second input; and

receiving the input symbol of the first input generated in the symbol confirmation region of the unlocking operation interface after the second input disappears for a predefined period of time.

20. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the command of obtaining the symbol information displayed on the touch screen according to the first input and obtaining the direction information according to the second input includes:

obtaining the direction information according to the moving direction before the second input disappears; and

obtaining the symbol information according to the one of the candidate symbols displayed in the symbol confirmation region when receiving the first input.

21. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the at least one program further includes following commands:

displaying a setting interface on the touch screen before the electronic device enters the locking state, wherein the setting interface includes a symbol confirmation region;

receiving an unlocking setting input applied on the setting interface through the touch screen, wherein a moving direction of the unlocking setting input matches the first predefined direction or the second predefined direction;

displaying one of the candidate symbols in turns in the symbol confirmation region of the setting interface according to the moving direction of the unlocking setting input;

setting the one of the candidate symbols displayed in the symbol confirmation region of the setting interface as the unlocking symbol after receiving an input confirmation; and

setting the last moving direction of the unlocking setting input as the unlocking direction before receiving the input confirmation.

22. The electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one program further includes following commands:

determining the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition if the symbol information matches the unlocking symbol and if the direction information matches the unlocking direction.

23. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the command of receiving the first input and the second input corresponding to each other when the electronic device is at the locking state includes:

receiving the second input after receiving the first input.

24. The electronic device according to claim 23, wherein the command of receiving the second input after receiving the first input includes:

receiving the first input after displaying a first unlocking operation interface on the touch screen;

displaying a second unlocking operation interface on the touch screen according to the first input and an interface parameter, wherein the interface parameter includes an appearance setting and the number of sub-regions, and the second unlocking operation interface includes a plurality of sub-regions corresponding to the number of the sub-regions;

receiving the sliding operation applied on the second unlocking operation interface through the touch screen, wherein a start point of the sliding operation is located at a first sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second unlocking operation interface, and an end point of the sliding operation is located at a second sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second unlocking operation interface; and

recognizing the sliding operation as the second input.

25. The electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the second unlocking operation interface displayed on the touch screen does not overlap with the first unlocking operation interface displayed on the touch screen.

26. The electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one program further includes following commands:

recognizing the input symbol which is a candidate symbol corresponding to the first input after receiving the first input, wherein the candidate symbol is a numerical symbol, an alphabetical symbol, or a punctuation symbol;

displaying the candidate symbol on the first unlocking operation interface; and

displaying the candidate symbol in each of the sub-regions when displaying the second unlocking operation interface on the touch screen.

27. The electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one program includes following commands:

receiving the first input through the touch screen or through a physical input unit of the electronic device.

28. The electronic device according to claim 26, wherein the command of obtaining the symbol information displayed on the touch screen according to the first input and obtaining the direction information according to the second input includes:

obtaining the symbol information according to the candidate symbol; and

obtaining the direction information according to the moving direction of the sliding operation.

29. The electronic device according to claim 26, wherein the at least one program further includes following commands:

before the electronic device enters the locking state, setting the interface parameter and displaying a first setting interface on the touch screen to receive a first unlocking setting input;

recognizing a symbol corresponding to the first unlocking setting input, wherein the symbol is a numerical symbol, an alphabetical symbol, or a punctuation symbol;

when receiving an input confirmation, setting the symbol as the unlocking symbol and displaying a second setting interface on the touch screen according to the symbol and the interface parameter, wherein the second setting interface includes a plurality of sub-regions corresponding to the number of the sub-regions, and the symbol is displayed on a portion or all of the sub-regions respectively;

receiving a second unlocking setting input through the touch screen, wherein a start point of the second unlocking setting input is located at a start sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second setting interface, and an end point of the second unlocking setting input is located at the end sub-region of the sub-regions included in the second setting interface; and

setting a moving direction of the second unlocking setting input as the unlocking direction when receiving another input confirmation.

30. The electronic device according to claim 29, wherein the end sub-region among the sub-regions included in the second setting interface has a non-fixed position.

31. The electronic device according to claim 29, wherein the at least one program further includes following commands:

displaying a first reminding effect in the start sub-region when the touch screen receives the second unlocking setting input; and

displaying a second reminding effect in the end sub-region when the second unlocking setting input is completed.

32. The electronic device according to claim 29, wherein the at least one program further includes following commands:

determining whether a relative position between the second sub-region and the sub-regions included in the second unlocking operation interface matches a relative position between the end sub-region and the sub-regions included in the second setting interface; and

if yes, then determining that the symbol information and the direction information match the predefined unlocking condition if the symbol information matches the unlocking symbol and if the direction information matches the unlocking direction.