Unlocking a touch screen device

• US 9,310,963 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindberg, Phillip, Niemela, Sami
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Application Number:
  US13/866,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20130239065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method for unlocking a touch screen device includes providing a touch screen device in an idle mode. An area or region displayed on a screen of the device in the idle mode is contacted or activated to reveal at least one application icon associated with an active/unlocked state of the device. The region is moved, expanded or dragged to an edge of the device to change a state of the device to an active/unlocked mode and activate the revealed application.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer program code configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause at least the following to be performed;

causing a display of a device to display at least a reduced active region and a non-active region when the device is in a locked mode;

responding to the reduced active region being moved at least partially over at least one application icon, associated with an unlocked mode of the device, by illuminating or highlighting the at least one application icon; and

changing a mode of the device from the locked mode to the unlocked mode after the reduced active region is moved into an unlock region.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mode of the device is changed from the locked mode to the unlocked mode when the reduced active region is moved into an unlock region and the change is confirmed.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the unlock region is at an edge of the display.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer program code is configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause at least the following to be performed:

causing the reduced active region to expand in size to reveal regions below the reduced active region that are associated with applications.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application icon represents an application that is present or available in the device.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is a touch screen display.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is a proximity screen display.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is the device.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code that, when performed by at least one processor, causes the method as claimed in claim 1 to be performed.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reduced active region is moved to the application icon by a user, and the application icon is displayed by the display prior to the application icon being moved by the user.

11. A method, comprising:

causing a display of a device to display at least a reduced active region and a non-active region when the device is in a locked mode;

responding to the reduced active region being moved at least partially over at least one application icon, associated with an unlocked mode of the device, by illuminating or highlighting the at least one application icon; and

changing a mode of the device from the locked mode to the unlocked mode after the reduced active region is moved into an unlock region.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the mode of the device is changed from the locked mode to the unlocked mode when the reduced active region is moved into an unlock region and the change is confirmed.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the unlock region is at an edge of the display.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

causing the reduced active region to expand in size to reveal regions below the reduced active region that are associated with applications.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the application icon represents an application that is present or available in the device.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the display is a touch screen display or a proximity screen display.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer program code configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause at least the following to be performed;

causing a display to display at least a reduced active region and a non-active region when the device is in a locked mode;

enabling the user to use the reduced active region to reveal at least one element of at least one application icon, associated with an unlocked mode of the device, by moving the reduced active region at least partially over the at least one application icon; and

changing a mode of the device from the locked mode to the unlocked mode after the reduced active region is moved into an unlock region.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the revealed at least one element comprises at least one user interface element.

19. The application as claimed in claim 17, wherein the reduced active region expands in size to reveal the at least one element of the at least one application icon.