Resetting inactivity timer on computing device

• US 9,423,856 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: DeLuca, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US14/635,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Computing devices and methods for resetting an inactivity timer of each of a first and second computing device are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises establishing a communication channel between the first computing device and the second computing device, receiving activity input responsive to a user interaction at the first computing device, resetting the inactivity timer of the first computing device, and transmitting a notification via the communication channel to the second computing device that the activity input was received at the first computing device, the inactivity timer of the second computing device being reset in response to receipt of the notification.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

resetting an inactivity timer at a first computing device responsive to receipt at the first computing device of an activity notification from a second computing device, the activity notification indicating that user-interaction activity input was detected at the second computing device; and

resetting the inactivity timer at the first computing device responsive to detection of user-interaction activity input at the first computing device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

performing one or more inactivity responses at the first computing device responsive to receipt at the first computing device of an expiry notification from the second computing device, the expiry notification indicating that an inactivity timer at the second computing device has expired.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the expiry notification comprises a lock notification and performing the one or more inactivity responses comprises entering a locked state.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a communication channel is established between the first computing device and the second computing device, using a wired protocol or a wireless protocol.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a communication channel is established between the first computing device and the second computing device when the first computing device and the second computing device are in proximity.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first computing device is in an unlocked state, the method further comprising:

remaining in the unlocked state, responsive to receipt at the first computing device of the activity notification from the second computing device.

7. A first computing device comprising:

a processor;

an inactivity timer coupled to the processor; and

a communication interface coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to reset the inactivity timer responsive to receipt via the communication interface of an activity notification from a second computing device, the activity notification indicating that user-interaction activity input was detected at the second computing device, and wherein the processor is configured to reset the inactivity timer responsive to detection of user-interaction activity input at the first computing device.

8. The first computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more inactivity responses responsive to receipt via the communication interface of an expiry notification from the second computing device, the expiry notification indicating that an inactivity timer at the second computing device has expired.

9. The first computing device as recited in claim 8, wherein the expiry notification comprises a lock notification and the one or more inactivity responses comprise entering a locked state.

10. The first computing device as recited in claim 7, wherein the first computing device comprises any one or more of the following:

a desktop computer, a mobile device, a smartphone, a data messaging device, a two-way pager, a cellular telephone, a wireless Internet appliance, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a media player, an electronic book reader, a data communication device, or a device integrated with a vehicle.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor of a first computing device, result in:

resetting an inactivity timer at the first computing device responsive to receipt at the first computing device of an activity notification from a second computing device, the activity notification indicating that user-interaction activity input was detected at the second computing device; and

resetting the inactivity timer at the first computing device responsive to detection of user-interaction activity input at the first computing device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further result in:

performing one or more inactivity responses at the first computing device responsive to receipt at the first computing device of an expiry notification from the second computing device, the expiry notification indicating that an inactivity timer at the second computing device has expired.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the expiry notification comprises a lock notification and performing the one or more inactivity responses comprises entering a locked state.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein a communication channel is established between the first computing device and the second computing device, using a wired protocol or a wireless protocol.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein a communication channel is established between the first computing device and the second computing device when the first computing device and the second computing device are in proximity.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the first computing device is in an unlocked state, and the instructions, when executed by the processor, further result in:

remaining in the unlocked state, responsive to receipt at the first computing device of the activity notification from the second computing device.

17. A system comprising:

a first computing device; and

a second computing device comprising;

a processor;

an inactivity timer coupled to the processor; and

a communication interface coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to reset the inactivity timer responsive to receipt via the communication interface of an activity notification from the first computing device, the activity notification indicating that user-interaction activity was detected at the first computing device and wherein the processor is configured to reset the inactivity timer responsive to detection of user-interaction activity input at the second computing device.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more inactivity responses responsive to receipt via the communication interface of an expiry notification from the first computing device, the expiry notification indicating that an inactivity timer at the first computing device has expired.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the expiry notification comprises a lock notification and the one or more inactivity responses comprise entering a locked state.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the second computing device comprises any one or more of the following:

a desktop computer, a mobile device, a smartphone, a data messaging device, a two-way pager, a cellular telephone, a wireless Internet appliance, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a media player, an electronic book reader, a data communication device, or a device integrated with a vehicle.