Electronic device and method for unlocking screen of electronic device

• US 9,513,790 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Liu, Zhu, Zhang, Zhiyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Moorthy, Aravind
• Application Number:
  US14/584,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20150113481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 726/19, 726/34, 713/168, 713/182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method for unlocking a screen of the electronic device are provided. The method includes: detecting, in a screen-locked state, intent of a user to unlock the screen; if it is detected that the user intends to unlock the screen, extracting contact information from the storage unit of the electronic device, where the extracted contact information includes a first attribute value and second attribute values; displaying the first attribute value of the extracted contact information on the screen and displaying the second attribute values in a selectable manner; and detecting an operation of choosing a second attribute value by the user, and comparing the second attribute value chosen by the user with a second attribute value that is in the storage unit and corresponding to the displayed first attribute value; if the two values are the same, unlocking the screen; and otherwise, maintaining the screen-locked state.

Claims

1. A method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises the screen and a storage unit, and the method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device comprises:

detecting, in a screen-locked state, intent of a user to unlock the screen;

if it is detected that the user intends to unlock the screen, extracting contact information from the storage unit of the electronic device, wherein the extracted contact information comprises a first attribute value and second attribute values;

displaying the first attribute value of the extracted contact information on the screen and displaying the second attribute values in a selectable manner; and

detecting an operation of choosing a second attribute value by the user, and comparing the second attribute value chosen by the user with a second attribute value that is in the storage unit and corresponding to the displayed first attribute value;

if the two values are the same, unlocking the screen; and

otherwise, maintaining the screen-locked state.

2. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the intent of the user to unlock the screen comprises touching one or more physical keys on the electronic device.

3. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first attribute value and the second attribute value that are of the contact information comprise two of a name, a contact manner, a photo, and a relationship with the user.

4. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the contact manner comprises a phone number, an email address or an instant messaging number.

5. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the displayed first attribute values and second attribute values of the contact information are not quantitatively symmetric.

6. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the selectable manner comprises a manner of a rolling wheel.

7. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 6, wherein an input of choosing a second attribute value by the user comprises touching the rolling wheel, wherein the rolling wheel produces a rolling effect and sequentially displays the extracted second attribute values, wherein the input further comprises tapping a to-be-chosen second attribute value when the to-be-chosen second attribute value is displayed on the screen.

8. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the contact information extracted from the storage unit of the electronic device further comprises third attribute values, wherein the third attribute values are displayed with the second attribute values in pairs.

9. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the selectable manner comprises a manner of a drop down menu.

10. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 9, wherein an input of choosing a second attribute value by the user comprises tapping the drop down menu, wherein the drop down menu displays the extracted second attribute values in a list, wherein the input further comprises tapping a second attribute value that is displayed in the drop down menu and is to be chosen by the user.

11. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

when the electronic device is in the locked state, preventing the electronic device from responding to any touch, on the screen, that is not corresponding to an action of matching contact attribute values.

12. The method for unlocking a screen of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the contact information are extracted from a predetermined contact group.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

a storage unit;

one or more processing units; and

one or more modules, wherein the one or more modules are stored in the storage and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, and the one or more modules comprise instructions that are used to execute the following steps;

setting the electronic device to a screen-locked state;

detecting intent of a user to unlock a screen;

if it is detected that the user intends to unlock the screen, extracting multiple pieces of contact information from the storage unit of the electronic device, wherein each piece of the extracted contact information comprises a first attribute value and a second attribute value;

displaying a first attribute value of the extracted contact information on the screen and displaying the second attribute values in a selectable manner; and

detecting an operation of choosing a second attribute value by the user, and comparing the second attribute value chosen by the user with a second attribute value that is in the storage unit and corresponding to the displayed first attribute value;

if the two values are the same, unlocking the screen; and

otherwise, maintaining the screen-locked state.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the intent of the user to unlock the screen comprises touching one or more physical keys on the electronic device.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the first attribute value and the second attribute value that are of the contact information comprise two of a name, a contact manner, a photo, and a relationship with the user.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the contact manner comprises a phone number, an email address or an instant messaging number.

17. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the displayed first attribute values and second attribute values of the contact information are not quantitatively symmetric.

18. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the selectable manner comprises a manner of a rolling wheel.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein an input of choosing a second attribute value by the user comprises touching the rolling wheel, wherein the rolling wheel produces a rolling effect and sequentially displays the extracted second attribute values, wherein the input further comprises tapping a to-be-chosen second attribute value when the to-be-chosen second attribute value is displayed on the screen.

20. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the selectable manner comprises a manner of a drop down menu.