Restricted execution modes

• US 9,665,702 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: King, Joseph Spencer, Braun, David A., Begun, Andrew P., Karr, Jennifer Anne, Schrader, Joseph A., Chen, Ted Tai-Yu, Sarin, Raman K., Thomas, Shawn M., Skovron, John D., Yovin, John A., Goulding, Michael Burt, Derksen, Todd Myles, Dubost, Bernardo Iturriaga, Auerbach, Alan Bennett, Woo, Aaron Naoyoshi Sheung Yan, Haon, Andrew Craig, Matthews, III, Joseph H., Guday, Shai, Agarwal, Sharad
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANAAN, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US14/686,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20150220712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6281 at program execution time, where the protection is within the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In embodiments of restricted execution modes, a mobile device can display a device lock screen on an integrated display device, and transition from the device lock screen to display a shared space user interface of a shared space. The transition to display the shared space user interface is without receiving a PIN code entered on the device lock screen. The mobile device implements a restricted execution service that is implemented to activate a restricted execution mode of the mobile device, and restrict access of a device application to device content while the restricted execution mode is activated. The restricted execution service can also allow a shared device application that is included in the shared space access to the device content while the restricted execution mode is activated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing display of a device lock screen on a display of a mobile device, the device lockscreen including an indicator that the mobile device is locked;

receiving gesture input in any direction relative to the device lock screen;

responsive to receiving the gesture input in any direction relative to the device lock screen, activating a restricted execution mode and transitioning from displaying the device lock screen to displaying an interface of the restricted execution mode without unlocking the mobile device, the restricted execution mode restricting access to device applications or device content of the mobile device by granting access to shared device applications or shared device content, the shared device applications or shared device content comprising a subset of multiple ones of the device applications or a plurality of device content of the mobile device;

receiving an authentication credential; and

deactivating the restricted execution mode, unlocking the mobile device, and transitioning to a normal user mode responsive to receiving the authentication credential.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication credential comprises a personal identification number (PIN) code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication credential comprises a credential other than a personal identification number (PIN) code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture input comprises a swipe gesture.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the shared device applications or shared device content of the mobile device are selected for inclusion in the restricted execution mode by a user owner of the mobile device.

6. A mobile device, comprising:

a display device configured to display a device lock screen and transition to a restricted execution mode responsive to receiving an input in any direction relative to the device lock screen, and deactivate the restricted execution mode and transition to a normal user mode in response to receiving an authentication credential; and

a processing system configured to activate and deactivate the restricted execution mode of the mobile device, the restricted execution mode of the mobile device restricting access to functionalities of the mobile device by allowing access to multiple shared functionalities of the mobile device, the multiple shared functionalities comprising a subset of the functionalities of the mobile device.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the multiple shared functionalities of the mobile device are selected for inclusion in the restricted execution mode by a user owner of the mobile device.

8. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the input comprises selection of a button displayed on the device lock screen.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the device lock screen includes an additional button, and wherein the display device is further configured to transition to an additional restricted execution mode responsive to receiving selection of the additional button.

10. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the input comprises gesture input on the device lock screen.

11. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the restricted execution mode restricts access to device content on the mobile device.

12. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the device lock screen includes an indicator that the mobile device is locked.

13. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the input comprises input other than an authentication credential.

14. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the authentication credential comprises a personal identification number (PIN) code.

15. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the authentication credential comprises a credential other than a personal identification number (PIN) code.

16. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the input in any direction relative to the device lock screen comprises a swipe gesture in any direction on the device lock screen.

17. A method comprising:

causing display of a device lock screen on a display of a mobile device, the device lock screen preventing access to full functionality of the mobile device;

activating a restricted execution mode of the mobile device responsive to receiving input in any direction relative to the device lock screen, the restricted execution mode restricting access to applications installed on the mobile device by granting access to multiple shared applications, the multiple shared applications comprising a subset of the applications of the mobile device, the activating being performed without authenticating the input as being received from an owner of the mobile device; and

deactivating the restricted execution mode and activating a normal user mode responsive to receiving a password or a personal identification number (PIN).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the input comprises selection of a button displayed on the device lock screen.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the input comprises gesture input on the device lock screen.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the input comprises input other than the password or a pin.