Image-based unlock functionality on a computing device

• US 9,946,891 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bandyopadhyay, Shamik, Law, Veronica Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABYANEH, ALI S
• Application Number:
  US15/158,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20160275305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• 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 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Utilizing an image on a computing device to serve as a template for locking/unlocking the computing device. The image includes a plurality of portions that are defined and thereafter identified and presented to a user via a touch screen. A user selects portions/zones that are defined within the image in a specified sequence and this sequence is stored as a lock/unlock code for unlocking the computing device. In an embodiment, in addition to the specified sequence of selections, a movement or sequence of movements may be also be stored as part of the lock/unlock code.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage devices having program instructions stored thereon for execution by the one or more hardware processors, the program instructions having a plurality of components, the plurality of components including;

a presentation component that, responsive to execution by the one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to present pieces of a single image to a user in a scrambled arrangement;

a detection component that, responsive to execution by the one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to receive one or more operations performed by the user, the operations including a selection and placement of one or more of the pieces of the single image to one or more different locations;

an authorization component that, responsive to execution by the one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to compare the one or more operations received by the one or more hardware processors to a predefined selection and placement of the pieces of the single image corresponding to an unscrambled arrangement of the pieces of the single image, the unscrambled arrangement of the pieces of the single image associated with an unlock code; and

a lock component that, responsive to execution by the one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to unlock a computing device when the one or more operations performed by the user causes the one or more pieces of the single image to be placed in the unscrambled arrangement associated with the unlock code.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the scrambled pieces of the single image is presented to the user while the computing device is locked.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the lock component causes the one or more hardware processors to unlock additional functions of the computing device based on the comparison performed by the authorization component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further implement a processing component configured to process the image to detect or define the contours or edges of the pieces of the single image, the contours or edges of the pieces defining intersections of the contours or the edges of the pieces effective to differentiate the pieces of the single image.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pieces of the single image are irregular, non-rectangular, or arbitrary in shape or size.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the components is further configured to detect whether the image includes sufficient non-overlapping zones to meet a minimum security threshold required for the unlock code.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the pieces of the single image include a window, door, building, person, or face of a person.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the single image is a family portrait, and the pieces are faces of persons in the family portrait.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the single image is of multiple buildings, and the pieces include one of the multiple buildings or a window of one of the multiple buildings.

10. A method comprising:

presenting pieces of a single image in a scrambled arrangement;

receiving operations from a user to move one or more pieces of the single image to one or more different locations;

comparing the moved one or more pieces of the single image to an unscrambled arrangement of the single image associated with an unlock code; and

unlocking a computing device responsive to determining that the moved one or more pieces of the single image matches the unscrambled arrangement of the one or more pieces of the single image associated with the unlock code.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operations received from the user further include a sequenced selection and placement of the pieces of the single image and wherein unlocking the computing device is further responsive to determining that the sequenced selection and placement of the pieces of the single image matches the predefined sequenced selection and placement of the pieces of the single image.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the operations received from the user further include a user-induced movement or sequence of movements of the computing device and wherein unlocking the computing device is further responsive to determining that the user-induced movement or sequence of movements matches a predefined user-induced movement or sequence of the unlock code.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user-induced movement or sequence of movements rotates the computing device a number of degrees clockwise or counter-clockwise along at least one axis.

14. A computing device comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer-readable storage devices, the computer-readable storage devices having computer-executable program instructions stored thereon for execution by the one or more computer processors, the computer-executable program instructions to perform operations comprising;

presenting pieces of a single image in a scrambled arrangement on the touch screen display;

receiving operations from a user through the touch screen display, the operations including a selection and placement of one or more of the pieces of the single image to one or more different locations;

comparing the operations to a predefined selection and placement of the pieces of the single image corresponding to an unscrambled arrangement of the pieces of the single image, the unscrambled arrangement of the pieces of the single image associated with an unlock code; and

unlocking the computing device responsive to determining that the predefined selection and placement of the pieces of the single image matches the selection and placement of the pieces of the single image.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the operations received from the user further include a user-induced movement or sequence of movements of the computing device and wherein unlocking the computing device is further responsive to determining that the user-induced movement or sequence of movements matches a predefined user-induced movement of the unlock code.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the user-induced movement or sequence of movements rotates the computing device along at least one axis a number of degrees and clockwise or counter-clockwise along the at least one axis.