Methods and apparatuses for controlling state of terminal screen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10198563-B2
Application number	US-201615070365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A method for controlling a screen of a terminal, includes: determining a real-time state of the screen as a first state; generating a first electromagnetic signal corresponding to the first state, and sending the first electromagnetic signal to a metal structure on a surface of the terminal through a first human body communication component, such that the first electromagnetic signal is transmitted via a skin of a user; receiving, by the first human body communication component via the metal structure, a second electromagnetic signal sent by a wearable device associated with the terminal, the second electromagnetic signal being generated by the wearable device according to the first electromagnetic signal; and if the second electromagnetic signal includes state switching information regarding the screen, switching the real-time state of the screen from the first state to a second state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a screen of a terminal, wherein the terminal includes a first human body communication component connected to a metal structure on a surface of the terminal, the method comprising:
determining a real-time state of the screen as a first state;
generating a first electromagnetic signal corresponding to the first state, and sending the first electromagnetic signal to the metal structure through the first human body communication component, such that the first electromagnetic signal is transmitted via a skin of a user;
receiving, by the first human body communication component via the metal structure, a second electromagnetic signal sent by a wearable device associated with the terminal, the second electromagnetic signal being generated by the wearable device according to the first electromagnetic signal, and the second electromagnetic signal being transmitted to the metal structure when the metal structure is touched by the user, wherein a part of the user's body functions as a transmission medium to form an electromagnetic signal transmission path between the wearable device and the terminal; and
if the second electromagnetic signal includes state switching information regarding the screen, switching the real-time state of the screen from the first state to a second state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first state is a locking state and the second state is an unlocking state, and
the state switching information comprises an unlocking password and first identification information, the first identification information being configured to notify the terminal to switch the real-time state of the screen from the locking state to the unlocking state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first state is an unlocking state and the second state is a locking state, and
the state switching information comprises second identification information configured to notify the terminal to switch the real-time state from the unlocking state to the locking state.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
extracting identity information from the second electromagnetic signal and validating the identity information;
if the identity information is valid, determining that the second electromagnetic signal is sent by the associated wearable device; and
if the identity information is invalid, discarding the second electromagnetic signal.

5. A method for controlling a screen of a terminal, wherein the method is used in a wearable device including a second human communication component connected to a second metal structure on a surface of the wearable device, the method comprising:
receiving, by the second human body communication component via the second metal structure, a first electromagnetic signal sent by a first human body communication component of the terminal, the first electromagnetic signal being transmitted to a first metal structure on a surface of the terminal;
if the first electromagnetic signal indicates that a real-time state of the screen is a first state, generating a second electromagnetic signal including state switching information regarding the screen; and
sending the second electromagnetic signal to the second metal structure through the second human body communication component, such that the second electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the first metal structure when the first metal structure is touched by a user, wherein a part of the user's body functions as a transmission medium to form an electromagnetic signal transmission path between the wearable device and the terminal.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein
the first state is a locking state, and
the state switching information comprises an unlocking password and first identification information, the first identification information being configured to notify the terminal to switch the real-time state of the screen from the locking state to an unlocking state.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein
the first state is an unlocking state, and
the state switching information comprises second identification information configured to notify the terminal to switch the real-time state of the screen from the unlocking state to a locking state.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second electromagnetic signal further comprises identity information corresponding to the wearable device.

9. A terminal, comprising:
a processor;
a screen; and
a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;
wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a real-time state of the screen as a first state;
generate a first electromagnetic signal corresponding to the first state, and send the first electromagnetic signal to a metal structure of the terminal, such that the first electromagnetic signal is transmitted via a skin of a user;
receive, via the metal structure, a second electromagnetic signal from a wearable device associated with the terminal, the second electromagnetic signal being generated by the wearable device according to the first electromagnetic signal, and the second electromagnetic signal being transmitted to the metal structure when the metal structure is touched by the user, wherein a part of the user's body functions as a transmission medium to form an electromagnetic signal transmission path between the wearable device and the terminal; and
if the second electromagnetic signal includes state switching information regarding the screen, switch the real-time state of the screen from the first state to a second state.

10. The terminal of claim 9 , wherein
the first state is a locking state and the second state is an unlocking state, and
the state switching information comprises an unlocking password and first identification information, the first identification information being configured to notify the terminal to switch the real-time state of the screen from the locking state to the unlocking state.

11. The terminal of claim 9 , wherein
the first state is an unlocking state and the second state is a locking state, and
the state switching information comprises second identification information configured to notify the terminal to switch the real-time state of the screen from the unlocking state to the locking state.

12. The terminal of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
extract identity information from the second electromagnetic signal and validate the identity information;
if the identity information is valid, determine that the second electromagnetic signal is sent by the associated wearable device; and
if the identity information is invalid, discard the second electromagnetic signal.

13. A wearable device, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive, via a second metal structure on a surface of the wearable device, a first electromagnetic signal generated by a terminal, the first electromagnetic signal being transmitted to a first metal structure on a surface of the terminal;
if the first electromagnetic signal indicates that a real-time state of a screen on the terminal is a first state, generate a second electromagnetic signal including state switching information regarding the screen; and
send the second electromagnetic signal to the second metal structure on the surface of the wearable device, such that the second electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the first metal structure when the first metal structure is touched by a user, wherein a part of the user's body functions as a transmission medium to form an electromagnetic signal transmission path between the we

Assignees

• Xiaomi Inc

Inventors

• Wang Yanteng
• Li Zhijie
• Fan Jie

Classifications

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04W52/027

  by controlling a display operation or backlight unit · CPC title

• H04M1/67

  by electronic means · CPC title

• G07C2009/00809

  with data transmission through the human body · CPC title

• G06F21/35

  communicating wirelessly · CPC title