Key with integral biometric input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10452829-B2
Application number	US-201916259384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	Oct 5, 2010
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A key integrates with a biometric input device. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a fingerprint scanner may be integral with a spacebar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving input from a multi-functional input device of a computing device;
determining whether to process the input as biometric data, based on the computing device being locked, or to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, based on the computing device being unlocked; and
as a result of determining to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, processing the input as a movement event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the movement event comprises a depression event.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the multi-functional input device comprises a fingerprint sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

5. A computing device comprising:
a multi-functional input device;
a processor configured to:
receive input from the multi-functional input device;
determine whether to process the input as biometric data, based on the computing device being locked, or to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, based on the computing device being unlocked; and
process the input according to the determining, wherein, upon determining to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, the processor is configured to process the input as a movement event.

6. The computing device of claim 5 wherein the movement event comprises a depression event.

7. The computing device of claim 5 wherein the multi-functional input device comprises a fingerprint sensor.

8. The computing device of claim 5 wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by a processor in a computing device having a multi-functional input device, cause the processor to:
receive input from the multi-functional input device;
determine whether to process the input as biometric data, based on the computing device being locked, or to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, based on the computing device being unlocked; and
process the input according to the determining, wherein, upon determining to process the input as actuation of the multi-functional input device, the instructions cause the processor to process the input as a movement event.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the movement event comprises a depression event.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the multi-functional input device comprises a fingerprint sensor.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint data.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Salter Timothy Ryan
• Mesaros Mark David

Classifications

• H04M1/675

  the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip · CPC title

• H04M1/67

  by electronic means · CPC title

• H04M1/66

  with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling (verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H03M11/02

  Details · CPC title

• G06F3/0213 Primary

  Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick (for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033) · CPC title