Electronic device and corresponding methods for precluding unlocking operations for users experiencing state of lagophthalmos

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12468793-B2
Application number	US-202418603019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2024
Priority date	Mar 12, 2024
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A method in an electronic device detects, from a user interface, initiation of a device unlocking operation. The method captures, by an image capture device having an image sensor receiving light in response to the initiation of the device unlocking operation, one or more images of a subject situated within an environment of the electronic device. The method determines, by one or more processors operable with the image capture device, whether the one or more images depict the subject in a state of lagophthalmos and precludes, by the one or more processors, the device unlocking operation from completing when the one or more images depict the subject in the state of lagophthalmos.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting, from a user interface, initiation of a biometric device unlocking operation from user input received at the user interface; determining, with one or more sensors of the electronic device, an orientation of the electronic device in three-dimensional space relative to a subject; and when the orientation of the electronic device in the three-dimensional space relative to the subject meets at least one predefined criterion, precluding the biometric device unlocking operation from completing; and otherwise, performing the biometric device unlocking operation; wherein: the biometric device unlocking operation comprises a facial recognition operation capturing one or more images of the subject; and the precluding prevents the electronic device from being unlocked when the one or more images depict the subject in a state of sleep.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined criterion comprises a major axis of a major surface of the electronic device substantially aligning with a gravity direction detected by one or more sensors of the electronic device while one or more images of a subject captured by an image capture device during the biometric device unlocking operation depict the subject in a landscape orientation.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined criterion comprises a minor axis of a major surface of the electronic device substantially aligning with a gravity direction detected by one or more sensors of the electronic device while one or more images of a subject captured by an image capture device during the biometric device unlocking operation depict the subject in a portrait orientation.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined criterion comprises a gravity direction substantially aligning with a minor dimension of a minor surface of the electronic device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined criterion comprises a gravity direction substantially aligning with a minor dimension of a minor surface of the electronic device from a rear major surface to a front major surface.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predefined criterion comprises:
a gravity direction detected by one or more sensors of the electronic device being oriented substantially orthogonally relative to depictions of the subject captured by an image capture device during the biometric device unlocking operation; or the gravity direction passing through a minor dimension of a minor surface of the electronic device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising, when the orientation of the electronic device in the three-dimensional space relative to the subject meets the at least one predefined criterion, requiring, by one or more processors, entry of a personal identification number or password at the user interface to unlock the electronic device.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising
determining, by one or more processors, whether the one or more images depict the subject expressing a predefined mien, wherein the precluding the biometric device unlocking operation from completing occurs only when the one or more images fail to depict the subject expressing the predefined mien.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the initiation of the biometric device unlocking operation comprises one of actuation of a power key positioned along a housing of the electronic device or a lifting operation raising the electronic device against the gravity direction.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the biometric device unlocking operation is precluded from completing, one of causing an audio output device to deliver an audible alert or causing a communication device to deliver an alert to a companion electronic device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the state of sleep comprises a state of lagophthalmos.

12 . An electronic device, comprising:
a user interface; one or more sensors operable to determine an orientation of the electronic device in three-dimensional space relative to a gravity direction; one or more processors operable with the user interface and the one or more sensors; and an image capture device comprising an image sensor operable to receive light and capture one or more images of an environment of the electronic device; wherein the one or more processors, in response to the user interface receiving user input initiating an operation to unlock the electronic device from a locked state, preclude the operation to unlock the electronic device from completing when:
the gravity direction is substantially aligned with a minor dimension of the electronic device extending from a first major surface to a second major surface of the electronic device; and
the one or more images depict a subject in a state of sleep.

13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the gravity direction is substantially aligned with the minor dimension when the gravity direction and minor dimension define an angle of forty-five degrees or less.

14 . The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising a display, wherein the one or more processors only preclude the operation to unlock the electronic device from completing when the display defines a bottom side of the electronic device in the three-dimensional space.

15 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors, in response to the user interface receiving the user input initiating the operation to unlock the electronic device, cause the image capture device to capture one or more images of the subject, and also preclude the operation to unlock the electronic device from completing when the electronic device is in a portrait orientation in the three-dimensional space and the one or more images depict the subject oriented orthogonally or substantially orthogonally with the portrait orientation.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors also preclude the operation to unlock the electronic device from completing when the electronic device is in a landscape orientation in the three-dimensional space and the one or more images depict the subject oriented parallel or substantially parallel with the landscape orientation.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more images depict the subject in the state of sleep when eyes of the subject that are closed.

18 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
detecting, from a user interface, initiation of a device unlocking operation; capturing, by an image capture device having an image sensor receiving light in response to the initiation of the device unlocking operation, one or more images of a subject situated within an environment of the electronic device; determining, by one or more processors operable with the image capture device, whether the one or more images depict the subject in a state of lagophthalmos; and precluding, by the one or more processors, the device unlocking operation from completing when the one or more images depict the subject in the state of lagophthalmos; wherein the determining whether the one or more images depict the subject in the state of lagophthalmos comprises determining an orientation of the electronic device in three-dimensional space relative to a gravity direction when the one or more images of the subject are captured.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the state of lagophthalmos r

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Gupta Ranjeet
• Wheeler Andrew G
• Reed Mark A
• Hefner Eric J
• Merrell Thomas Yates

Classifications

• G06V40/174 Primary

  Facial expression recognition · CPC title

• G06F21/32 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title