Method for locking and unlocking touchscreen-equipped mobile device and mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017109035-A1
Application number	US-201615293757-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2016
Priority date	Oct 15, 2015
Publication date	Apr 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to technologies for sensor networks, machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-type communication (MTC), and Internet of things (IoT). The present disclosure may be used in intelligent services (smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, or connected car, health-care, digital education, retail business, security and safety-related services, etc.), or the like, without limitation. According to the present disclosure, a method for locking a device comprises displaying a screen requesting selection of an image category for a lock screen when an input corresponding to a lock request through a display unit supporting a touch input is detected; displaying a screen requesting setting a password for unlocking when an input corresponding to the selection of the image category is detected; and selecting images supporting the password setting among images included in the selected image category into a group when an input corresponding to the password setting is detected, and locking the touch input to the display unit by displaying one of the selected images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for locking a device, the method comprising:
displaying a screen requesting selection of an image category for a lock screen when an input corresponding to a lock request through a display unit supporting a touch input is detected; displaying a screen requesting setting a password for unlocking when an input corresponding to the selection of the image category is detected; and selecting images supporting the password setting among images included in the selected image category into a group when an input corresponding to the password setting is detected, and locking the touch input to the display unit by displaying one of the selected images.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the screen requesting selection of the image category for the lock screen includes at least one image category grouping images including a common element among stored images and a category grouping new images downloaded from a server.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the screen requesting setting the password for unlocking includes at least one of a screen requesting a password setting including at least two steps and a screen requesting setting a strength of the locking.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least two steps include requesting setting at least one of a position of a key for the unlocking, a pattern, and a question.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a screen further requesting setting a password for a state where the locking is maintained for a predetermined time.

6 . A method for unlocking a device, the method comprising:
identifying whether locking a touch input to a display is set when an input is detected through the display; displaying one of images included in a stored image category for a lock screen on a screen when the locked state is set; unlocking when an input corresponding to a password for unlocking on an image of the screen is detected; displaying a screen requesting a password for temporarily remaining unlocked when the input corresponding to the password is not detected; and switching to a temporarily-remaining-unlocked state when an input corresponding to the password for temporarily remaining unlocked is detected.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the image category for the lock screen includes images including a common element among new images downloaded from a server or stored images.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the unlocking includes displaying a screen requesting an input corresponding to the preset password for unlocking on the displayed image of the screen, and wherein the password includes at least one of a position of a key and a pattern for unlocking.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the password for temporarily remaining unlocked is different from the password for unlocking.

10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising, displaying per-category images respectively divided for predetermined strengths among images included in the image category for the lock screen when a locking strength is set.

11 . A device configured to support locking, the device comprising:
a display unit to support a touch input; and a controller configured to control the display unit to display a screen requesting selection of an image category for a lock screen when an input corresponding to a request to lock through the display is detected, to control the display unit to display a screen requesting setting a password for unlocking when an input corresponding to the selection of an image category is detected, and to select images supporting the password setting among images included in the selected image category into a group when an input corresponding to the password setting is detected, and to lock the touch input to the display unit by displaying one of the selected images.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the screen requesting selection of the image category for the lock screen includes at least one image category grouping images including a common element among stored images and a category grouping new images downloaded from a server.

13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the screen requesting setting the password for unlocking includes at least one of a screen requesting a password setting including at least two steps and a screen requesting setting a strength of the locking.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the at least two steps include requesting setting at least one of a position of a key for the unlocking, a pattern, and a question.

15 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to control the display to run a screen further requesting setting a password for a state where the locking is maintained for a predetermined time.

16 . A device configured to support unlocking, the device comprising:
a display unit to support a touch input; and when an input is detected through the display unit, a controller configured to identify whether locking a touch input to a display is set when an input is detected through the display unit, when the locked state is set, control the display unit to display images included in a stored image category for a lock screen on a screen, unlock the device when an input corresponding to a password for unlocking on an image of the screen is detected, control the display unit to display a screen requesting a password for temporarily remaining unlocked when the input corresponding to the password is not detected, and to switch to a temporarily-remaining-unlocked state when an input corresponding to the password for temporarily remaining unlocked is detected.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the image category for the lock screen includes images including a common element among new images downloaded from a server or stored images.

18 . The device of claim 16 , wherein upon the unlocking, the controller is configured to control the display to display a screen requesting an input corresponding to the preset password for unlocking on the displayed image of the screen, and wherein the password includes at least one of a position of a key and a pattern for unlocking.

19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the password for temporarily remaining unlocked is different from the password for unlocking.

20 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to control the display to display per-category images respectively divided for predetermined strengths among images included in the image category for the lock screen when a strength of the locking is set.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Agarwal Pankaj
• Agrawal Sameer Kumar
• Kapoor Parichay

Classifications

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F21/604

  Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems · CPC title

• G06F2221/2133

  Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F21/36

  by graphic or iconic representation · CPC title