Authenticated device used to unlock another device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025350945-A1
Application number	US-202519276998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 22, 2025
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device that has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state communicates with an external device using wireless communication to facilitate unlocking of the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device having a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state and is in the user-interface unlocked state, the electronic device comprising:
one or more processors; a memory; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
detecting, via wireless communication, an external device, wherein the external device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state, and is in the user-interface locked state; and
transmitting, to the external device, unlocking data, wherein:
a user interface of the external device unlocks in response to detecting user input at the external device and receiving the unlocking data; and
the unlocking data is transmitted based on an indication that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
displaying a visual indication on the electronic device indicating that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the external device unlocks.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
causing a haptic event on the electronic device indicating that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the external device unlocks.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the external device displays a visual indication indicating that the external device is in the user-interface unlocked state, after the external device unlocks.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the detected user input is a reading from a biometric sensor of the external device and/or a biometric sensor of the electronic device.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the electronic device is unlocked based on the reading from the biometric sensor and a proximity of the external device to the electronic device.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the detected user input is a touch on a touch-sensitive input of the external device.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the detected user input is movement of a mouse coupled to the external device and/or a mouse coupled to the electronic device.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the detected user input is a keystroke on a keyboard of the external device.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the detected user input is an input on the external device.

11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is executing a first application, the one or more programs further including instructions for:
sending, to the external device, usage information indicating usage of the first application on the electronic device, wherein the usage information at least in part causes the external device to display an affordance for unlocking and launching a second application on the external device, wherein the second application corresponds to the first application.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the usage information indicates a state of the first application, and wherein the state is invoked in the second application when the second application is launched on the external device.

13 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device is associated with an e-mail address, and wherein the external device unlocks after confirming that the external device is associated with the same e-mail address as the e-mail address associated with the electronic device.

14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein an association of the electronic device and the external device is stored on an authentication server, and wherein the external device unlocks after confirming, with the authentication server, the association.

15 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the electronic device is associated with a security domain, and wherein the external device unlocks after confirming the external device is associated with the same security domain as the security domain associated with the electronic device.

16 . The electronic device of claim 1 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:
detecting, via a peer-to-peer wireless communication, the external device.

17 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication comprises Bluetooth communication.

18 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a wearable electronic device.

19 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device having a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state and is in the user-interface unlocked state, the one or more programs including instructions for:
detecting, via wireless communication, an external device, wherein the external device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state, and is in the user-interface locked state; and transmitting, to the external device, unlocking data, wherein:
a user interface of the external device unlocks in response to detecting user input at the external device and receiving the unlocking data; and
the unlocking data is transmitted based on an indication that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state.

20 . A method, comprising:
at an electronic device, wherein the electronic device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state and is in the user-interface unlocked state:
detecting, via wireless communication, an external device, wherein the external device has a user-interface locked state and a user-interface unlocked state, and is in the user-interface locked state; and
transmitting, to the external device, unlocking data, wherein:
a user interface of the external device unlocks in response to detecting user input at the external device and receiving the unlocking data; and
the unlocking data is transmitted based on an indication that the electronic device is in the user-interface unlocked state.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yang Lawrence Y
• Iarocci John J
• Butcher Gary Ian
• Lynch Kevin

Classifications

• H04W12/30

  Security of mobile devices; Security of mobile applications · CPC title

• H04W12/63

  Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04M1/67

  by electronic means · CPC title