Fingerprint reader on a portion of a device for changing the configuration of the device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9811707-B2
Application number	US-201414295740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2014
Priority date	Jun 4, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes a first panel at least bearing a keyboard, a second panel at least bearing a display, and a fingerprint reader on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second panels. The portion is engageable by a user to transition the first panel away from the second panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
at least one processor;
storage accessible to the at least one processor and bearing instructions executable by the at least one processor;
a first panel at least bearing a keyboard accessible to the at least one processor;
a second panel at least bearing a display accessible to the at least one processor; and
a fingerprint reader that is accessible to the at least one processor and that is arranged on a recessed portion of at least one of the first and second panels, the recessed portion being engageable by a user to transition one of the first and second panels away from the other of the first and second panels;
wherein the fingerprint reader is arranged on the recessed portion of at least one of the first and second panels to receive input from a user while the user makes contact with the recessed portion to transition one of the first and second panels away from the other of the first and second panels;
wherein the fingerprint reader is provided by the device with power to receive input thereto at least while the device is in a configuration where the first panel and second panel establish planes parallel to each other and while the device is in a low-power state that is lower than a higher power state under which the device operates while the device is powered on; and
wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:
determine that one of the first and second panels is being transitioned away from the other of the first and second panels; and
in response to the determination, actuate the fingerprint reader to receive input thereto.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to receive input from the fingerprint reader.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to, at least in part based on the input, identify a profile associated with a user.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to initiate an operating system and, based on identification of the profile of the user and without further user input, execute the operating system according to settings associated with the profile.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to, at least in part based on the input, identify a profile of the user and authenticate that the input from the fingerprint reader has been generated based on contact of the fingerprint reader with a finger of the user.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint reader is provided by the device with power to receive input thereto at least while a guest operating system of the device is not being executed at the device.

7. A method, comprising:
providing, on a device, a first panel at least bearing a keyboard;
providing, on the device, a second panel at least bearing a display; and
providing a fingerprint reader on at least a portion of at least one of the first and second panels, the portion being engageable by a user to transition the first panel away from the second panel;
wherein the fingerprint reader is provided by the device with power to receive input thereto at least while the device is in a configuration where the first panel and second panel establish planes parallel to each other and while the device is in a low power state that is lower than a higher power state under which the device operates while the device is powered on; and
wherein the device actuates the fingerprint reader to gather data pertaining to a fingerprint of a user in response to a determination by the device that the device is undergoing a change in physical orientation of the first panel relative to the second panel.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the device identifies, at least in part using the data, settings associated with the user and actuates the device in conformance with the settings.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the device, subsequent to undergoing the change in physical orientation, continues to actuate the fingerprint reader to gather data.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint reader is a first fingerprint reader, and wherein the device comprises a second fingerprint reader on a power button of the device.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the
instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:
present, on the display, a user interface (UI), the UI comprising a selector element that is selectable to enable monitoring of input to the fingerprint reader while the device is in a low-power state.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the low-power state is an off state.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the fingerprint reader is a first fingerprint reader, and wherein the method comprises:
providing at least a second fingerprint reader on at least one element selectable to change the power state of the device, the at least one element being juxtaposed on at least one of the first and second panels.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Osborne Christopher Miles
• Ripp Michael William Stuart

Classifications

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06V40/13

  Sensors therefor · CPC title

• G06F1/1643

  the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads (details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615) · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F3/01

  Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title