Security interface for a mobile device
View Patent ↗A method and device are described which provide a security interface, preferably for a mobile device. The security interface provides user-selectable non-secure data that is displayed without the need for a password. The non-secure data is preferably updated on a regular basis, and can be obtained from different sources, as selected by a user. The secure data can be accessed after successful authentication, such as a positive password verification. Additional non-secure data, related to the displayed non-secure data, can preferably be accessed, with or without a need for a password. An indication can be provided to inform a user that secure data has been updated, without the need to access such secure data. The security interface is preferably enabled after a predetermined timeout period. The interface allows the device to operate in three data access states: a controlled access state; a verification state; and a full access state.
1. A method of controlling user access to data on a mobile telecommunication device, the mobile telecommunication device having a wireless transceiver for receiving and transmitting data, a user interface including a display and a memory coupled to the user interface for storing secure data and non-secure data received via the wireless transceiver, the method comprising the steps of:
periodically receiving at the mobile telecommunication device, non-secure data and secure data from one or more data sources via a wireless network;
distinguishing received non-secure data from received secure data;
segmenting the display of the user interface into a status area and a security interface area;
automatically displaying on the mobile telecommunication device, the received non-secure data on the security interface area without authenticating user access to the non-secure data;
while displaying the non-secure data, automatically displaying an indication that secure data has been received from the one or more data sources on the status area without authenticating user access to the secure data;
subsequent to displaying the indication, while displaying the non-secure data, authenticating, at the security interface area, user access to the secure data in response to an authentication request;
selectively displaying on the mobile telecommunication device the secure data on the display of the user interface in response to successful authentication;
redisplaying on the mobile telecommunication device the non-secure data on the display of the user interface following expiration of an inactivity time period such that the secure data is no longer displayed on the display; and
selectively displaying on the mobile telecommunication device additional non-secure data that is related to the previously displayed non-secure data, the displaying of the additional non-secure data occurring in response to transmission of a user request for the additional non-secure data to a data source via the wireless transceiver.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-secure data comprises user-selected non-secure data.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of authenticating comprises:
prompting the user to enter security information in response to a user attempt to access the secure information; and
comparing the user's security information with predetermined security information.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the security information comprises a password.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of prompting comprises displaying a dialog box on the display.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of authenticating comprises a timeout period within which a user is permitted to attempt authentication.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the user-selected non-secure data comprises a plurality of user-selected information types.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of user-selected information types originate from a plurality of user-selected sources.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional non-secure data comprises at least a portion of a news article that relates to a news headline of the non-secure data previously displayed.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is initiated after a predetermined period of inactivity on the device.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is initiated after a user-defined timeout period during which there is no input on the mobile telecommunication device.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a last-accessed screen following the step of displaying the secure data.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status area includes an indication of a current date and time, and a graphical indicator of a received signal strength of the wireless network with which the mobile telecommunication device is communicating.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
without authenticating user access to the non-secure data, transmitting a request for additional non-secure data from the mobile telecommunication device to one of the one or more data sources and receiving and automatically displaying the additional non-secure data on the display of the user interface.
15. A mobile telecommunication device comprising:
a user interface comprising a display;
a memory coupled to the user interface, the memory configured to store secure data and non-secure data;
a communication module configured to periodically receiving non-secure data and secure data from one or more data sources via a wireless network;
a processor configured to cause segmenting of the display of the user interlace into a status area and a security interface area
the processor further configured to cause automatic displaying of the received non-secure data on the security interface area without authenticating user access to the non-secure data; and
the processor further configured to cause displaying of an indication on the status area that secure data has been received from the one or more data sources without authenticating user access to the secure data while displaying the non-secure data;
a security interface configured to selectively authenticate user access to the secure data in response to an authentication request;
wherein the display is configured to selectively display the secure data on the security interface area in response to successful authentication;
wherein the user interface is configured to selectively display additional non-secure data that is related to the automatically displayed non-secure data, the displaying of the additional non-secure data occurring in response to the communication module transmitting a user request for the additional non-secure data to the one or more data sources via the wireless network; and
wherein the display is configured to selectively redisplay the non-secure data on the display of the user interface following expiration of an inactivity time period such that the secure data is no longer displayed on the display.
16. The mobile telecommunication device of claim 15 wherein the non-secure data provided via the user interface comprises user-selected non-secure data.
17. The mobile telecommunication device of claim 15 wherein the means for authenticating comprises:
means for prompting the user to enter security information in response to a user attempt to access the secure information; and
means for comparing the user's security information with predetermined security information.
18. The mobile telecommunication device of claim 17 wherein the security information comprises a password.
19. The mobile telecommunication device of claim 18 wherein the means for prompting comprises a means for displaying a dialog box on the display.
20. The mobile telecommunication device of claim 15 , wherein the status area includes an indication of a current date and time, and a graphical indicator of a received signal strength of the wireless network with which the mobile telecommunication device is communicating.