Electronic device with parallaxing unlock screen and method

1. A method of unlocking an electronic device, comprising:

displaying a lock screen containing a simulated parallaxing three-dimensional scene on a touch screen of the electronic device;

receiving a first user input gesture on the touch screen;

while the first user input gesture is being performed on the touch screen, parallaxing the displayed scene in response to the input gestures to simulate at least one of a change in viewing angle or a change in viewing position of the scene;

ending the first user input gesture by lifting a finger from the touch screen; and

in response to ending the first user input gesture, determining if the parallaxed scene displays at least one object that satisfies input requirements to unlock the electronic device and, if so, unlock the electronic device;

wherein the first user input gesture satisfies the input requirements to unlock the electronic device if the parallaxing of the displayed scene in accordance with the first user input gesture reveals a predetermined target object that is hidden by a scenery object prior to parallaxing of the displayed scene in accordance with the first user input gesture.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input gesture satisfies the input requirements to unlock the electronic device if the revealing of the hidden object is accomplished by two or more distinct motions performed in a predetermined order.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input gesture satisfies the input requirements to unlock the electronic device if two or more hidden objects are revealed in a predetermined order.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a location of the hidden object in the displayed scene changes in a subsequent displaying of the lock screen.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a starting vantage point of the displayed scene changes in a subsequent displaying of the lock screen.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parallaxing of the displayed scene reveals a hidden object, and the method further comprises animating or changing a characteristic of the revealed object.

7. An electronic device having a locked state in which a function of the electronic is unusable and an unlocked state in which the function is usable, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a control circuit configured to:

display a lock screen containing a simulated parallaxing three-dimensional scene on the touch screen;

receive signals corresponding to a first user input gesture on the touch screen;

while the first user input gesture is being performed on the touch screen, parallax the displayed scene in response to the input gestures to simulate at least one of a change in viewing angle or a change in viewing position of the scene;

detect an end of the first user input gesture when a finger is lifted from the touch screen; and

in response to ending the first user input gesture, determine if the parallaxed scene displays at least one object that satisfies input requirements to unlock the electronic device and, if so, unlock the electronic device;

wherein the first user input gesture satisfies the input requirements to unlock the electronic device if the parallaxing of the displayed scene in accordance with the first user input gesture reveals a predetermined target object that is hidden by a scenery object prior to parallaxing of the displayed scene in accordance with the first user input gesture.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first user input gesture satisfies the input requirements to unlock the electronic device if the revealing of the hidden object is accomplished by two or more distinct motions performed in a predetermined order.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first user input gesture satisfies the input requirements to unlock the electronic device if two or more hidden objects are revealed in a predetermined order.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a location of the hidden object in the displayed scene changes in a subsequent displaying of the lock screen.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a starting vantage point of the displayed scene changes in a subsequent displaying of the lock screen.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the parallaxing of the displayed scene reveals a hidden object and the controller initiates an animation or a change in a characteristic of the revealed object.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parallaxing the displayed scene involves changing a relative position of a scenery object and a predetermined target object that is hidden by the scenery object and causing the scenery object to move more than the predetermined target object.

14. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the parallaxing the displayed scene involves changing a relative position of a scenery object and a predetermined target object that is hidden by the scenery object and causing the scenery object to move more than the predetermined target object.