IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,302,101
Granted Patent B2
US 12,302,101 · App. 18/364,171 · Granted May 13, 2025

Method and mobile terminal for controlling screen lock

Inventors: Ju-youn Lee (Seongnam-si, KR); Sang-hyup Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04W12/08G06F21/35H04W4/20H04W4/80H04W12/30G06F21/32H04L63/0861H04W12/63H04W12/68H04W88/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,302,101
App. No.
18/364,171
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of controlling screen lock and a mobile terminal employing the same is provided. The mobile device includes a User Interface (UI) for setting a screen unlock mode using a wireless device other than the mobile terminal and stores IDentifier (ID) information of the wireless device designated by the UI corresponding to the screen unlock mode. The mobile terminal is capable of detecting a wireless device. After the ID information of the wireless device is stored, if the wireless device is detected by the mobile terminal and ID information of the detected wireless device is identical to the stored ID information, the mobile terminal controls not to display an unlock requesting screen when the display unit of the mobile terminal is turned on.

Claims (78)

1. A method of setting a screen unlock mode of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

providing, by the mobile terminal, a user interface (UI) for setting the screen unlock mode of the mobile terminal; and

storing, by the mobile terminal, settings for the screen unlock mode based on user inputs received via the UI,

wherein, in response to the screen unlock mode using a wireless device being selected for activation, the UI allows a user to designate at least one of the wireless device corresponding to the screen unlock mode, a predetermined distance between the mobile terminal and the wireless device for unlocking, and a sensing condition of the mobile terminal or the wireless device for unlocking,

wherein predetermined conditions for unlocking includes the sensing condition,

wherein the storing the settings for the screen unlock mode comprises:

receiving, via the UI, a user input for designating the sensing condition; and

storing the sensing condition as one of the predetermined conditions for unlocking, and

wherein the sensing condition includes that a shape of a grip for holding the mobile terminal corresponds to a predetermined grip.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing the settings for the screen unlock mode comprises:

receiving, via the UI, user inputs for designating the wireless device for the screen unlock mode using the wireless device; and

storing an identification (ID) information of the designated wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the receiving the user inputs for designating the wireless device comprises:

detecting wireless devices in response to a request of the user;

displaying a list of the wireless devices detected by the mobile terminal on the UI; and

receiving, via the UI, a user input for selecting one of the wireless devices included in the list.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storing the settings for the screen unlock mode comprises:

receiving, via the UI, user inputs for designating a distance between the mobile terminal and the wireless device for unlocking; and

storing the designated distance as one of predetermined conditions for unlocking.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the providing the UI for setting the screen unlock mode comprises:

displaying a slide bar type UI or a UI for receiving a distance value via buttons or keys.

6. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the storing the settings for the screen unlock mode comprises:

receiving, via the UI, user inputs for designating a signal intensity corresponding to a predetermined distance; and

storing the designated signal intensity as one of predetermined conditions for unlocking, and

wherein the mobile terminal detects the wireless device within the predetermined distance from the mobile terminal by detecting the wireless device which transmits a signal having an intensity equal to or greater than the designated signal intensity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensing condition further includes at least one of that motion of the mobile terminal is identical to a predetermined motions shape, that a face of the user recognized by the mobile terminal corresponds to a predetermined face of the user, or that a face of the user or eyes of the user face toward the mobile terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the screen unlock mode using the wireless device is activated as a first screen unlock mode,

wherein the UI allows the user to designate one from among a plurality of screen unlock modes available for being designated by the user, other than the screen unlock mode using the wireless device, other than the screen unlock mode using the wireless device, as a second screen unlock mode, and

wherein the mobile terminal activates the second screen unlock mode, in case unlocking by the first screen unlock mode fails.

9. A mobile terminal comprising:

memory storing one or more instructions; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory,

wherein the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the mobile terminal to:

provide a user interface (UI) for setting a screen unlock mode of the mobile terminal, and

store settings for the screen unlock mode based on user inputs received via the UI,

wherein, in response to the screen unlock mode using a wireless device being selected for activation, the UI allows a user to designate at least one of the wireless device corresponding to the screen unlock mode, a predetermined distance between the mobile terminal and the wireless device for unlocking, and a sensing condition of the mobile terminal or the wireless device for unlocking,

wherein predetermined conditions for unlocking includes the sensing condition,

wherein, for storing the settings for the screen unlock mode, the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the mobile terminal to:

receive, via the UI, a user input for designating the sensing condition, and

store the sensing condition as one of the predetermined conditions for unlocking, and

wherein the sensing condition includes that a shape of a grip for holding the mobile terminal corresponds to a predetermined grip.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein, for storing the settings for the screen unlock mode, the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the mobile terminal to:

receive, via the UI, user inputs for designating the wireless device for the screen unlock mode using the wireless device, and

store an identification (ID) information of the designated wireless device.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10 , wherein, for receiving the user inputs for designating the wireless device, the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the mobile terminal to:

detect wireless devices in response to a request of the user,

display a list of the wireless devices detected by the mobile terminal on the UI, and

receive, via the UI, a user input for selecting one of the wireless devices included in the list.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein, for storing the settings for the screen unlock mode, the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the mobile terminal to:

receive, via the UI, user inputs for designating a distance between the mobile terminal and the wireless device for unlocking, and

store the designated distance as one of predetermined conditions for unlocking.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12 , wherein, for providing the UI for setting the screen unlock mode, the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the mobile terminal to:

display a slide bar type UI or a UI for receiving a distance value via buttons or keys.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 9 ,

wherein, for storing the settings for the screen unlock mode, the one or more instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the mobile terminal to:

receive, via the UI, user inputs for designating a signal intensity corresponding to a predetermined distance, and

store the designated signal intensity as one of predetermined conditions for unlocking, and

wherein the mobile terminal detects the wireless device within the predetermined distance from the mobile terminal by detecting the wireless device which transmits a signal having an intensity equal to or greater than the designated signal intensity.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 9 , wherein the sensing condition further includes at least one of that motion of the mobile terminal is identical to a predetermined motions shape, that a face of the user recognized by the mobile terminal corresponds to a predetermined face of the user, or that a face of the user or eyes of the user face toward the mobile terminal.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 9 ,

wherein the screen unlock mode using a wireless device is activated as a first screen unlock mode,

wherein the UI allows the user to designate one from among a plurality of screen unlock modes available for being designated by the user, other than the screen unlock mode using the wireless device, as a second screen unlock mode, and

wherein the mobile terminal activates the second screen unlock mode, in case unlocking by the first screen unlock mode fails.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a mobile terminal individually or collectively, cause the mobile terminal to perform operations, the operations comprising:

providing, by the mobile terminal, a user interface (UI) for setting a screen unlock mode of the mobile terminal; and

storing, by the mobile terminal, settings for the screen unlock mode based on user inputs received via the UI,

wherein, in response to the screen unlock mode using a wireless device being selected for activation, the UI allows a user to designate at least one of the wireless device corresponding to the screen unlock mode, a predetermined distance between the mobile terminal and the wireless device for unlocking, and a sensing condition of the mobile terminal or the wireless device for unlocking,

wherein predetermined conditions for unlocking includes the sensing condition,

wherein the storing the settings for the screen unlock mode comprises:

receiving, via the UI, a user input for designating the sensing condition; and

storing the sensing condition as one of the predetermined conditions for unlocking, and

wherein the sensing condition includes that a shape of a grip for holding the mobile terminal corresponds to a predetermined grip.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 17 ,

wherein the screen unlock mode using the wireless device is activated as a first screen unlock mode,

wherein the UI allows the user to designate one from among a plurality of screen unlock modes available for being designated by the user, other than the screen unlock mode using the wireless device, other than the screen unlock mode using the wireless device, as a second screen unlock mode, and

wherein the mobile terminal activates the second screen unlock mode, in case unlocking by the first screen unlock mode fails.

Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2012-0139249 · Dec 3, 2012 · national
KR 10-2013-0026826 · Mar 13, 2013 · national
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17388628 · Jul 29, 2021
Continuation 16815712 · Mar 11, 2020
Division 16378846 · Apr 9, 2019
Continuation 15373087 · Dec 8, 2016
Continuation 14078170 · Nov 12, 2013
Related Publication 20230379713A1 · Nov 23, 2023
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