US-12625933-B2 - Controlling a device operational mode according to an authentication mode

US12625933B2US 12625933 B2US12625933 B2US 12625933B2US-12625933-B2

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for controlling a device operational mode. Some examples involve receiving an indication of an authentication attempt, determining an authentication mode corresponding with the authentication attempt and determining a device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode. Responsive to determining that an authentication process corresponding with the authentication attempt completed successfully, a device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode may be implemented. Examples of device operational modes include a limited access mode and a distress mode, both of which may involve blocking access to at least one type of device functionality or access to at least one type of data. The distress mode also may involve sending SOS data to one or more other devices. The quick launch mode may cause one or more selected software applications to initialize. Some authentication modes may involve obtaining fingerprint data from a specific combination of digits.

Inventors

Naga Chandan Babu Gudivada
Rakesh Pallerla
Prakash TIWARI

Assignees

QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220801

Claims (16)

1 . A method of controlling a device operational mode, the method comprising: receiving an indication of an authentication attempt, wherein receiving the indication of the authentication attempt involves receiving touch indications corresponding to two or more digits in a fingerprint sensor area; determining an authentication mode corresponding with the authentication attempt, wherein the authentication mode is a fingerprint-based authentication mode and wherein the fingerprint-based authentication mode corresponds with a plurality of specific combinations of fingerprints from more than one digit; determining a first device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the first device operational mode involves initiating a first software application upon successful authentication via a first combination of fingerprints from more than one digit; determining that an authentication process corresponding with the authentication attempt completed successfully; invoking the first device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode and wherein the first device operational mode involves initiating a second software application upon successful authentication via a second combination of fingerprints from more than one digit, the first combination of fingerprints being different from the second combination of fingerprints and the first software application being different from the second software application, and wherein the first device operational mode is a quick launch mode and wherein the quick launch mode involves initiating the first software application or the second software application.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a second device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the second device operational mode is a limited access mode and wherein the limited access mode involves blocking access to at least one type of device functionality or access to at least one type of data.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one type of data includes one or more of image data, video data, textual data or alphanumeric data.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one type of device functionality includes functionality of one or more software applications.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a third device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the third device operational mode is a distress mode and wherein the distress mode involves transmitting SOS data to one or more other devices.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the distress mode involves blocking access to at least one type of device functionality or access to at least one type of data.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication of the authentication attempt also involves receiving, via a user interface system, a code comprising a plurality of numbers, a plurality of letters, or a combination thereof and wherein determining the authentication mode involves determining a code-based authentication mode.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode involves determining whether the code corresponds with a normal operational mode, a distress mode, a limited access mode or a quick launch mode.
9 . An apparatus, comprising: an interface system; and a control system, implemented using at least one hardware processor, configured for communication with the interface system and configured to: receive, via the interface system, an indication of an authentication attempt, wherein receiving the indication of the authentication attempt involves receiving touch indications corresponding to two or more digits in a fingerprint sensor area; determine an authentication mode corresponding with the authentication attempt, wherein the authentication mode is a fingerprint-based authentication mode and wherein the fingerprint-based authentication mode corresponds with a plurality of specific combinations of fingerprints from more than one digit; determine a first device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the first device operational mode involves initiating a first software application upon successful authentication via a first combination of fingerprints from more than one digit; and an authentication system, implemented using the at least one hardware processor, configured for communication with the control system, the authentication system being further configured to perform one or more types of authentication processes, wherein, responsive to determining that an authentication process corresponding with the authentication attempt completed successfully, the control system is further configured to implement the device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode; and wherein the first device operational mode involves initiating a second software application upon successful authentication via a second combination of fingerprints from more than one digit, the first combination of fingerprints being different from the second combination of fingerprints and the first software application being different from the second software application, wherein the first device operational mode is a quick launch mode and wherein the quick launch mode involves initiating the first software application or the second software application.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the control system is further configured for determining a second device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the second device operational mode is a limited access mode and wherein the limited access mode involves blocking access to at least one type of device functionality or access to at least one type of data.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one type of data includes one or more of image data, video data, textual data or alphanumeric data.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one type of device functionality includes functionality of one or more software applications.
13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the control system is further configured for determining a third device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the third device operational mode is a distress mode and wherein the distress mode involves transmitting SOS data to one or more other devices.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the distress mode involves blocking access to at least one type of device functionality or access to at least one type of data.
15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein receiving the indication of the authentication attempt also involves receiving, via a user interface system, a code comprising a plurality of numbers, a plurality of letters, or a combination thereof, wherein determining the authentication mode involves determining a code-based authentication mode and wherein determining the device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode involves determining whether the code corresponds with a normal operational mode, a distress mode, a limited access mode or a quick launch mode.
16 . One or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon, the software including instructions executed by a hardware processor for controlling a device operational mode, the method comprising: receiving an indication of an authentication attempt, wherein receiving the indication of the authentication attempt involves receiving touch indications corresponding to two or more digits in a fingerprint sensor area; determining an authentication mode corresponding with the authentication attempt, wherein the authentication mode is a fingerprint-based authentication mode and wherein the fingerprint-based authentication mode corresponds with a plurality of specific combinations of fingerprints from more than one digit; determining a first device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode, wherein the first device operational mode involves initiating a first software application upon successful authentication via a first combination of fingerprints from more than one digit; determining that an authentication process corresponding with the authentication attempt completed successfully; and invoking the first device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode;wherein the first device operational mode involves initiating a second software application upon successful authentication via a second combination of fingerprints from more than one digit, the first combination of fingerprints being different from the second combination of fingerprints and the first software application being different from the second software application, and wherein the first device operational mode is a quick launch mode and wherein the quick launch mode involves initiating the first software application or the second software application.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to methods, apparatus and systems for controlling access to devices, including but not limited to mobile devices. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNOLOGY Mobile devices such as cellular telephones have become nearly ubiquitous features of modern life. Although some existing methods for controlling access to mobile devices provide acceptable performance under some conditions, improved methods and devices would be desirable. SUMMARY The systems, methods and devices of the disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein. One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure may be implemented in a method. The method may, for example, be performed by a control system such as one or more of those disclosed herein. In some examples, the method may involve receiving an indication of an authentication attempt and determining an authentication mode corresponding with the authentication attempt. According to some examples, the method may involve determining a device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode. In some examples, the method may involve determining that an authentication process corresponding with the authentication attempt completed successfully and invoking the device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode. According to some examples, the device operational mode may be a limited access mode. In some such examples, the limited access mode may involve blocking access to at least one type of device functionality or access to at least one type of data. According to some examples, the at least one type of data may include one or more of image data, video data, textual data or alphanumeric data. In some examples, the at least one type of device functionality may include functionality of one or more software applications. According to some examples, the device operational mode may be a distress mode. In some such examples, the distress mode may involve transmitting SOS data to one or more other devices. In some examples, the distress mode may involve blocking access to at least one type of device functionality, access to at least one type of data, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the device operational mode may be a quick launch mode. In some such examples, the quick launch mode may involve initiating one or more software applications. According to some examples, the authentication mode may correspond with a fingerprint-based authentication mode. In some such examples, the fingerprint-based authentication mode may correspond with a specific combination of fingerprints from more than one digit. In some examples, receiving the indication of the authentication attempt may involve receiving one or more touch indications in a fingerprint sensor area. In some examples, receiving the indication of the authentication attempt may involve receiving touch indications corresponding to two or more digits in the fingerprint sensor area. According to some examples, receiving the indication of the authentication attempt may involve receiving, via a user interface system, a code comprising a plurality of numbers, a plurality of letters, or a combination thereof. In some examples, determining the authentication mode may involve determining a code-based authentication mode. In some examples, determining the device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode may involve determining whether the code corresponds with a normal operational mode, a distress mode, a limited access mode or a quick launch mode. Other innovative aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure may be implemented in an apparatus. According to some examples, the apparatus may be integrated into a mobile device. In some examples, the apparatus may include an interface system and a control system configured for communication with (such as electrically or wirelessly coupled to) interface system. In some examples, the control system may include a memory, whereas in other examples the control system may be configured for communication with a memory that is not part of the control system. The control system may include one or more general purpose single- or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or combinations thereof. According to some implementations, the control system may be configured to receive, via the interface system, an indication of an authentication attempt and to determine an authentication mode corresponding with the authentication attempt. In some implementations, the control system may be configured to determine a device operational mode corresponding with the authentication mode. In some implementations, the a