WO2014191040A1

WO2014191040A1 - Unlocking an electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2014191040A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/061164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manuela Feilner; Bernd TESSENDORF
Original assignee: Phonak Ag
Priority date: 2013-05-30
Filing date: 2013-05-30
Publication date: 2014-12-04

Abstract

Method of unlocking a portable electronic device (1) comprising the steps of monitoring a wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1), detecting if a preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1), unlocking the portable electronic device (1) if the preregistered hearing device (2) is detected as being in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1), wherein the unlocked portable electronic device (1) allows interaction with a user (U). This method permits simplified access to the portable electronic device (1) by a hearing device-wearing user (U) without compromising security.

Description

UNLOCKING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of unlocking a portable electronic device such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, electronic navigation system, tablet computer or similar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, portable electronic devices such as but not limited to those listed above are electronically "locked" automatically and/or by the user to prevent accidental and undesired input activity to the device during handling or transporting the device. Therefore, the device may be switched to a deactivated mode, a sleep mode or a standby mode in which buttons or touch sensitive areas are

deactivated. The portable electronic device is unlocked by deliberate action of the user, for instance by pressing a particular combination or sequence of one or more buttons, sliding a slider on a touch screen, or similar. This user input constitutes an activation command. Such an activation command can also be used to activate the device from a sleep-mode or a standby-mode to an active mode. In general, activation doesn't require an unlocking command

(authentication) by the user. However, in certain

circumstances the device needs to be unlocked immediately after activation. This is an additional security measure to prevent unauthorized persons from utilizing the portable electronic device. In a so-called unlocking command, the electronic device requires a further user input such as entering a code, making a particular movement over a touch screen with a finger, a facial recognition step, a voice recognition step, a fingerprint recognition step, or similar. This further input constitutes the unlocking command.

The activation command and the unlocking command can be somewhat cumbersome to carry out, and it is an object of the present invention to simplify the unlocking of the portable electronic device without reducing the device's security, at least for a certain category of user, namely those who wear one or more hearing devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is attained by a method of unlocking a portable electronic device according to the independent method claim. By portable electronic device, we understand such devices as mobile telephones, smart phones, tablet computers, digital music players, digital navigation systems such as GPS systems, laptop computers, or any other portable electronic devices intended to be carried by a user. According to the method of the present invention unlocking of a portable electronic device is successfully completed if a preregistered hearing device is detected as being in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device.

By the term "hearing device", devices must be understood for improving the hearing of a person. A hearing device may be a hearing aid for improving or restoring the hearing of a hearing impaired person, an active hearing protection device for a person working in a noisy environment, a small communication device intended to be worn in or behind the ear, a music playback device intended to be worn in or behind the ear, a cochlear implant, and similar devices. Such hearing devices are typically individualized to the wearer or contain identification information.

A portable electronic device when in use is in close proximity with regard to the hearing device, meaning for example closer than one meter. In such a case the detection of the preregistered hearing device is facilitated. The energy requirement for such a short transmission range is typically lower than for longer ranges. In addition, electromagnetic disturbance is reduced for a short

transmission range.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the step of detecting whether a preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device is preceded by an activation command which prompts a user to manually perform an activation command on the portable electronic device. Such a prompt may be explicit, such as presentation of a slider bar on a touch screen, presentation of a function such as "unlock" or a message such as "press unlock and then *", or may be implicit in that the portable electronic device merely awaits a

particular key press, particular movement, or the tracing of a particular sign or symbol on a touch screen.

If the portable electronic device is active and the

preregistered hearing device, i.e. a hearing device whose identification code or similar has previously been

identified to the portable electronic device and registered therein, is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device is automatically unlocked. Wireless communication range may be direct wireless communication range, i.e. the portable electronic device and the preregistered hearing device may wirelessly communicate directly, or may be indirect

wireless communication range, i . e .. the portable electronic device may wirelessly communicate with a further electronic device such as a remote control for the hearing device or devices, which itself may wirelessly communicate with the preregistered hearing device. In consequence, for wearers of such hearing devices, the above-mentioned unlocking command can be dispensed with, since the presence of the user is identified by the proximity of the user's

individualized and preregistered hearing device, and thus entering an unlocking command is not necessary from a security perspective. Unlocking the portable electronic device for a user who also wears one or more hearing devices is simplified by the method of the present

invention . Pre-registering a hearing device may be carried out by manually entering identification information of the hearing device in the portable electronic device or by entering a code in the hearing device. Preregistering can be effected^' automatically by a pairing mechanism.

In addition, it is possible to pre-register identification codes from more than one hearing device; this allows a plurality of users to use the same portable electronic device .

Furthermore, it is possible to unregister identification codes by removing them from the list.

In an embodiment, the detection of whether the

preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device is carried out by attempting direct wireless communication between the portable electronic device and the preregistered hearing device. This can be performed by for instance sending a "query" signal from the portable electronic device, and detecting whether a response signal to the query is emitted by the preregistered hearing device in response to receipt of the "query" signal. In an embodiment, the detection of whether the preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device is carried out by detection of a signal emitted by the preregistered hearing device. The signal may be a signal emitted in the course o normal operation of the preregistered hearing device or normal communication between the preregistered hearing device and the portable electronic device, or may be a periodically emitted signal emitted by the preregistered hearing device such as an identification signal, a beacon signal, or similar, emitted as a matter of course.

In an embodiment, the detection of whether the

preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device is carried out by detecting that the portable electronic device is at the time in question already wirelessly communicating with the preregistered hearing device, such as in the case of streaming digital music stored in the preregistered hearing device to the preregistered hearing device so that the user can listen to the music.

Any of these methods for detection of whether the

preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device can be used in combination .

In an embodiment, any of the above-mentioned methods of detection of whether the preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device is carried out via a further electronic device such as a remote control for the hearing device, this further electronic device being arranged to be in wireless

communication with the preregistered hearing device and with the portable electronic device. The detection in this case is thus whether the portable electronic device and the preregistered hearing device are in indirect wireless communication range. This is particularly advantageous in the case in which the preregistered hearing device and the portable electronic device use different communication protocols, such as for instance Hearing Instrument Body Area Network (HIBAN) for the preregistered hearing device and Bluetooth for the portable electronic device. The further electronic device can thus be arranged to

communicate in both of these communication protocols, and can thus relay signals from the portable electronic device to the preregistered hearing device and vice versa while translating from one protocol to the other. However, it is also applicable in the case in which the portable

electronic device and the preregistered hearing device operate on the same protocol, thus extending the wireless communication range between the portable electronic device and the preregistered hearing device. In such a case, the detection of whether the preregistered hearing device is in indirect wireless communication range of the portable electronic device may be carried out by detecting whether the first electronic device is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device, e.g. by any of the above-mentioned methods for detecting, mutatis mutandis, and detecting whether the preregistered hearing device is in wireless communication range of the further electronic device, again e.g. by any of the above-mentioned methods for detecting, mutatis mutandis. It should furthermore be noted that direct communication between the portable electronic device and the preregistered hearing device and indirect communication between the portable electronic device and the preregistered hearing device are not

mutually exclusive and can be applied simultaneously. In embodiments, the wireless communication is over one or more protocols.

It should be noted that any of the above embodiments may be combined in any way that does not result in a

contradiction.

The object of the invention is likewise attained by computer program product readable by computer and for use in the portable electronic device, the computer program product comprising encoded commands for executing any of the above-mentioned methods, a non-volatile computer readable storage medium containing said computer program product, and a portable electronic device adapted to carry out any of the above methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplified embodiments of the present invention are described in reference to the figures, which, show: Figure 1 . a schematic flow diagram of the method

according to the prior art; Figure 2 a schematic flow diagram of a first embodiment of the method according to the present

invention;

Figure 3 a schematic flow diagram of a second embodiment of the method according to the present

invention;

Figure 4 a schematic diagram of a portable electronic device in direct wireless communication with a hearing device;

Figure 5 a schematic diagram of a portable electronic device in indirect wireless communication with the hearing device via a further electronic device; and

Figure 6 a schematic diagram of a portable electronic device in both direct and indirect wireless communication with the hearing device via a further electronic device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 illustrates schematically a flow diagram of one particular conventional method of unlocking a portable electronic device 1. As discussed above, such a portable electronic device 1 may be a mobile telephone, smart phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, GPS navigation system, digital music player, or similar. In its inactive state, the portable electronic device 1 awaits a manual activation command from the user. The activation command may be pressing a button, a particular combination or sequence of key or button presses, the sliding of a visual slider on a touch screen, a particular movement of the electronic device, the tracing of a

particular shape on a touch screen, or similar as is known. If the user does not successfully complete the activation command, the portable electronic device 1 remains in its inactive state and awaits successful completion of the activation command.

Once the activation command has been completed

successfully, the portable electronic device 1 prompts for and/or awaits an unlocking command. The unlocking command may be e.g. the entry of a code, a voice recognition step, a facial recognition step by means of a digital camera integrated into the portable electronic device 1, a further particular combination or sequence of key or button

presses, a particular movement of the portable electronic device 1, the tracing of a particular shape on a touch screen, or similar as is known. If the unlocking command is not completed successfully, the user is usually given the opportunity to re-attempt the unlocking command. Multiple unsuccessful entries may result in the portable electronic device 1 being more securely locked. In a timeout

situation, i.e. where no attempt at completing the

unlocking command is made during a predetermined time, the portable electronic device 1 typically returns to its inactive state and the method starts again.

However, on successful completion of the unlocking command, the portable electronic device 1 is unlocked.

Figure 2 illustrates schematically a flow diagram of a method of unlocking a portable electronic device according to the present invention.

This method differs from that of figure 1 in that the portable electronic device 1 also detects whether a

preregistered hearing device 2 is in range of the portable electronic device, i.e. is sufficiently close to the portable electronic device 1 that the two may communicate wirelessly with one another, either directly (see figure 3) or indirectly via a further electronic device 7 (see figure 4). Since hearing devices 2, 3 are normally individualized to an individual, the presence of a particular hearing device 2 pre-identified and preregistered with the portable electronic device 1 in range of the portable electronic device 1 indicates the presence of the owner of the

portable electronic device 1, thus the second unlocking command can be dispensed with: essentially, the detection of the preregistered hearing device 2 in range of the portable electronic device 1 replaces the unlocking

command .

It is noted that it is not mandatory for the present invention to provide for an activation step. In fact, a further embodiment only provides an unlocking step as it is depicted in the flow chart of figure 3. Accordingly, the portable electronic device 1 is unlocked as soon as a corresponding hearing device 2 is within the wireless communication range of the portable electronic device 1.

This detection may be carried out in a variety of manners. If the preregistered hearing device 2 and the portable electronic device 1 are already in wireless communication, e.g. for the purpose of streaming music stored on the portable electronic device 1 to the preregistered hearing device 2 so that the user can listen to it, the detection of the fact that the preregistered hearing device 2 is in range is effected by acknowledging that the two devices 1, 2 are already in wireless communication, thus the

preregistered hearing device 2 must necessarily be in range of the portable electronic device 1.

If the portable electronic device 1 and the preregistered hearing device 2 are not already in wireless communication, the detection can be carried out by attempting to establish wireless communication between the two devices 1, 2, e.g. via a protocol such as Bluetooth or a Hearing Instrument Body Area Network (HIBAN) . If this wireless communication is successfully effected, then the preregistered hearing device 2 is in range of the portable electronic device 1. Alternatively, the portable electronic device 1 may emit a query signal, and the preregistered hearing device 2 may emit a response signal in response to receiving the query signal. If the portable electronic device 1 receives the response signal, then the preregistered hearing device 2 is in range of the portable electronic device 1.

Alternatively, the preregistered hearing device 2 may, as a matter of its normal functioning, emit a periodic

identification signal, and if the portable electronic device 1 passively receives this periodic identification signal, then the preregistered hearing device 2 is in range of the portable electronic device 1. Other possibilities are naturally possible. Detection of whether the preregistered hearing device 2 is in range of the portable electronic device 1 may take place after successful completion of the activation command. It may also or alternatively take place simultaneously with carrying out the activation command, or even beforehand or continuously, e.g. with a system flag indicating whether the preregistered hearing device 2 is in wireless

communication range of the portable electronic device 1.

However, if the preregistered hearing device is not

detected as being in wireless communication range with the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device prompts the user for the unlocking command as described above with reference to figure 1, the remarks regarding unsuccessful completion of the unlocking command and timeout applying equally in this situation.

Figure 4 illustrates two hearing devices 2, 3, in direct wireless communication with a portable electronic device 1 by direct wireless link 4 to one of the hearing devices 2 worn by a user U. Wireless link 4 may be of any convenient type, e.g. utilizing a protocol such as Bluetooth or via a HIBAN (Hearing Instrument Body Area Network) , and may be to one or both hearing devices 2, 3. Other protocols and/or network types are naturally possible. However, it is not necessary that the preregistered hearing device 2 is directly in range of the portable electronic device. Figure 5 illustrates a preregistered hearing device 2 in indirect wireless communication range with a portable electronic device 1, via a further electronic device 7 such as a remote control for the hearing devices 2, 3. The portable electronic device 1 is in direct wireless communication via first wireless link 5 with further electronic device 7 e.g. via Bluetooth or a similar protocol, and further electronic device 7 is in direct wireless communication via second wireless link 6, e.g. via a HIBAN. An advantage of this solution is that the preregistered hearing device 2 and the portable electronic device 1 do not require compatible protocols, and the further electronic device 7 can act as a "repeating station", translating the protocol of first wireless link 5 to that of second wireless link 6 and vice versa . Furthermore the wireless communication range can be longer in this case.

In this embodiment, as above, the detection of whether the preregistered hearing device 2 is in wireless communication range with the portable electronic device 1 may be carried out in a variety of manners. If the preregistered hearing device and the portable electronic device are already in wireless communication via the further electronic device 7, e.g. for the purpose of streaming music stored on the portable electronic device to the preregistered hearing device so that the user can listen to it, the detection of the fact that the preregistered hearing device is in range is effected by acknowledging that the three devices are already in wireless communication, thus the preregistered hearing device must necessarily be in indirect range of the portable electronic device.

If the portable electronic device and the hearing device are not already in indirect wireless communication via the further electronic device 7, the detection can be carried out by attempting to establish indirect wireless

communication between the two devices, e.g. via a first protocol such as Bluetooth or a HIBAN between the portable electronic device 1 and the further electronic device 7, and by a second protocol, which may be the same or

different to the first protocol, between the further electronic device 7 and the hearing device 2. If this indirect wireless communication is successfully effected, then the preregistered hearing device is in indirect range of the portable electronic device.

Alternatively, the portable electronic device 1 may emit a query signal, which is received by the further electronic device 7, which then likewise emits a query signal to the preregistered hearing device 2. The preregistered hearing device may emit a response signal in response to receiving the query signal, which is received by the further

electronic device 7, which itself emits a response signal to the portable electronic device 1. If the portable electronic device receives the response signal, then the preregistered hearing device is in indirect range of the portable electronic device.

identification signal, and if the further electronic device 7 passively receives this periodic identification signal, it can transmit this information correspondingly to the portable electronic device 1. If the portable electronic device 1 receives the signal, then the preregistered hearing device is in indirect range of the portable

electronic device.

Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the portable electronic device 1 and the preregistered hearing device 2 • may be in either or both of direct wireless communication via direct wireless link 4, and indirect wireless communication via first wireless link 5, further electronic device 7, and second wireless link 6.

Naturally, the above-mentioned methods are carried out by means of a computer program product stored upon the

portable electronic device 1, the portable electronic device 1 executing the computer program product so as to carry out the method. Although the invention has been explained in terms of specific embodiments, these are not to be construed as limiting: the present invention includes all variations falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of unlocking a portable electronic device (1) comprising the steps of:

- monitoring a wireless communication range of the

portable electronic device (1),

- detecting if a preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable

electronic device (1),

- unlocking the portable electronic device (1) if the preregistered hearing device (2) is detected as being in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1),

wherein the step of unlocking allows a user (U) to interact with the portable electronic device (1) .

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of activating the portable electronic device (1) by the user before the step of unlocking can be carried out.

3. The method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting whether the preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1) is carried out by attempting direct wireless communication between the portable

electronic device (1) and the preregistered hearing device (2) .

4. The method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting whether the preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1) is carried out by detection of a signal emitted by the preregistered hearing device (2) .

5. The method according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the step of detecting whether the preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1) is carried out by detecting that the portable electronic device (1) is already

wirelessly communicating with the preregistered hearing device (2 ) .

6. The method according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the step of detecting whether the preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1) is carried out via a further electronic device (7) arranged to be in wireless

communication with the preregistered hearing device (2) and with the portable electronic device (1) .

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of detecting whether the preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1) comprises detection of whether the further electronic device (7) is in wireless communication range of the portable electronic device (1), and detection of whether the preregistered hearing device (2) is in wireless communication range of the further electronic device (7) .

8. The method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a hearing device is considered as preregistered hearing device (2) if the hearing device is paired with the

portable electronic device (1) .

9. The method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a hearing device is considered as a preregistered hearing device (2) if an identification code is transmitted from the hearing device (2) to the portable electronic device (2) and the identification code matches a code from a list of allowed codes.

10. A computer program product that is readable by a computer for use in a portable electronic device, said computer program product comprising encoded commands for executing the method according to any of claims 1 to 9.

11. A non-volatile computer readable storage medium

containing the computer program product of claim 10.

12. A portable electronic device (1) adapted to carry out the method of any of claims 1 to 9.