Google Attempts to Patent Android Pattern Unlock Feature
Google is attempting to patent “Touch Gesture Actions From A Device’s Lock Screen” following in the footsteps of Apple, who recently patented “Slide to Unlock” for its devices, according to James Yang, publisher of OC Patent Lawyer.
“Touch Gesture Actions From A Device’s Lock Screen” is the feature included on Android devices that allows the owner to unlock their phone by tracing a pattern on the home screen.
“A lock screen view is displayed on the mobile device to prevent unauthorized and inadvertent access to the mobile device’s data. While the mobile device is locked, a touch gesture having a pre-defined shape is detected on a touch screen of the mobile device independently of the initial position of the touch gesture on the touch screen,” said the official summary of Android’s trademarked capability.
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The patent application also details other custom gestures that can be drawn without looking at the lock screen, allowing the user to quickly access certain functions while keeping the device locked.
Google also explained these gestures in the patent application.
“In response to detection of the touch gesture, a particular action is executed on the mobile device while the mobile device stays locked. The particular action determined according to the pre-defined shape. In this way, detection of the touch gesture causes the particular action to execute while keeping the mobile device locked,” the official summary added.
Google was recently granted a patent for “Automatic Derivation of Analogous Touch Gestures From A User-Defined Gesture.”
This patent specifically details methods to decipher custom gestures drawn anywhere on the lock screen, regardless of their shape or size position.
James B. Miller was officially credited for the pattern-unlock invention.
Apple recently patented its “Slide to Unlock” feature that began to appear in other company’s products.
