DESC:

FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
[39 of 1970]
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(Section 10; Rule 13)

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONTROLLED ACCESS TO APPLICATIONS IN A USER DEVICE

SAMSUNG R&D INSTITUTE INDIA – BANGALORE PRIVATE LIMITED,
#2870, Orion Building, Bagmane Constellation Business Park,
Outer Ring Road, Doddanekundi Circle,
Marathahalli Post, Bangalore – 560037,
Karnataka, India,

an Indian Company

The following Specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention claims the benefit of the Indian Provisional Application No. 1008/CHE/2014 titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD TO PROVIDE ENHANCED SECURITY AND PRIVACY FOR APPLICATIONS ON USER DEVICE USING FINGERPRINT SENSORS" by Samsung R&D Institute India – Bangalore Private Limited filed on 27thFebruary 2014, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to electronic devices, and more particularly relates to privacy and security on single-user devices such as mobile phones, tablets etc. enabled with the bio-metric sensors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most of the electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, are embedded with sensors to bring-in significant improvements in the user experience. The fingerprint sensor which were once used only in multi-user systems such as laptops for logging into specific user account have now found its use even in single user devices like mobile phones. The fingerprint sensor is basically used for authentication purposes. it need not make sense for it to be exposed to different other users especially on a single-user system, instead it can be leveraged effectively for the sole owner of the mobile in a much better way to enhance the user experience (UX) and security of the whole device.

It is being observed that the portable communication devices are becoming more and more powerful in terms of CPU performance, graphics capabilities, storage capacity etc. so that, it is capable of running a wide variety of computationally complex and UI-rich applications. Also with the advent of the social networking apps, like Facebook, twitter, WhatsApp etc., Apart from these social networking based applications, there can even be many other personal applications like e-mails, e-banking etc. which when launched on the device, the user would like to protect from unintended access by others.

Generally the fingerprint sensors are used to enhance the user experience by providing features primarily like Auto-filling of credentials etc. to the different device applications.

New generation mobile devices have the fingerprint sensor fitted on to it. They are used for providing authentication features like auto-login, single-sign-on (SSO) etc. for effortlessly launching the installed applications on the device with minimum user interaction. At present, on devices with fingerprint sensors, all the time the fingerprint sensor is accessible to all the applications running on that device. There is no way a user can easily manage or control the accessibility of the fingerprint sensor for the applications launched on the devices without turning off the sensor itself.

In such a scenario, there exists number of drawbacks for fingerprint sensors in the electronic devices such as identity spoofing while authentication (security). The primary use of any biometric sensors, such as fingerprint sensor is automating login or filling of multiple user information in the input fields for different applications by auto-filling the user information upon swiping the finger on the sensor. But here though the applications are secured with fingerprint authentication, other people around the user may access your device or user’s application accounts by swiping user’s finger itself, without even your knowledge or permission, in instances such as when the user is sleeping.

Likewise, securing of launched applications (Privacy) is also considered as a challenge in case of fingerprint sensors. Nowadays it is common that people have many personal online accounts, like banking sites, different social networking sites, e-mail sites etc. Most of the users launch these applications and keep it always open on their respective devices. Currently there is no way to secure these launched applications on a single-user device like a mobile phone from unintended access when the device is shared.

Moreover, the auto-fill feature and the issues while sharing a device (Privacy) are also considered as a drawback in biometric sensors. For instance, consider that a device implements a fingerprint based auto-login feature which won’t prompt to swipe on the sensor for every application login, instead it remembers the initial authentication swipe performed on the sensor to unlock the device, to auto-fill the registered login credentials for all the applications launched during that entire session. In such a situation, if the user shares his device with his friends or if any of his friends uses his device to make a call or to take a picture etc. the other users can easily login and access any of his personal applications on the device seamlessly.

Furthermore, there is a possibility that the already launched applications may be closed or mishandled by unintended gestures performed by people who don’t know how to operate the device (like kids), by them.

Hence, there exists aneed foran enhanced security system or controlled access to the device applications for the devices having biometric sensors.

SUMMARY
An embodiment of the present invention describes a method of providing controlled access to a biometric sensor to one or more applications in a user device. The method comprises receiving a first gesture pattern provided by a user on a display of the user device for unlocking the user device, configuring a restricted sensor mode on receiving a second gesture pattern from the user on the display of the user device, andproviding the controlled access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications in the user device.
Another embodiment of the present invention describes a system for providing controlled access to a biometric sensor to one or more applications in a user device. The system comprises means for identifying a first gesture pattern provided by a user on a display of the user device for unlocking the user device, means for configuring a restricted sensor mode on receiving a second gesture pattern from the user on the display of the user device, andmeans for providing the controlled access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications in the user device.

BRIEF DESRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The aforementioned aspects and other features of the present invention will be explained in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a biometric sensor enabled device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic representation of configuring a restricted sensor mode in a biometric sensor enabled device, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 a flow diagram illustrating method of providing controlled access to one or more applications in the biometric sensor enabled device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to device application in a biometric sensor enabled device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5A illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to one or more applications in a biometric sensor enabled device in a first sensor mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5B illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to one or more applications in a biometric sensor enabled device in a second sensor mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 illustrates a schematic representation of application state transitions in the first sensor mode and the second sensor mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 illustratesa block diagram of a system forproviding controlled access to a biometric sensor to one or more applications, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 illustrates a flow diagram a method of providing controlled access to a biometric sensor to one or more applications in a user device according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. The present invention can be modified in various forms. Thus, the embodiments of the present invention are only provided to explain more clearly the present invention to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like components.

The specification may refer to “an”, “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in several locations. This does not necessarily imply that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein may include operatively connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the associated listed items.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary biometric sensor enabled device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an exemplary embodiment of present invention, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is a mobile phone 100, configured for a first pattern 103 for unlocking a display panel 101 to explore the one or more applications. Further, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 includes a biometric sensor 104. The biometric sensor 104includes but not limited afinger print sensor 205 and aniris detector (not shown in the figure). The biometric sensor 104 senses and processesthe biometric data of the user. The biometric sensor 104 isnow days common in single user devices such as mobile phones. The biometric sensor configured in the device 100 is basically used for authentication purposes unlike other sensors, such as proximity, camera, orientation, accelerometer etc. The biometric sensor 104 does not respond to unauthorized user especially when the device 100 is configured for a single-user, instead the biometric sensor 104 provides enhanced user experience and security to the authorized user. Generally the fingerprint sensors are used to enhance the user experience by providing features such as Auto-login, Single-Sign-On (SSO) to the one or more applications installed in the device 100.

Hereinafter the term ‘display panel’ and the term ‘screen’ are used interchangeably. Hereinafter the term ‘biometric sensor enabled device’ and the term ‘user device’ are used interchangeably.

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic representation of configuring a restricted sensor mode in the exemplary biometric sensor enabled device 100, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The biometric sensor enabled device 100 provides controlled access to the bio-metric sensor 104 to the one or more applications. In order to provide the controlled access, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is configured for a restricted sensor mode. The user has to explicitly register his biometric data and a specific screen un-lock gesture in order to configure the restricted sensor mode. Figure 2 describes amethod to configure a restricted sensor mode on the device from the Sensor settings menu. The method basically includes a user authentication step wherein the user has to register his biometric data, and a gesture configuration phase where the user has to register a gesture (a second pattern 206) to unlock the device. Later unlocking the device with this registered gesture unlocks the biometric sensor enabled device 100 into open sensor mode.

The restricted sensor mode controls the access to the biometric sensor 104, particularly the biometric sensor 104 access to the applications running on the biometric sensor enabled device 100.

It is to be noted that, if the restricted sensor mode is not configured, then the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is operated in ordinary mode. The ordinary mode of operation of the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is called as open sensor mode, where the bio-metric sensor 104 is accessible for all the applications present in the biometric sensor enabled device 100. For instance consider that the first pattern 103 shown Figure 1 is the pattern to unlock the open sensor mode. All the applications running on the device is given access to the biometric sensor 104 in the default open sensor mode to enable the individual applications to make use of any features such as authentication.

Hereinafter, open sensor mode and first sensor mode are used interchangeably, and also restricted sensor mode and second sensor mode are used interchangeably.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in figure, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is a mobile phone having a biometric sensor 104 as a fingerprint sensor 205. The biometric sensor enabled device 100 at phase 201illustrates the configuration of sensor settings in order to enable restricted sensor mode. At phase 202, the swipe on the Fingerprint sensor 205 is used to authenticate the user. The authenticated fingerprint serves as the gesture to provide access to the one or more applications stored in the biometric sensor enabled device 100. Further, at phase 203, the user registers another unlocking pattern i.e. second pattern 206for the restricted sensor mode. The device applications such as social media accounts, banking accounts, emails etc. are typically considered as private applications. Hence, the users prefer to secure these applications from unintended access by configuring the restricted sensor mode and accessing the biometric sensor enabled device 100 in the restricted sensor mode.

Once the user configures the restricted sensor mode, the initially configured unlock pattern (for example: first pattern 103) unlocks the biometric sensor enabled device 100 into the restricted sensor mode instead of the open sensor mode. Hence, if the user unlocks the display panel 101 with pattern shown in Figure 1, then the biometric sensor enableddevice 100 unlocks in restricted sensor mode, providing noaccess to the biometric sensor 104 to the applications. Likewise, if the user unlocks the display panel 101 of the biometric sensor enabled device 100 using a pattern shown in Figure 2, then the device is unlocked in the open sensor mode. This is shown in phase 204 of the Figure 2. The home screen is unlocked and provides access to all the device application. Moreover, the fingerprint sensor 205 is also available in this mode as an additional authentication means for all the applications.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating method of providing controlled access to one or more applications in the biometric sensor enabled device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment of present invention, at step 301the biometric sensor enabled device 100 identifies a unlock gesture inputted by the user. At step 302, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 determines whether the unlock gesture is valid or not. If the gesture is not valid, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 remains unlocked at step 303. If the gesture is valid, the device checks whether a second sensor mode is configured in the biometric sensor enabled device 100 or not at step 304. If the second sensor mode is not configured, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 starts operating in normal (or open sensor) mode at step 305. In the normal mode of operation, the bio-metric sensor 104 is available for access to all the applications on the device. Further, at step 306, it is determined whether identified unlock gesture correspond to activate either the first sensor mode or the second sensor mode of the biometric sensor enabled device 100. The first sensor mode is open sensor mode and second sensor mode is restricted sensor mode. If the unlock gesture pattern corresponds to the first pattern 103 configured as in figure 1, the device gets unlocked into the restricted sensor mode at step 307.

If the unlock gesture pattern corresponds to the second pattern 206 configured as in figure 2, then the device is unlocked in open sensor mode at step 308.

Figure 4A illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to one or more applications in a biometric sensor enabled device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is a mobile device embedded with a fingerprint sensor 205.

At phase 401, the display panel 101 of the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is in a locked state. At step 402, the second pattern 206 is traced/applied on the display panel 101 to unlock the screen. The biometric authentication as shown in phase 403 is anoptional second level authentication for unlocking the screen in the open sensor mode. At phase 404, the device 100 is unlocked in the open sensor mode.

If a user traces or applies the first pattern 103 at phase 405, the device is unlocked in the restricted sensor mode as shown in phase 406.

Figure 4B illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to device application in a biometric sensor enabled device 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. This exemplary embodiment describes the launching of an email applicationthe open sensor mode and accessing the same in the restricted sensor mode.In this embodiment, the email is launched using Single-Sign-On (SSO) in open sensor mode wherein the system fills-in the login credentials by itself.

The phase 402 issame as that of Figure 4A to unlock the device 100 in the open sensor mode. At phase 407, the user swipes his finger on the biometric sensor 104 in order to enable device 100 to fill the login credentials in the application as selected at phase 408 by itself. At phase 409, the display panel 101 shows that the login credentials are filled in the selected email application. As indicated in phases 402-408, once the user has unlocked the screen in the open sensor mode, the biometric sensor 104 is accessible to the applications and the user can login the one or more applications by a Single-Sign-On (SSO) process wherein the system fills-in the login credentials by itself in the one or more applications selected by the user.

The phase 405 is same as that of Figure 4A to unlock the device 100 in the restricted sensor mode. If the display panel 101 is unlocked using the first pattern 103, all the applications are accessible but the biometric sensor 104 is not enabled to provide the login credential to the applications using the SSO process as shown in phases 410 and 411. At phase 411, the e-mail application is opened but the login credentials are not filled by the device 100 but the user has to insert the credential manually to access the application. In an embodiment of the restricted mode, all the application are visible to the userbut access to the biometric sensor 104 to provide the login credential by itself is disabled.In another embodiment of the restricted mode, the one or more applications not launched in the open sensor mode are visible to the userbut access to the biometric sensor 104 to provide the login credential by itself is disabled. The visibility of the applications in the restricted mode is based on the capability of the device platform.

Figure 5A illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to one or more applications in a biometric sensor enabled device 100 in a first sensor mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention. All applications present in the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is available in the first sensor mode. In this exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the restricted sensor mode or second sensor mode is already configured.

At phase 501, the display panel 101 is locked. At phase 502, the screen is unlocked in the open sensor mode with a second pattern 206. At phase 503, the home screen is launched and enables the user to swipe his/her finger in order to login to the one or more applications. At phase 504, the one or more applications are displayed and enable the user to select the applications. Once the user selects the application by tapping one the application, the login credential of the user is filled itself as shown in phase 505. At step 506, the e-mail application is opened displayed in the display panel 101 for the access. The figure 5A depicts launching of the e-mail application in the open sensor mode with SSO.

Figure 5B illustrates a schematic representation of providing controlled access to one or more applications in a biometric sensor enabled device 100 in second sensor mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention.In this exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the restricted sensor mode or second sensor mode is already configured. The one or more applications launched or logged-in in the first sensor mode is accessible/visible to the user in the second sensor mode on receiving a privilege gesture 512.

At phase 501, the device display panel 101 is locked. At phase 507, the screen is unlocked in the restricted sensor mode with a first pattern 103. At phase 508, the home screen is launched in the restricted sensor mode, and the user can access those one or more applications launched by him while he was operating the device in open sensor mode as shown in figure 5A, by swiping on the biometric sensor as a privilege gesture 512. At phase 509, the one or more applications such as e-mail and facebook applications, launched during the open sensor mode are visible to the authorized user and not to any other users. At phase 510, the user selects the e-mail application by tapping on the e-mail icon. At phase 511, the e-mail application is accessible to the user.

Figure 6 is a schematic representation of application state transitions in the open sensor mode and the restricted sensor mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the various transition states of the application such as visible 601, background 602, foreground 603,and invisible 604 are shown.

The present embodiment introduces an application state, the “invisible state” 604 to provide enhanced accessibility control with a different user experience. The embodiment focuses on enhancing the experience and security associated with the features implemented using biometric authentication especially on small screen communication devices such as mobile-phones/tablets and securing the application-accessibility on such single user devices. Any application running on the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is given access to the fingerprint sensor 205 only while operating in the open sensor mode. The applications that are launched when the biometric sensor enabled device 100 was operating in the open sensor mode are switched to invisible state 604 when the biometric sensor enabled device 100 is unlocked into the restricted sensor mode of operation. The invisible state 604 refers to a state of application, where the application is alive or running in the system but the user interface (UI) is either not visible or not rendered on the display. The main characteristic of the invisible state 604 of any application is that, an application running in the invisible state 604 can be brought into foreground 603 only by an authenticated user. The application launched in the open sensor mode when accessed in the restricted sensor mode, is in any of foreground state 603, visible state 601 or invisible state 604.

In one embodiment for applications that support multi-tabs/windows (like browser), the application framework doesn’t switch the whole application into invisible state 604; instead application framework delegates this functionality to that application. The respective application (browser) manages the individual open tabs/windows by switching it into background 602 or invisible state 604 based on whether the mode is open sensor mode or the restricted sensor mode respectively.

Figure 7 illustrates a block diagram of a system 700 for providing controlled access to a biometric sensor 104 to one or more applications in a biometric sensor enabled device 100. The system comprises a gesture identification module 701, a biometric data authentication module 702, and a processing module 703, a display panel 101, and a biometric sensor 104. The means for identifying a first gesture pattern provided by a user on a display of the user device for unlocking the user device is the gesture identification module 701. The means for configuring a restricted sensor mode on receiving a second gesture pattern from the user on the display of the user device, and the means for providing the controlled access to the biometric sensor 104 to the one or more applications in a user device are the processing module 703. The biometric data authentication module authenticates the biometric data received from the biometric sensor 104.
Figure 8 illustrates a flow diagram a method of providing controlled access to a biometric sensor 104 to one or more applications in a user device 100 according to an embodiment. At step 801, a first gesture pattern 103 provided by a user on a display of the user device 100 is received and identified by the processing module 703 for unlocking the user device 100. At step 802, a restricted sensor mode is configured on receiving a second gesture pattern from the user on the display panel 101 of the user device 100. At step 803, the controlled access to the biometric sensor 104 is provided to the one or more applications in the user device 100.

Although the invention of the method and system has been described in connection with the embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto. The first pattern and the second pattern shown in the figures are exemplary and can be replaced with any kind of patterns. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

,CLAIMS:

We Claim:
1. A method of providing controlled access to a biometric sensor to one or more applicationsin a user device, the method comprising:
receiving a first gesture pattern provided by a user on a display of the user device for unlocking the user device;
configuring a restricted sensor mode on receiving a second gesture pattern from the user on the display of the user device; and
providing the controlled access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications in the user device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuringa restricted senor mode comprises:
enabling the second gesture pattern for providing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications; and
enabling the first gesture pattern for preventing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing the controlled access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications of the user device comprises:
receiving an unlock gesture pattern on the display of the user device;
determining the unlock gesture pattern corresponds to one of the first gesture pattern and second gesture pattern; and
providing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications when the gesture pattern corresponds to the second gesture pattern.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein providing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications is a first sensor mode.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein preventing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications is a second sensor mode.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprises providing privileged user access to the one or more applications that were launched by the user when he was operating the device in the first sensor mode, while operating in the second sensor mode on receiving a valid biometric credential as a privilege gesture.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the privilege gesture is configured by registering the biometric credential, the biometric credential comprises a fingerprint of the user.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein providing privileged user access by displaying icons of one or more applications that were launched by the user when he was operating the device in the first sensor mode, while operating the device in the second sensor mode on receiving the privilege gesture.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising providing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications on receiving the first gesture pattern, in the absence of the configuration of the restricted sensor mode.

10. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the one or more applications launched in the first sensor mode moves to invisible state as the user device is switched to the second sensor mode.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the invisible state is a state of the one or more applications in which the one or more applications are running in the device but their application user interfaces (UI) are invisible on the display.

12. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the unlock gesture pattern is at leastone of aunique ordering of numbers and images for providing controlled access to the biometric sensor to one or more applications.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising verifying the biometric credential before providing access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications.

14. A system for providing controlled access to a biometric sensor to one or more applications in a user device, the system comprising:
means for identifying a first gesture pattern provided by a user on a display of the user device for unlocking the user device;
means for configuring a restricted sensor mode on receiving a second gesture pattern from the user on the display of the user device; and
means for providing the controlled access to the biometric sensor to the one or more applications in the user device.

Dated this the 27th day of November 2014
Signature

KEERTHI JS
Patent Agent
Agent for the Applicant