FR3140723A1 - Method for unlocking a terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for unlocking a terminal (MOB) with a view to accessing functions (APP1-APP2) offered by the terminal, characterized in that it comprises a prior step of association between digital data linked to the same individual and respective functions (APP1,APP2), and what it includes, following the subsequent receipt of biometric data, the following steps: a. A step of verifying digital data received; b. If the digital data is valid, triggering both a step of unlocking the device and a step of executing a function associated with the digital data received. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Method for unlocking a terminal

The invention relates to a method for unlocking a terminal and to functions stored in this terminal.

The terminal referred to here includes any data processing devices capable of executing software functions such as computer applications. The terminal is for example a mobile phone, a tablet, digital television decoder, etc. The illustration of the invention made in the detailed description section below will be based on a mobile terminal.

Unlocking the terminal aims to move the terminal from a first state to a second state, the transition requiring the provision of digital data provided by a user. We will see in the following that the change of state aims, for example, at a transition from a first electrical state (terminal off, on standby, etc.) to a second electrical state (terminal on, coming out of standby, etc.) and digital data is personal data to the user.

The functions referred to here are computer programs which, when executed, offer one or more particular services. An application is for example a banking application, an application for playing multimedia content, etc.

State of the art

Access to the functionalities of a terminal most of the time requires prior unlocking of the terminal. Unlocking is done either by providing digital data, generally personal data such as a password.

Once the personal data is provided, and assuming it is recognized as valid by the terminal, the latter unlocks and possibly executes programs related to startup when the terminal is turned on. Then, the terminal provides access to features such as applications.

We see that following unlocking,

access to an application requires selecting the application

or when applications are scheduled to run automatically following a startup, the desired application is not always among the scheduled applications. Indeed, a user may want certain applications to run automatically at a given time and other applications at another time of the day. For example, a television application will be preferred at the end of the day and a school application more in the morning or afternoon.

In addition, when the user wishes to run several applications following unlocking, the user must select the applications in question successively.

Ultimately, these steps of providing personal data and selecting an application can turn out to be long, particularly when quick access to an application or applications is desired. In the case of a competition taking place live, it is valuable to access the television feed quickly; or where an urgent appeal needs to be initiated, it may be vital that the appeal is initiated at extremely short notice.

The invention improves the situation.

The invention

The invention relates to a method for unlocking a terminal with a view to accessing functions offered by the terminal, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of association between digital data and respective functions, and this that it includes, following subsequent reception of digital data, the following steps:

a step of verifying the digital data received;

if the digital data is valid, triggering both a step of unlocking the device and a step of executing a function associated with the digital data received.

The invention makes it possible to considerably reduce the access time to a function. In fact, the provision of digital data has the effect of both unlocking the device but also automatically executing a function or even several functions in association with this digital data. In other words, digital data is data allowing the unlocking of the terminal to be personalized; in this way, several digital data are associated with the same individual, and unlocking differs depending on the digital data used.

Note that digital data can correspond to one or even several functions and that in the case of several functions, the execution step concerns the plurality of functions.

Numerical data can be a code, for example a series of numbers entered via an input module.

Note that, in the embodiments described below, the digital data belong to the same individual. However, this digital data may well belong to different people.

According to a first embodiment of the method, the digital data are data capable of authenticating a person. We will see in the following examples that digital data is biometric data. Biometric data is, for example, the fingerprints of the fingers of a hand. For example, each fingerprint corresponds to at least one function to be executed. Thanks to this mode, the user only has to place, for example, their thumb on a support if they want a particular function to be executed, or their index finger if they want another particular function to be executed. In this first mode, the user does not enter codes but simply places his finger on a support; unlocking is done very quickly and access to the relevant functions is also done quickly.

Let us remember here that biometric data is personal data allowing a person to be identified. We understand from the above that the use uses several biometric data belonging to it and that unlocking will depend on the biometric data used.

According to yet a second particular mode of implementation of the invention, which can be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous one, the associations also include respective identifiers and the execution step is carried out on the basis of the identifier. This second mode allows not only to unlock the terminal and execute a particular function, but also to execute the function with a particular value called identifier.

According to a first variant of this second mode, the function is a telephone call function and the identifier is a telephone number; in this configuration, a call is initiated based on the telephone number following the execution step. This first variant allows you to call a recipient extremely quickly. The invention can be used in emergency cases, for example to call the emergency services of a hospital. For this, a telephone number can be selected beforehand by a user and stored in conjunction with digital data and a function. For example, the thumbprint allows you to call a hospital emergency room. If the user is a child, their index finger allows them to automatically call their parents, for example.

According to a second variant of this second mode, the function is a content reading function, and the identifier is a content identifier; the function is a content reading function, and the identifier is a content identifier; in this configuration, the content is read following the execution step. As for the second mode, a multimedia content identifier can be associated with the digital data and a function. In this configuration, the digital data makes it possible to unlock the terminal, execute a function, and read content associated with the identifier. The identifier could also be a television channel.

According to a hardware aspect, the invention relates to an entity for managing the unlocking of a terminal with a view to accessing functions offered by the terminal, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of association between data digital data and respective functions, and that the terminal includes a processor configured, following subsequent reception of digital data, to carry out the following steps:

has. A step of verifying the digital data received;

b. If the digital data is valid, triggering both a step of unlocking the device and a step of executing a function associated with the digital data received.

According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a terminal comprising a management entity as defined above.

According to another material aspect, the subject of the invention is a computer program capable of being implemented on a management entity as defined above, the program comprising code instructions which, when executed by a processor, carries out the steps of the management process defined above.

According to another material aspect, the subject of the invention is a data medium on which at least one series of program code instructions has been stored for the execution of a management method as defined above.

The medium in question can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the support may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or even a magnetic recording means, for example a hard disk. On the other hand, the information carrier may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be carried via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded onto an Internet type network. Alternatively, the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in executing the method in question.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

is a schematic view of the circuits present in the terminal.

is a schematic view of the steps implemented according to a possible embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

There represents an architecture of a MOB terminal on which two applications APP1-APP2 are stored. The number of applications is not limited to two, any number of applications could be used for the implementation of the invention.

The MOB terminal can be a mobile phone (or smartphone), a tablet, a computer, etc.

The MOB terminal requires unlocking before use. Unlocking can be achieved using digital data such as authentication data provided by a user. This data is for example a fingerprint, a code of the PIN code type (Anglo-Saxon acronym for “Personal Identification Number”).

Note that the term “unlocking” refers to a human action resulting in a transition of the terminal from a first state to a second state.

The MOB terminal offers functions. These functions are, for example, implemented in the form of computer applications.

In reference to the , the terminal MOB conventionally comprises memories M associated with a processor CPU. The memories can be of the ROM type (from the English “Read Only Memory”) or RAM (from the English “Random Access Memory”) or even Flash. In our example, the terminal includes a CPT biometric fingerprint capture module. The MOB terminal further comprises a management entity ENT, stored in memory, the function of which will be explained below.

Following startup or following exit from sleep state, traditionally, the terminal displays a man-machine interface including various applications; for example an application allows access to television, a banking application allows access to a bank account, a VOD application (acronym for Video On Demand) allows access to video, etc.

Access to an application requires selection of the application concerned and execution of the application by the CPU processor.

According to the invention, in order to differentiate each change of state of the terminal, for example each start-up or each exit from a standby state, for example depending on the time of day or the mood of the user, the method comprises a preliminary step of association between digital data linked to the same individual and respective functions. As we will see below, these associations thus created will make it possible to accelerate access to an application by avoiding a step of searching for an application and selecting the application concerned,

Subsequently, when requesting access to the terminal, the ENT entity carries out the following steps:

A step of receiving digital data linked to a user to unlock the terminal; if the data is valid, the processor carries out both a step of unlocking the device followed by a step of automatic execution of the application associated with the digital data received during the reception step.

We will see below that digital data can be biometric data linked to an individual, such as a biometric fingerprint. In this configuration, the five fingerprints of a hand can be used in association with respective functions.

More generally, digital data necessary for unlocking is data allowing personal access to the functions of the terminal. In other words, several digital data are associated with an individual, and each access to the functions offered by the terminal differs depending on the digital data used.

There illustrates an embodiment of the method of the invention. This includes two phases PH1 and PH2. In our example, the first phase PH2 includes three stages ET1-ET3.

During the first phase PH1 a database of matches is created. In this database, digital data EMP1-EMP2 linked to the same individual are associated with one or more functions respectively.

In our example, the digital data is fingerprints.

In our example, to simplify the presentation, a fingerprint corresponds to a function. In our example, the function corresponds to an application.

In reference to the , we consider for example two fingerprints EMP1-EMP2 of a user which correspond for example to the print of the thumb and the index finger respectively. Each EMP1-EMP2 fingerprint corresponds to APP1-APP2 functions to be executed. For example, the EMP1 thumbprint is associated with a musical application APP1 such as YouTube (protected trademark); and the EMP2 index fingerprint corresponds to an APP2 banking application. The invention is not limited to two imprints but on the contrary extends to a greater number. Also, the number of functions associated with a footprint can be greater; for example, three applications can be associated with a fingerprint.

The associations between fingerprints and functions thus constructed are memorized. Note that the storage location of the associations is arbitrary. In our example, the associations are stored in the MEM memory of the terminal.

It is then assumed that the terminal is in a standby state and that its use requires unlocking.

During a second phase, a user wishes to access the second APP2 application.

To access the second application APP2, during a first step ET1 a user places his EMP2 fingerprint on the CPT capture module capable of reading biometric fingerprints.

During a second step ET2, the entity ENT receives the second fingerprint EMP2 and searches among the stored associations for the function(s) associated with this second fingerprint EMP2. In the example, the second function APP2 is associated with the second fingerprint EMP2.

During a third step ET3, the ENT entity unlocks the terminal and automatically executes the APP2 application.

At this stage, the APP2 application is executed and can be used immediately.

We therefore understand that the invention associates each biometric fingerprint with an action in addition to unlocking the terminal. Thus, with a single gesture it is possible to unlock and access a favorite application.

According to another embodiment, the associations further include respective identifiers; in this case, the function execution step is carried out based on the identifier.

The application can for example be a telephone application allowing you to make calls. In this context, associations can be created between digital data, functions and telephone numbers, respectively. If the digital data is a biometric fingerprint, unlocking based on this fingerprint is followed not only by execution of the telephone application but also by establishment of a call to the telephone number from the association. For example, if we associate with the first fingerprint a telephone call application and a telephone number of a first user; and if we associate with the second fingerprint the same telephone application and a telephone number of a second user. In this configuration, if the user unlocks the terminal with the second fingerprint, the ENT entity unlocks the terminal, executes the corresponding telephone application and automatically establishes a call to the second telephone number.

The application can also be a multimedia content reading application. In this context, associations can be created between digital data, the content reading application, and content identifiers (videos, music, etc.), respectively. If the digital data is a biometric fingerprint, unlocking based on this fingerprint is followed not only by execution of the reading application but also by reading of content. The reading application finds the content using its identifier (title, code, etc.). For example, if we associate with the first imprint a multimedia content reading application such as Deezer, and a first musical title for example “let it be” from the group “the Beatles”; and if we associate with the second imprint the same reading application and a second musical title such as “the Wall” by the group “Pink Floyd”. In this configuration, if the user unlocks the MOB terminal with the second EMP2 fingerprint, the ENT entity unlocks the terminal, executes the corresponding reading application and automatically reads the title “the Wall”.

A function can also be a mode such as airplane mode. In this case, a biometric fingerprint could lead to both the unlocking of the MOB terminal and the automatic switch to airplane mode.

Let us finally specify here also that the term "entity" can correspond as well to a software component as to a hardware component or a set of hardware and software components, a software component itself corresponding to one or more programs or subprograms computer or more generally to any element of a program capable of implementing a function or a set of functions as described for the modules concerned. In the same way, a hardware component corresponds to any element of a hardware assembly capable of implementing a function or a set of functions for the module concerned (integrated circuit, smart card, memory card, etc. .)

Claims (9)

Method for unlocking a terminal (MOB) in order to access functions (APP1-APP2) offered by the terminal, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of association between digital data (EMP1-EMP2) and respective functions (APP1-APP2), and what it includes, following subsequent reception of digital data, the following steps:

1. A step of verifying the digital data received;
2. If the digital data is valid, triggering both a step of unlocking the device and a step of executing a function associated with the digital data received.

Management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the digital data is data capable of authenticating a person. Management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the associations also include respective identifiers, and in that the execution step is carried out on the basis of the identifier. Management method according to claim 3, characterized in that the function is a telephone call function and in that the identifier is a telephone number, and in that a call is initiated on the basis of the telephone number following the execution step. Management method according to claim 3, characterized in that the function is a content reading function, and the identifier is a content identifier, and in that the content is read following the execution step. Management entity (ENT) for unlocking a terminal (MOB) with a view to accessing functions (APP-APP2) offered by the terminal, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of association between digital data (EMP1-EMP2) and respective functions (APP1-APP2), and that the terminal comprises a processor (CPU) configured to carry out, following subsequent reception of digital data, the following steps:

1. A step of verifying the digital data received;
2. If the digital data is valid, triggering both a step of unlocking the device and a step of executing a function associated with the digital data received.

Terminal (MOB) comprising a management entity (ENT) as defined in claim 6. Computer program capable of being implemented on a management entity (ENT) as defined in claim 6, the program comprising code instructions which, when executed by a processor, carries out the steps of the defined method in claim 1. Data carrier on which at least one series of program code instructions for executing a method according to claim 1 has been stored.