imax500 (Australia)
Smartphone 'Handover' Screenlock Device
When smart devices, particularly smart phones, with touch screens are handed from one user to another user with the intent of sharing content as displayed on the display of the device, often, for touch screen devices, the new user inadvertently touches the smart screen when receiving the device from the first user, and in the process the desired content is thus not shown on the display because the touch has enabled an undesired touch function inadvertently.



Examples:

- When using a smartphone a common desire for a user is to show another person a photo.

- Often when transferring the phone to the second user there is an accidental touch of the touch screen by either the first or second user

- Often the inadvertent touch activates a function that removes the desired photo from the display

- Then there is a tedious process where the original user has to retrieve the phone and repeat the process



The core of the invention is a capability to freeze the touch screen for the handover of the device. In this manner there is no inadvertent touch event during the handover. Freezing of the touch screen can mean:

- Total lockdown of the touch screen so that no touch events are interpreted by the device OS

- Or, partial lockdown of the touchscreen, so that, for example, the zone around the outside perimeter of the touchscreen does not register touch events, since it is this outside region that is most likely to experience inadvertent touches



There are two key ways in which freezing of the touchscreen can be implemented

- Automatically, where sensors in the device are used to monitor and detect a handover of a device from a first to a second user

- Manually, where the first user implements an input that freezes the device for the handover function



Time

- The freezing of the device can be for a fixed period, designed so that the handover can be effected without issues. This fixed period can be a set time or user-defined,

- Or for the whole period of time whilst the second user has the device

- Or until either the first or second user implements a user input to unfreeze the device



Automatic detection of the first and second handover events can include

- Use of gyrometer sensors or other sensors that determine spatial position of the device

- Use of camera sensors, front and back, for example to detect the position of the device with respect to the hand(s) and/or face(s) of the user(s)

- Use of any other sensors in the device and any combination thereof



Manual entering and/or leaving "handover" mode

- A button that is pressed

- A gesture that is made, possibly pre-recorded, and is used solely for this function

- Voice command

- Any other input possible into the device



Apps

- The "freeze" function may be used at all times, or only for certain apps which are more likely to contain content which is shared by users, eg photo apps

- The user may be able to define which apps in which the freeze function is working

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