System and Method for Providing Direct Access to an Application when Unlocking a Consumer Electronic Device

Abstract

A consumer electronic device has an orientation sensor and a lock control. The orientation sensor outputs signals identifying the orientation of the device, while the lock control to allow a user to move the device from a locked state to an unlocked state. The device also includes a plurality of application programs stored in memory. Responsive to the user unlocking the device, a controller will launch a selected application program. The application that is launched by the device is based on an orientation of the device.

1 . A method of launching application programs on a consumer electronic device, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of application programs in a memory of the consumer electronics device;   determining an orientation of the consumer electronics device;   receiving input transitioning the consumer electronic device from a locked state to an unlocked state; and   responsive to detecting the consumer electronics device transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state, executing an application program selected based on an orientation of the consumer electronics device responsive to the device transitioning from a locked state to an unlocked state.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving an orientation signal from an orientation sensor associated with the consumer electronic device indicating the orientation of the consumer electronic device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving user input transitioning the consumer electronic device from the locked state to the unlocked state. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein receiving user input transitioning the consumer electronic device to the unlocked state comprises detecting that the user has actuated a lock control on the consumer electronic device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 associating respective identifiers for one or more of the application programs to corresponding orientation indicators for the consumer electronic device; and 
 storing the associations in memory of the consumer electronic device. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein executing the selected application program comprises:
 placing the consumer electronic device into the unlocked state; 
 determining the orientation of the device; 
 comparing the orientation of the device to the orientation indicators stored in memory; and 
 executing the application program corresponding to the orientation indicator that matches the determined orientation of the device. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying a graphical indicator on a lock control displayed on the consumer electronic device to identify which selected application program would be executed responsive to transitioning the consumer electronic device to the unlocked state in a current orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising changing the graphical indicator from a first graphical indicator identifying a first selected application program to a second graphical indicator identifying a second selected application program responsive to detecting a change in the orientation of the consumer electronic device. 
     
     
         9 . A consumer electronics device comprising:
 a memory circuit configured to store a plurality of application programs to be executed by the consumer electronic device; and   a programmable controller circuit configured to:
 determine an orientation of the consumer electronics device; 
 receive input transitioning the consumer electronic device from a locked state to an unlocked state; and 
 responsive to detecting the consumer electronics device transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state, execute an application program selected based on an orientation of the consumer electronic device when the device transitions from a locked state to an unlocked state. 
   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  further comprising an orientation sensor configured to provide an orientation signal identifying the orientation of the device. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 9  further comprising a lock control configured to output an unlock signal responsive to the user transitioning the consumer electronic device to the unlocked state. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  further comprising a touch-sensitive display, and wherein the lock control comprises a slide lock control displayed on the touch-sensitive display. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the slide lock control includes a graphical indicator that identifies which selected application program would be executed responsive to the user transitioning the consumer electronic device to the unlocked state in the current orientation. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  wherein the programmable controller circuit is configured to change the graphical indicator from a first indicator to a second indicator responsive to detecting a change in the orientation of the consumer electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the lock control comprises a control disposed on a housing of the consumer electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11  further comprising a user interface, and wherein the programmable controller circuit is configured to receive user input from the user interface transitioning the consumer electronic device to the unlocked state. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the programmable controller circuit is configured to:
 associate respective identifiers for one or more of the application programs to corresponding orientation indicators for the consumer electronic device; and 
 store the associations in the memory. 
 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein the programmable controller circuit is further configured to:
 place the consumer electronic device into the unlocked state; 
 determine the orientation of the device; 
 compare the orientation of the device to the orientation indicators stored in the memory circuit; and 
 execute the application program corresponding to the orientation indicator that matches the determined orientation of the device. 
 
     
     
         20 . A consumer electronic device comprising:
 a memory circuit configured to store a plurality of application programs to be executed by the consumer electronic device;   a touch-sensitive slide-lock control configured to transition the consumer electronics device from a locked state to an unlocked state;   an orientation sensor configured to output orientation signals indicating an orientation of the consumer electronic device; and   a programmable controller circuit configured to:
 determine an orientation of the consumer electronics device based on the orientation signals output by the orientation sensor; 
 receive user input at the touch-sensitive slide-lock control transitioning the consumer electronic device from the locked state to the unlocked state; and 
 responsive to detecting the consumer electronics device transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state, execute a selected application program stored in the memory circuit based on the orientation signals.