Gaze detection interlock feature for touch screen devices

A method for controlling a touch screen device, said method comprising:

• providing the device having a display screen responsive to touch inputs by a user, at least one front-facing camera configured to detect a gaze direction of the user's eyes, and a processor with memory;
• unlocking the device, by the user, to enable interaction with one or more application programs executable by the processor;
• determining, by the processor analyzing images from the camera, whether the user's gaze is directed toward the display screen;
• responding to the touch inputs to perform application operations, by the processor, when the device is unlocked and the user's gaze is directed toward the display screen;
• and ignoring the touch inputs on the display screen, by the processor when a gaze detection interlock feature is enabled, when the user's gaze is not directed toward the display screen;
• wherein the gaze detection interlock feature is configured to recognize a difference between a primary user of the touch screen device and another user of the touch screen device, and is configurable to use the difference in responding to the touch inputs or ignoring the touch inputs;
• wherein the gaze detection interlock feature is configurable by the primary user to either;
• respond to the touch inputs only when the primary user's gaze is directed toward the display screen, or respond to the touch inputs when the primary user's gaze or another user's gaze is directed toward the display screen.

An electronic device comprising:

• a display screen responsive to touch inputs by a user;
• a front-facing camera or sensor configured to detect a gaze direction of the user's eyes;
• and a processor with memory, said processor being in communication with the camera or sensor and receiving the touch inputs from the display screen, where the memory contains one or more application programs for execution by the processor, and where the processor is configured to execute from the memory a gaze detection interlock algorithm performing steps of;
• determining whether the user's gaze is directed toward the display screen based on images or data from the camera or sensor, responding to the touch inputs to perform application operations when the device is unlocked and the user's gaze is directed toward the display screen, and ignoring the touch inputs when the user's gaze is not directed toward the display screen, where the gaze detection interlock algorithm is configured to recognize an identity of a primary user of the touch screen device versus another user of the touch screen device, and the identity is usable by the algorithm in determining whether to respond to the touch inputs or ignore the touch inputs;
• wherein the gaze detection interlock algorithm is configurable by the primary user to either;
• respond to the touch inputs only when the primary user's gaze is directed toward the display screen, or respond to the touch inputs when the primary user's gaze or another user's gaze is directed toward the display screen.