Automated device access
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorMatthew E. Last
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of unlocking a locked device includes receiving a device identifier over a wireless communication protocol, determining if the device identifier is associated with a list of trusted devices, transmitting a request to generate an acoustic signal over the wireless communication protocol based on the determination, receiving the acoustic signal as an audio sound generated external to the locked device, estimating a distance between a source of the audio sound and the locked device, and unlocking the locked device based on the estimation.
Claims20
A method, comprising, by a first computing device that is operating in a locked state:
- receiving, using a wireless communications protocol, a device identifier associated with a second computing device;
- in response to determining, based on the device identifier, that the second computing device is known to the first computing device;
- outputting a first signal to the second computing device, wherein the first signal is constructed to cause the second computing device to output a second signal that is derived from the first signal;
- in response to determining that (1) the second signal is derived from the first signal, and (2) a time of flight based on timing information associated with the first and second signals satisfies a threshold:
- transitioning the first computing device into an unlocked state.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a first computing device operating in a locked state, cause the first computing device to carry out steps that include:
- receiving, using a wireless communications protocol, a device identifier associated with a second computing device;
- in response to determining, based on the device identifier, that the second computing device is known to the first computing device;
- outputting a first signal to the second computing device, wherein the first signal is constructed to cause the second computing device to output a second signal that is derived from the first signal;
- in response to determining that (1) the second signal is derived from the first signal, and (2) a time of flight based on timing information associated with the first and second signals satisfies a threshold:
- transitioning the first computing device into an unlocked state.
A first computing device operating in a locked state, the first computing device comprising a processor configured to cause the first computing device to carry out steps that include:
- receiving, using a wireless communications protocol, a device identifier associated with a second computing device;
- in response to determining, based on the device identifier, that the second computing device is known to the first computing device;
- outputting a first signal to the second computing device, wherein the first signal is constructed to cause the second computing device to output a second signal that is derived from the first signal;
- in response to determining that (1) the second signal is derived from the first signal, and (2) a time of flight based on timing information associated with the first and second signals satisfies a threshold:
- transitioning the first computing device into an unlocked state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.