Patent ID: 9589118
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: G06F,H04L

Claim:
1. A method of authenticating a user of a mobile communications device comprising: receiving an indication that the user desires to unlock the device; determining one or more device context factors regarding a current context of the device, the device context factors including ambient light; determining one or more user context factors, the user context factors including connectivity between the device and a vehicle area network associated with a vehicle of the user, wherein the determining of the user context factors comprises determining whether the user of the device is likely driving the vehicle; detecting a currently selected authentication mode of the device; evaluating whether the user is likely driving the vehicle, and whether the currently selected authentication mode requires a level of ambient light for one or more of facial recognition, typing by the user, or drawing by the user; and allowing the user to authenticate using the currently selected authentication mode when it is determined that the user is not likely driving the vehicle, and changing the authentication mode to another authentication mode that includes voice authentication when the user is likely driving the vehicle and when the currently selected authentication mode requires one or more of facial recognition, typing by the user, or drawing by the user, while the required level of ambient light is not met, wherein the mobile communications device comprises one of a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal computer, or an embedded automobile computing system.