Patent Abstract:
The disclosure is directed to a device password reset. A method in accordance with an embodiment includes: receiving a phone call at a locked mobile device from a phone having a privileged phone number; initiating a password reset in response to the receipt of the phone call from the privileged phone number and the phone call exceeding a predetermined time duration threshold by: terminating, by the locked mobile device, the phone call from the phone having the privileged phone number; generating, by the locked mobile device, a temporary password; establishing, by the locked mobile device, a connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; displaying, by the locked mobile device, a password entry field; communicating, by the locked mobile device, the temporary password via the connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; and unlocking the locked mobile device upon successful entry of the temporary password in the password entry field displayed by the locked mobile device.

Full Description:
REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     The current application is a continuation application of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 14/020,937, which was filed on 9 Sep. 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to mobile devices, and more particularly, to a mobile device password reset. 
     RELATED ART 
     Many methods are available for resetting a forgotten or lost password of a mobile device. One method, typically referred to as a master or factory reset, returns a mobile device to its original, default operating system state. However, this process erases all data (e.g., contacts, applications, personalized settings, etc.) added to the mobile device after purchase. Another method requires a phone call to the phone company that provides service to the mobile device. The present invention addresses these problems allowing users to avoid the data reconstruction of a hard reset and the cost of service provider involvement. 
     SUMMARY 
     A first aspect of the invention provides a device password reset method, comprising: receiving a phone call at a locked mobile device from a phone having a privileged phone number; initiating a password reset in response to the receipt of the phone call from the phone having the privileged phone number and the phone call exceeding a predetermined time duration threshold, the password reset comprising: terminating, by the locked mobile device, the phone call from the privileged phone number; generating, by the locked mobile device, a temporary password; establishing, by the locked mobile device, a connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; displaying, by the locked mobile device, a password entry field; communicating, by the locked mobile device, the temporary password via the connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; and unlocking the locked mobile device upon successful entry of the temporary password in the password entry field displayed by the locked mobile device. 
     A second aspect of the invention provides a device configured to perform a password reset method, the method comprising: receiving a phone call at a locked mobile device from a phone having a privileged phone number; initiating a password reset in response to the receipt of the phone call from the phone having the privileged phone number and the phone call exceeding a predetermined time duration threshold, the password reset comprising: terminating, by the locked mobile device, the phone call from the privileged phone number; generating, by the locked mobile device, a temporary password; establishing, by the locked mobile device, a connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; displaying, by the locked mobile device, a password entry field; communicating, by the locked mobile device, the temporary password via the connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; and unlocking the locked mobile device upon successful entry of the temporary password in the password entry field displayed by the locked mobile device. 
     A third aspect of the invention provides a computer program product including program code embodied in at least one computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a device password reset method, the method comprising: receiving a phone call at a locked mobile device from a phone having a privileged phone number; initiating a password reset in response to the receipt of the phone call from the phone having the privileged phone number and the phone call exceeding a predetermined time duration threshold, the password reset comprising: terminating, by the locked mobile device, the phone call from the privileged phone number; generating, by the locked mobile device, a temporary password; establishing, by the locked mobile device, a connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; displaying, by the locked mobile device, a password entry field; communicating, by the locked mobile device, the temporary password via the connection to the phone having the privileged phone number; and unlocking the locked mobile device upon successful entry of the temporary password in the password entry field displayed by the locked mobile device. 
     Other aspects of the invention provide methods, systems, program products, and methods of using and generating each, which include and/or implement some or all of the actions described herein. The illustrative aspects of the invention are designed to solve one or more of the problems herein described and/or one or more other problems not discussed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features of the disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various aspects of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a flow diagram of an illustrative process for a mobile device password reset, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative setup process for a mobile device password reset, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a user initiating a mobile device password reset by placing a phone call to a locked mobile device, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a locked mobile device comparing the phone number of a received phone call to privileged phone numbers on a predefined list, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  depicts the display of a password reset option to a user via a display of a mobile device, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  depicts a mobile device placing a return phone call to the phone number of the phone that initiated a mobile device password reset, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  depicts the initiation of a password reset upon receiving a correct temporary password, according to embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  shows an illustrative environment for a mobile device password reset according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     It is noted that the drawings may not be to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates generally to mobile devices, and more particularly, to a mobile device password reset. 
     When a mobile device enters a locked state, operation of the mobile device may be prevented or severely limited. Such a locked state may occur automatically, for example, after a predetermined period of inactivity, or may be activated manually (e.g., via buttons/keys on the mobile device or remotely over the Internet). Typically, the locked state of a mobile device is provided as a security measure to prevent unauthorized or unintended use of the mobile device. However, while in the locked state, most mobile devices allow incoming phone calls, which can be answered by a user of the mobile device, and/or a user of the mobile device may be able to place an outgoing emergency call. 
     To unlock a mobile device that has entered a locked state, a user typically enters a password into a password entry screen of the mobile device using a virtual or physical keypad of the mobile device. A password may comprise, for example, an alphanumeric passcode, passkey, passphrase, access code, personal identification number (PIN), a pattern entered on the screen, or other type of authentication data. If the user correctly enters the password within a predetermined number of attempts, the mobile device is unlocked and full functionality is restored. Repeated failures to enter the correct password may, in some cases, cause the mobile device to erase all data and perform a master reset. 
     The present invention provides a mobile device password reset that allows a user to securely regain full authorized access to a locked mobile device. In the present disclosure, such a mobile device may include, for example, a cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer, PDA, laptop computer, or other handheld computing/communication device capable of sending/receiving phone calls. 
       FIG. 1  shows a flow diagram of an illustrative process for a mobile device password reset according to embodiments. During a setup process S 1 , and as depicted in  FIG. 2 , a predefined list  10  of one or more privileged phone numbers  12  is provided and stored in a mobile device  14  by an authorized user  16  (e.g., owner) of the mobile device  14 . For example, the predefined list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  may include the home and work phone numbers of the user  16 , a friend&#39;s cell phone number, a relative&#39;s land-line phone number, etc. 
     The user  16  may provide the predefined list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  during an initial or subsequent configuration of the settings of the mobile device  14 . Application software  18  loaded and running on the mobile device  14  may also be used to provide the predefined list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  to the mobile device  14 . 
     At S 2 , assuming the mobile device  14  is in a locked state and the user  16  has forgotten the password for unlocking the mobile device  14 , the user  16  initiates a mobile device password reset by placing a phone call  20  ( FIG. 3 ) to the mobile device  14  from another phone  22 . The phone  22  can comprise any telecommunication device capable of sending/receiving phone calls, including a mobile device, a land-line phone, a computer with VoIP capabilities, and/or the like. At S 3 , the phone call  20  is received and answered by the mobile device  14 . 
     At S 4 , the mobile device  14  compares ( FIG. 4 ) the phone number  24  of the phone call  20  to the privileged phone numbers  12  on the predefined list  10 . The phone number  24  of the phone call  20  may be determined via caller ID or using any other suitable technique. 
     If the phone number  24  of the phone call  20  is not on the predefined list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  (N at S 4 ), the mobile device password reset process ends and the call proceeds as normal. If, however, the phone number  24  of the phone call  20  is on the predefined list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  (Y at S 4 ), flow passes to S 5 . 
     At S 5 , the elapsed duration of the phone call  20  is monitored by the mobile device  14 . If the elapsed duration of the phone call  20  exceeds a predetermined time threshold (e.g., 10-15 seconds) (Y at S 5 ), indicating that the phone call  20  has a high likelihood of being legitimate, a password reset option  26  ( FIG. 5 ) is displayed to the user  16  at S 6  via a display  28  of the mobile device  14 . If the phone call  20  is terminated before the predetermined time threshold has been exceeded (N at S 5 ), the mobile device password reset process ends and the call proceeds as normal. The duration of the phone call  20  will generally be shorter in the case that the mobile device  14  is lost/stolen. In such a case, the user  16  would realize the mobile device  14  has been compromised (e.g., based on who answered the mobile device  14 ) and hang-up before the predetermined time threshold, thereby terminating the mobile device password reset process. 
     If the user  16  selects the password reset option  26  (Y at S 7 ), the mobile device  14  enters a password reset mode at S 8 . If the user  16  does not select the password reset option  26  (N at S 7 ), the mobile device password reset process ends and the call proceeds as normal. Selection of the password reset option  26  may be provided, for example, via YES and NO buttons  30 ,  32 , respectively, or in any other suitable manner. 
     Upon entering the password reset mode at S 8 , the mobile device  14  terminates the phone call  20  at S 9 . Thereafter, at S 10 , the mobile device  14  generates a random, one-time, temporary password  34  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     At S 11 , and as shown in  FIG. 6 , the mobile device  14  establishes a connection (e.g., via a return phone call  36 ) to the phone number  24  of the phone  22  that initiated the mobile device password reset. If the return phone call  36  is not answered by the user  16  (N at S 12 ) the mobile device password reset process ends. If the return phone call  36  is answered by the user  16  (Y at S 12 ), the mobile device  14 , at S 13 , displays a password entry field  38  and speaks the temporary password  34  to the user  16  (e.g., using text-to-speech) one or more times for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds). In other embodiments, the mobile device  14  may communicate the temporary password  34  to the user  16  in a non-vocal manner. For example, the mobile device  14  may communicate the temporary password  34  to the user  16  via a short message service (SMS) text message, an email, and/or the like. 
     If the user  16  does not enter the correct temporary password  34  into the displayed password entry field  38  within the predetermined period of time (N at S 14 ), the mobile device password reset process ends. If the user  16  enters the correct temporary password  34  into the displayed password entry field  38  within the predetermined period of time (Y at S 14 ), flow passes to S 15 . As depicted in  FIG. 6 , a timer  40  may be displayed on the mobile device  14  to indicate the time remaining during which the user  16  can enter the correct temporary password  34  into the displayed password entry field  38 . 
     At S 15 , upon receiving the correct temporary password  34 , the mobile device  14  immediately initiates a password change process ( FIG. 7 ), after which the user  16  is required to enter a new password  42  into the mobile device  14 . After successful completion of the password change process (Y at S 16 ), the mobile device  14  is unlocked at S 17  and is ready for use. If the password reset is not completed (N at S 16 ), the mobile device  14  remains locked and the mobile device password reset process ends. In this case, the user  16  must return to S 2  to restart the mobile device password reset process. 
     An illustrative environment  100  for providing a mobile device password reset is shown in  FIG. 8 . The environment  100  includes at least one computer system  101  and a mobile device password reset program  130  that can perform processes described herein in order to provide a mobile device password reset in accordance with embodiments. The environment  100  may be provided, for example, within a mobile device  14 . 
     The computer system  101  is shown including a processing component  102  (e.g., one or more processors), a storage component  104  (e.g., a storage hierarchy), an input/output (I/O) component  106  (e.g., one or more I/O interfaces and/or devices), and a communications pathway  108 . In general, the processing component  102  executes program code, such as the mobile device password reset program  130 , which is at least partially fixed in the storage component  104 . While executing program code, the processing component  102  can process data, such as a list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  and/or the like, which can result in reading and/or writing transformed data from/to the storage component  104  and/or the I/O component  106  for further processing. The pathway  108  provides a communications link between each of the components in the computer system  101 . The I/O component  106  can include one or more human I/O devices, which enable a human user  112  to interact with the computer system  101  and/or one or more communications devices to enable a system user  112  to communicate with the computer system  101  using any type of communications link. To this extent, the mobile device password reset program  130  can manage a set of interfaces (e.g., graphical user interface(s), application program interfaces, communication interface(s), and/or the like) that enable human and/or system users  112  to interact with the mobile device password reset program  130 . Furthermore, the mobile device password reset program  130  can manage (e.g., store, retrieve, create, manipulate, organize, present, etc.) the data, such as the list  10  of privileged phone numbers  12  and/or the like, using any solution. 
     The computer system  101  can include one or more general purpose computing articles of manufacture (e.g., computing devices) capable of executing program code, such as the mobile device password reset program  130 , installed thereon. As used herein, it is understood that “program code” means any collection of instructions, in any language, code or notation, that cause a computing device having an information processing capability to perform a particular action either directly or after any combination of the following: (a) conversion to another language, code or notation; (b) reproduction in a different material form; and/or (c) decompression. To this extent, the mobile device password reset program  130  can be embodied as any combination of system software and/or application software. 
     Furthermore, the mobile device password reset program  130  can be implemented using a set of modules  132 . In this case, a module  132  can enable the computer system  20  to perform a set of tasks used by the mobile device password reset program  130 , and can be separately developed and/or implemented apart from other portions of the mobile device password reset program  130 . As used herein, the term “component” means any configuration of hardware, with or without software, which implements the functionality described in conjunction therewith using any solution, while the term “module” means program code that enables a computer system  101  to implement the actions described in conjunction therewith using any solution. When fixed in a storage component  104  of a computer system  101  that includes a processing component  102 , a module is a portion of a component that implements the actions. Regardless, it is understood that two or more components, modules, and/or systems may share some/all of their respective hardware and/or software. Furthermore, it is understood that some of the functionality discussed herein may not be implemented or additional functionality may be included as part of the computer system  101 . 
     When the computer system  101  includes multiple computing devices, each computing device can have only a portion of the mobile device password reset program  130  fixed thereon (e.g., one or more modules  132 ). However, it is understood that the computer system  101  and the mobile device password reset program  130  are only representative of various possible equivalent computer systems that may perform a process described herein. To this extent, in other embodiments, the functionality provided by the computer system  101  and the mobile device password reset program  130  can be at least partially implemented by one or more computing devices that include any combination of general and/or specific purpose hardware with or without program code. In each embodiment, the hardware and program code, if included, can be created using standard engineering and programming techniques, respectively. 
     When the computer system  101  includes multiple computing devices, the computing devices can communicate over any type of communications link. Furthermore, while performing a process described herein, the computer system  101  can communicate with one or more other computer systems using any type of communications link. In either case, the communications link can include any combination of various types of optical fiber, wired, and/or wireless links; include any combination of one or more types of networks; and/or utilize any combination of various types of transmission techniques and protocols. 
     While shown and described herein as a method and system for detecting illegal activity through interpersonal relationship resolution, it is understood that aspects of the invention further provide various alternative embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the invention provides a computer program fixed in at least one computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to for detect illegal activity through interpersonal relationship resolution. To this extent, the computer-readable storage medium includes program code, such as the mobile device password reset program  130 , which enables a computer system to implement some or all of a process described herein. It is understood that the term “computer-readable storage medium” includes one or more of any type of tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which a copy of the program code can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated by a computing device. For example, the computer-readable medium can include: one or more portable storage articles of manufacture; one or more memory/storage components of a computing device; paper; and/or the like. 
     Another embodiment of the invention provides a method of providing a copy of program code, such as the mobile device password reset program  30 , which enables a computer system to implement some or all of a process described herein. In this case, a computer system can process a copy of the program code to generate and transmit, for reception at a second, distinct location, a set of data signals that has one or more of its characteristics set and/or changed in such a manner as to encode a copy of the program code in the set of data signals. Similarly, an embodiment of the invention provides a method of acquiring a copy of the program code, which includes a computer system receiving the set of data signals described herein, and translating the set of data signals into a copy of the computer program fixed in at least one computer-readable medium. In either case, the set of data signals can be transmitted/received using any type of communications link. 
     Still another embodiment of the invention provides a method for providing a mobile device password reset. In this case, a computer system, such as the computer system  101 , can be obtained (e.g., created, maintained, made available, etc.) and one or more components for performing process(es) described herein can be obtained (e.g., created, purchased, used, modified, etc.) and deployed to the computer system. To this extent, the deployment can include one or more of: (1) installing program code on a computing device; (2) adding one or more computing and/or I/O devices to the computer system; (3) incorporating and/or modifying the computer system to enable it to perform a process described herein; and/or the like. 
     The foregoing description of various aspects of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to an individual skilled in the art are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7