Patent ID: 7784088

Claim:
A method for unlocking a mobile electronic device, the device having a host operating system and a client operating system layer, the method comprising: initiating start-up of the device which triggers launch of a virtual machine on the client operating system layer, after the initiation of start-up and before completion of the launch of the virtual machine, a host security module running on the host operating system receiving user authentication input; passing user authentication input from the host security module to the client operating system layer with a validation request; the client operating system layer authenticating the user authentication input and notifying the host security module of a successful authentication; the host security module unlocking access to an at least one host application running on the host operating, system to enable access to the at least one host application; the client operating system layer sending a message to the virtual machine regarding the authenticated user input; and on completion of the launch of the virtual machine, the virtual machine unlocking the protected client data stored in memory on the device in response to the message to enable access to the protected client data.