EXTENDING INACTIVITY TIMEOUT FOR DEVICE LOCK IN DUAL LOW-POWER PROCESSOR CONFIGURATION

• Main Authors: GUNN, Michael E, FLOWERS, Christian L, WELLS, Andrew K, SIMERSON, Jarrett K
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 08.11.2017
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

A method and apparatus for extending an authentication timeout period for an electronic device includes a primary processor of the electronic device initiating an authentication timeout period at a timeout initiation time and putting the primary processor into a sleep mode. The method also includes awakening the primary processor from the sleep mode at an expiration time, upon expiration of the authentication timeout period, and determining whether an authentication timeout extending input was detected by an adjunct processor of the electronic device at an input detection time that occurred during the authentication timeout period. The method further includes extending the authentication timeout period to expire at an extended expiration time, which is based on the input detection time, when the authentication timeout extending input was detected by the adjunct processor or locking the electronic device when the authentication timeout extending input was not detected by the adjunct processor.