CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 22305204.4 filed February 24, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of data entry.

BACKGROUND

Any background information described herein is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to the present embodiments that are described below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light.

A trend in the design of remote control (RC) devices for operating display devices, is to reduce the number of input keys on the remote control device. A remote control device of a display, e.g., a TV set, may for example no longer contain alphanumerical keys. A graphical user interface (GUI) may propose a minimalist interface. It is then difficult to contemplate how a user may enter a code or password without elements of the code or of password being displayed on the display, and thus being visible to other users, while this may be undesirable for security reasons.

There is thus a need to further improve methods for data entry.

SUMMARY

According to a one aspect of the present disclosure, embodiments of methods are described and claimed in the appended claims.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, embodiments of a device implementing at least one of the methods are described and claimed in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

More advantages of the present disclosure will appear through the description of particular, non-restricting embodiments. To describe the way the advantages of the present disclosure can be obtained, particular descriptions of the present principles are rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. The drawings depict exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered as limiting its scope. The embodiments described can be combined to form particular advantageous embodiments. In the following figures, items with same reference numbers as items already described in a previous figure will not be described again to avoid unnecessary obscuring the disclosure. The embodiments will be described with reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an example of entry of a secret Personal Identification Number (PIN) code using a remote control device having a numerical keypad.

Figure 2 is another example of entry of a secret PIN code, this time using a remote control device without numerical keypad.

Figure 3a-c is an embodiment of a method that avoids some of the inconveniences or disadvantages of the methods described with the help of figs. 1 or 2.

Figure 4 is a further embodiment of a method according to the disclosure.

Figure 5 is a further embodiment of a method according to the disclosure.

Figure 6a-b is a minimalist user interface that may be used according to the present disclosure.

Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment.

Figure 8 is a functional diagram of an embodiment of a device configured to implement methods according to the present disclosure.

It should be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the disclosure and are not necessarily the only possible configuration for illustrating the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present description illustrates the principles of the present disclosure. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the disclosure and are included within its spirit and scope.

All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for educational purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the disclosure and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the disclosure, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.

Figure 1 is an example of entry of a secret PIN code using a remote control device having a numerical keypad.

A display 10 shows a graphical user interface 11 that includes a text “Please enter your 4-digit PIN code” as well as four entry boxes. A remote control device 12 has a numerical keypad, arrow keys, and an ‘OK’ key. A user wishing to enter his PIN code simply selects the PIN code on the numerical keypad of the remote control device 12 and gets access to further features when the PIN code entered is valid for accessing the further features. The digits entered by the user are not shown on the display 10, which ensures that the PIN code entered is kept secret for any other persons that may view display 10.

Figure 2 is another example of entry of a secret PIN code, but this time using a remote control device without numerical keypad. A display 20 shows a graphical user interface 21 that includes four boxes for entry of a four-digit PIN code, a text “Please enter your 4-digit PIN code”, and a textual explanation of how the user may use the keys of remote control device 22 to enter the PIN code: arrow keys ‘up’ and ‘down’ to select a digit, button ‘OK’ to confirm the selected digit, and arrows ‘left’ and Tight’ to enter a previous respectively a next digit. In the figure, the first digit (from left to right) is selected, and a menu is shown in the box for entering the first digit. The user may, using the up and down arrow keys, select one of the displayed numbers, (here, the number 2 is selected), and then, using the OK key, enter the selected number as the first digit of the PIN code. Then the user may use the same method to enter the other three digits of the PIN code. The user may get access to further features or personal/confidential information when the entered PIN code is valid for accessing the further features or personal/confidential information. As can be observed, because the keypad of the remote control has no numerical keys, the selected digits of the PIN code appear on the display, and the PIN code may therefore be viewed (observed) by other users viewing the display. The absence of numerical keys on the remote control therefore adversely affects the secrecy of the PIN code.

Figure 3a-c is an embodiment of a method, that avoids some of the disadvantages of the previously described examples of Figs. 1 and 2. Figure 3a shows a display 30 rendering a graphical user interface 31 for entering a four-digit PIN code using remote control device 22 that has no numerical keypad. The GUI 31 displays two rows of digits (sets of selectable values), having the values (selectable values), from left to right, of 0,1 ,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 for the top row (first set of selectable values), and 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,1 ,0 for the bottom row (second set of selectable values). The user may use the left and right arrow keys (focus indicator movement control commands) to set the focus (indicated by a rectangle, cursor or any other graphical means having the function of pointing to a selectable value) to one of the values displayed in a row. The user may use the up and down arrow keys (focus indicator movement control commands) to select one of the top or bottom rows. At any time, multiple focus rectangles (e.g., a first focus indicator (real cursor) and a second focus indicator (fake cursor)) are displayed, one in each row, but only one focus indicator has what may be referred to here as the entry focus (e.g, one of the first or the second focus indicators), i.e. , the focus that serves to enter a value (the Teal cursor’). The left and right arrow keys make the focus indicators move left or right over each of the top and the bottom rows synchronously, while the OK key selects the digits of the top row only. When a digit is selected by using the OK key, an asterisk 32 is shown per each selected digit. According to a scenario illustrated with the help of figures 3a-c, and in order to keep the explanation simple, the first three digits of the PIN code entered are ‘2 1 0’ and the user only selects values from the top row (i.e., the top row cursor has the entry focus) (e.g., the first focus indicator has the entry focus, i.e., the first focus indicator is the entry focus indicator). When the user enters the value 2 (of the top row) for the first digit of the 4-number PIN code in Fig.3a, the value 1 (of the top row) for the second digit of the 4-number PIN code in Fig. 3b, and the value 0 (of the top row) for the third digit of the 4- number PIN code in Fig. 3c, it is impossible for a viewer watching the display 30 and graphical user interface 31 , which numbers have been entered by the user, as only the user entering the PIN code knows that only top row values were selected for the 4-digit PIN code. For a person watching the graphical interface 31 , the user may as well have entered any of 2 1 0, 2 1 9, 2 8 0, 2 9 8, 7 1 0, 7 1 9, 7 8 0, or 7 8 9, for example. Using the method according to the embodiments, the entry of the PIN code is obfuscated for viewers other than the person entering the PIN code. The entry of the 4th digit of the PIN code is not shown as being similar to the entry of the first, second and third digit. According to the embodiment of figs 3a-c, the absence of numerical keys on the remote control does not affect the secrecy of the PIN code.

Figure 4 is a further embodiment of a method according to the disclosure, and shows a display 40 with a GUI 41 . In this figure, all the possible numerical values 0-9 that may be entered for the 4-digit PIN code are only presented once and are displayed in two rows, a top row that displays the values 0-4 and a bottom row that displays the further values 5-9. As in figs. 3a- c, there are two focus indicators. The user that wants to enter a PIN code chooses which of the two focus indicators has the entry focus using the up and down arrows. The user chooses the value to enter using the left and right arrows and OK to confirm. As with figs. 3a-c, it is impossible for a viewer watching the display 40 and graphical user interface 41 , which of the PIN code numbers are entered by the user, as only the user entering the PIN code knows which of the two cursors has the entry focus, i.e. , which of the two cursors is the ‘real’ cursor and which of the two cursors is the ‘fake’ cursor.

Figure 5 is a further embodiment of a method according to the disclosure. In figure 5, a single display and entry device (‘user device’) 50 is used instead of a separate display and remote control device as shown in figs. 3a-c and 4. Device 50 is for example a smart phone or mobile device with a tactile display allowing both data entry and display. A user may use arrow and OK keys to enter information, e.g., a 4-digit PIN code. For sake of simplicity the GUI is similar to that of fig. 4. The method for entry of data (a 4-digit PIN code in the present case) is similar to explained for fig.4 and is not repeated here. The embodiment may advantageously be used when a user needs to enter confidential information in presence of other persons that may view the display of the user device.

Figure 6a-b is a display 60 of a minimalist user interface that may be used according to the present disclosure. In figures 6a and 6b, left to right movement, respectively right to left movement of the entry focus indicator, is carried out using prolonged pressing (a key press with a lengthened duration, e.g., pressing and holding the key pressed for, for example, 2 or 3 seconds) on the right arrow respectively on the left arrow. For example, the entry focus indicator (and the other focus indicator(s)) starts to move to the right when the user has pressed the right arrow button for more than 2 seconds. The entry focus indicator (and the other focus indicator(s)) moves stepwise to the right as long as the user remains pressing the right arrow button, and stops moving when the user releases the right arrow button, where the PIN code digit that has the entry focus indicator is entered. The releasing of the right arrow button thus has the same function as the ok button in the previously discussed embodiments of figs. 3a-c, 4 and 5. The same goes for the left arrow button. The movement of the other focus indicator may be synchronous and in the same direction as the movement of the entry focus indicator. Only the user entering the PIN code may know which of the focus indicators is the entry focus indicator, e.g, the focus indicator of the top row, or the focus indicator of the bottom row. More than two rows may be displayed 70 for improved obfuscation, for example 3 rows, as in fig. 6b. The user may, according to an embodiment, choose the row that has the entry focus in a menu preceding the GUI shown in this figure, e.g. by choosing a number between 1 and 2 for the GUI shown in fig. 6a (e.g. 1 selects top row as entry focus indicator row, while 2 selects bottom row as entry focus indicator row), and between 1 and 3 for the GUI shown in fig. 6b (e.g. 1 selects top row as entry focus indicator row, 2 selects middle row as entry focus indicator row, 3 selects bottom indicator row as entry focus indicator row).

In a further optimized minimalist user interface (not shown), there is only one button. Prolonged pressing the button for more than, for example, 1 , 2, 3, 4 or 5s, starts moving the focus indicators from left to right or from right to left. Releasing the button stops the movement of the focus indicators and selects the value indicated (pointed to) by the entry focus indicator. As discussed above, according to an embodiment, more than two focus indicators (multiple focus indicators) may be used, for example 3, 4, 5, or 10, for improved obfuscation. According to an embodiment, each focus indicator may distinguish from other focus indicators by visual (graphical) features, for example, by shape, form and/or color and/or shading. When focus indicators distinguish from each other by visual features, it is easier for the user to distinguish the entry focus indicator from the other focus indicator(s), while it remains impossible for other viewers to know which of the multiple focus indicators is the entry focus indicator. According to an embodiment, the focus indicator(s) other than the entry focus indicator may move independently, in direction and/or time, from the user-initiated movement of the entry focus indicator, for further improved obfuscation. For example, the focus indicator(s) other than the entry focus indicator may move autonomously and randomly over (may point to) the values 0-9 in the previous examples. Therefore, at least the movement (displacement) of the entry focus indicator may be controlled (or triggered by) user-initiated movement (by receipt of a focus indicator control command) (e.g., by means of focus indicator (or cursor) movement control commands (e.g., arrow up, down, left, right, button long press, button short press), or by movement of the entry focus indicator, while the movement of the other focus indicator(s) may be independent of the user-initiated movement (or independent of movement) of the entry focus indicator. According to another embodiment, the entry focus indicator and the other focus indicator(s) movements are made dependent, so that the movement of the entry focus indicator, when moved by receipt of a focus indicator movement control command, triggers movement of the other focus indicator(s). Even in the latter case, according to an embodiment, the direction of movement and the movement step size of the other focus indicator(s) may still be independent from the direction of movement and step size of the entry focus indicator. By movement step size is meant that a focus indicator has a step size of 1 when it moves to the immediately next or previous selectable value, and a step size of n when the focus indicator is moved to the n next or n previous selectable value.

In the figures, the set(s) of selectable values is (are) displayed horizontally. According to embodiments, the set(s) of selectable values may be displayed vertically, diagonally, or in any other configuration such as a geometrical or free-form shape. According to an embodiment, the number of other focus indicators may vary as data is entered. For example, at entry of a first digit of a 4-digit PIN code, one entry focus indicator is displayed and two other focus indicators are displayed. At entry of a second digit of the 4-digit PIN code, one entry focus indicator is displayed and four other focus indicators are displayed.

According to an embodiment, it is not required to show that a value has been selected with the OK button by showing an indicator (here, an asterisk), for further improved obfuscation. According to an embodiment, it is not required to have an OK button, nor is it required to have up and down arrow keys, see fig. 6. The above described methods and embodiments are not only suitable for entry of a 4-digit PIN code but are suitable for entry of any kind of confidential sequence of characters including numerical values, alphanumerical characters or a combination thereof. For example, the above methods and embodiments are suitable for entry of passwords comprising a set of alphanumerical characters and special characters. According to an embodiment, the GUI may be displayed full screen, or in a pop-up window.

In general, any combination of the above methods and embodiments may be advantageously used in situations where entry of confidential information is to be obfuscated (to remain secret or to be hidden) for other viewers.

Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method 700 according to an embodiment. The method is for example implemented by a device 800.

In 701 , at least one set of selectable values (e.g., a set of numerical values and/or characters, a set of numerical values and/or characters) is displayed.

In 702 is displayed a first focus indicator (e.g., a first or Teal’ cursor) pointing to a selectable value of the at least one set of selectable values. Further is displayed at least one second focus indicator (e.g., second or ‘fake’ cursor(s)) pointing to at least one selectable value of the at least one set of selectable values. At any time, the first focus indicator points to a selectable value that is different from the at least one selectable value pointed to by the at least one second focus indicator. The first focus indicator and the at least one second focus indicator are configured to be moved among the selectable values upon receipt of focus indicator movement control commands. The focus indicator movement control commands control the movement of at least the first focus indicator. In 703 information is received that is representative of a selection of a selectable value of the at least one set of selectable values pointed to by the first focus indicator.

The method may for example be used to enter data such as a PIN code or a password or any other sequence of characters of which the entry is to remain hidden for users/viewers/persons other than the user/person entering the data. The steps of the method 700 may be repeated, for example n times to enter n digits of a PIN code, or to enter n characters of a password or access code of length n.

According to an embodiment, when there are multiple second focus indicators each of the multiple second focus indicators may point at any time to a different selectable value that is also different from the selectable value pointed to by the first focus indicator.

According to an embodiment, the first and the at least one second focus indicator are not graphically distinguishable, i.e. , are graphically the same, ‘the same’ meaning: having identical graphical (visual) presentation or features, such as form, transparency, color, intensity, and shading, that make them graphically (visually) the same.

According to an embodiment, the first and the at least one second focus indicator are graphically distinguishable, e.g., using distinguishable graphical features such as color and/or shape for example.

According to an embodiment, the method may further include triggering movement of the at least one second focus indicator by movement of the first focus indicator and wherein the movement of the at least one second focus indicator is independent of the movement of the first focus indicator. For example, when the first focus indicator is displaced/moved using focus indicator control commands such as left, right, up, down, the displacement/movement of the first focus indicator causes a displacement/movement of the second focus indicator(s) that is not related to the displacement/movement of first focus indicator. For example, when the first focus indicator is moved one step to the right, the second focus indicator may be moved one or multiple steps to the right, or one or multiple steps to the left. If there are multiple second focus indicators, each of the multiple second focus indicator may be configured to move independently from the other of the multiple second focus indicators.

According to an embodiment, the movement of the at least one second focus indicator is triggered by movement of the first focus indicator and the movement of the at least one second focus indicator is dependent on the movement of the first focus indicator. For example, when the first focus indicator is moved to the right, the at least one second focus indicator is also moved to the right. For example, when the first focus indicator is moved two steps to the left, the at least one second focus indicator is also moved two steps to the left, i.e. , the movements of the first and the at least one second focus indicator are synchronized.

According to an embodiment, movement of the at least one second focus indicator is not triggered by movement of the first focus indicator and the movement of the at least one second focus indicator is independent of the movement of the first focus indicator. For example, the at least one second focus indicator movement is unrelated to the movement of the first focus indicator in direction (left/right/up/down), and/or in step size (1 to n), and/or in time.

According to an embodiment, the method further includes displaying at least two sets of selectable values, i.e., a first set of selectable values and at least a second set of selectable values, and the first focus indicator is configured to be moved among the selectable values of the first set of selectable values and the at least one second focus indicator is configured to be moved among the selectable values of the at least a second set of selectable values.

Figure 8 is a functional diagram of an embodiment of a device 800 configured to implement embodiments of the present disclosure. The device may comprise one or more processor(s), or central processing unit(s) 801 ; one or more memory/memories 802, e.g. a volatile type memory (RAM) and a nonvolatile type memory (ROM, NVRAM); one or more receiver(s)-transmitter(s), network interface(s) or receive-transmit unit(s) or transceiver unit(s) 803 configured for communication with (a) wired- or wireless network(s) 810; the device may optionally comprise one or more peripheral interface(s) or peripheral unit(s) 804 such as further communication interface(s), camera device(s), audio input/output interface(s)/device(s), and one or more display/input unit(s), such as (a) tactile display(s). The elements 801 -805 may communicate between them via an internal communication bus 811. The device may be a Wireless Transmit-Receive Unit (WTRU) or User Equipment (UE), a Personal Computer (PC), tablet, a TV set, or a Set Top Box, for example. The device 800 is suitable for implementing the method according any of the previously described embodiments and may, for example, implement the method 700 of figure 7.

According to an embodiment, the at least one processor 801 of the device 800, may be configured to: display at least one set of selectable values; display a first focus indicator pointing to a selectable value of the at least one set of selectable values and at least one second focus indicator pointing to at least one selectable value of the at least one set of selectable values and at any time, the first focus indicator pointing to a selectable value that is different from the at least one selectable value pointed to by the at least one second focus indicator; the first focus indicator and the at least one second focus indicator being configured, by the at least one processor, to be moved among the selectable values upon receipt of focus indicator movement control commands, wherein the focus indicator movement control commands control the movement of at least the first focus indicator; and receive information representative of a selection of a selectable value of the at least one set of selectable values pointed to by the first focus indicator.

According to an embodiment, the at least one processor is further configured to render the first and the at least one second focus indicator graphically the same.

According to an embodiment, the at least one processor is further configured to render the first and the at least one second focus indicator graphically distinguishable.

According to an embodiment, the at least one processor is further configured to trigger movement of the at least one second focus indicator upon movement of the first focus indicator and to move the at least one second focus indicator independent of the movement of the first focus indicator.

According to an embodiment, the at least one processor is further configured to trigger movement of the at least one second focus indicator upon movement of the first focus indicator and to render the movement of the at least one second focus indicator dependent on the movement of the first focus indicator. According to an embodiment, the at least one processor is further configured to render the movement of the at least one second focus indicator independently of the movement of the first focus indicator.

According to an embodiment, the at least one processor is further configured to display at least two sets of selectable values comprising a first set of selectable values and at least a second set of selectable values, and to move the first focus indicator among the selectable values of the first set of selectable values and to move the at least one second focus indicator among the selectable values of the at least a second set of selectable values.

It is to be appreciated that some elements in the drawings may not be used or be necessary in all embodiments. Some operations may be executed in parallel. Embodiments other than those illustrated and/or described are possible. For example, a device implementing the present principles may include a mix of hard- and software.

It is to be appreciated that aspects of the principles of the present disclosure can be embodied as a system, method or computer readable medium. Accordingly, aspects of the principles of the present disclosure can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code and so forth), or an embodiment combining hardware and software aspects that can all generally be defined to herein as a “circuit”, “module” or “system”. Furthermore, aspects of the principles of the present disclosure can take the form of a computer readable storage medium. Any combination of one or more computer readable storage medium(s) can be utilized.

Thus, for example, it is to be appreciated that the diagrams presented herein represent conceptual views of illustrative system components and/or circuitry embodying the principles of the present disclosure. Similarly, it is to be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer readable storage media and so executed by a computer or processor, whether such computer or processor is explicitly shown. A computer readable storage medium can take the form of a computer readable program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) and having computer readable program code embodied thereon that is executable by a computer. A computer readable storage medium as used herein is considered a non-transitory storage medium given the inherent capability to store the information therein as well as the inherent capability to provide retrieval of the information there from. A computer readable storage medium can be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Some or all aspects of the storage medium may be remotely located (e.g., in the ‘cloud’). It is to be appreciated that the following, while providing more specific examples of computer readable storage mediums to which the present principles can be applied, is merely an illustrative and not exhaustive listing, as is readily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art: a hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.