Patent · US Expired

Method and system for preventing the activation of a computer screen saver

US7089508B1 · kind B1 · utility

12Cited by
8References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 25, 2002
Grant dateAug 8, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 9, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/45512
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system are provided for preventing the activation of a screen saver for locking user access to a computer while a user is near the computer. A controller capable of generating signals corresponding to an input device is connected to a user interface of a computer. The controller is connected to computer input devices (such as a keyboard or a mouse) and serves as a pass-through to the user interface for the input devices. The controller also includes a motion sensor for detecting a user's activity within a predetermined perimeter of the computer. The controller then determines if the user activity is non-computer activity by determining if input signals are being received from one of the computer input devices. If input signals are not being received from the computer input devices, the controller generates a pseudo user input corresponding to a command from a computer input device to prevent the screen saver from activating.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.