Apparatus for managing a smart device

Abstract

An access restriction kit for a smart device, such as an iPhone®, an iPad®, a Samsung Galaxy®, a Samsung Galaxy Tab®, or the like, is disclosed. The restriction kit may comprise a removable pad. The removable pad is configured to at least partially cover a home button, or the like, of the smart device to protect the home button and prevent accidental or intentional tapping on the home button. The removable pad is further configured to activate a restricted access mode on the smart device when the removable pad is covering the home button, or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for locking a smart device to control a user's access of the smart device, the method comprising:
 fitting a removable pad to a smart device having a touch-screen display portion and a non-display portion, the removable pad covering a portion of the non-display portion, the non-display portion including one or more buttons to control operation of the smart device, the non-display portion further including a sensor;   detecting the fitting of the removable pad to the smart device using the sensor; and   activating a restricted access mode to control the user's access of the smart device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 changing the position of the removable pad relative to the sensor, the change causing the sensor to not detect the fitting of the removable pad to the smart device; and   deactivating the restricted access mode on the smart device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 attaching the removable pad in conjunction with a toggle mechanism to a carrying case of the smart device, the toggle mechanism for switching the removable pad between a first setting and a second setting relative to the sensor, wherein:
 the first setting enables detection of the fitting of the removable pad to the smart device, 
 the second setting prevents detection of the removable pad, 
 the toggle mechanism is configured such that the first setting is a restricted access state tending to prevent toggling from the first setting to the second setting. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the second setting enables operation of the one or more buttons by providing physical access to the user to tap on the one or more buttons, wherein the first setting prevents operation of the smart device via the one or more buttons by preventing physical access to the user to tap on the one or more buttons. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the restricted access mode does not require an access control authentication. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is embedded in conjunction with the one or more buttons. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more buttons include a home sensor of the smart device, wherein the sensor includes the fingerprint scanner embedded in conjunction with the home button. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is a camera included within the smart device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the detection of the fitting of the removable pad to the smart device using the sensor further includes:
 scanning, using the fingerprint scanner, for any markings covering the fingerprint scanner; and   activating the restricted access mode when a particular marking is detected, wherein the particular marking is placed on a portion of the removable pad covering the fingerprint scanner in the first setting.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the restricted access mode further includes:
 restricting user's access to a subset of one or more applications available through the smart device; and   restricting the user's access to one or more control buttons of a given application on the smart device, the one or more control buttons visible through the display portion of the smart device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein activating the restricted access mode further includes imposing a user access restriction on one or more control buttons of an active application being utilized by the user of the smart device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removable pad is one of a flip-up lid, or a sliding lid, or a rolling lid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the smart device is one of a smart phone or a tablet computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 providing a connection mechanism to the carrying case to enable the user to selectively attach the removing pad to the carrying case to convert the carrying case to an access restriction kit.   
     
     
         15 . An access restriction kit to control a user's access of a smart device, the kit comprising:
 an attachment mechanism for attaching the access restriction kit to the smart device, the smart device having a touch-screen display portion and a non-display portion, wherein the non-display portion includes one or more buttons that control operation of the smart device, the non-display portion further including a sensor;   a removable pad connected to the attachment mechanism, the removable pad having a first setting and a second setting, the first setting enabling detection of the connection of the removable pad to the attachment mechanism, the second setting preventing the detection of the removable pad, the detection being performed by the sensor; and   a toggle mechanism for switching the removable pad between the first setting and the second setting relative to the sensor, the toggle mechanism configured such that the first setting is a restricted access state tending to prevent toggling from the first setting to the second setting.   
     
     
         16 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein detection of the connection of the removable pad by the sensor activates a restricted access mode to control the user's access of the smart device. 
     
     
         17 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein changing the position of the removable pad relative to the sensor causes the sensor to not detect the fitting of the removable pad to the smart device, wherein the restricted access mode on the smart device is deactivated when the removable pad is not detected. 
     
     
         18 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein the second setting enables operation of the one or more buttons by providing physical access to the user to tap on the one or more buttons, wherein the first setting prevents operation of the smart device via the one or more buttons by preventing physical access to the user to tap on the one or more buttons. 
     
     
         19 . The access restriction kit of  claim 16 , wherein activation of the restricted access mode does not require an access control authentication. 
     
     
         20 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor is embedded in conjunction with the one or more buttons. 
     
     
         21 . The access restriction kit of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more buttons include a home sensor of the smart device, wherein the sensor includes the fingerprint scanner embedded in conjunction with the home button. 
     
     
         22 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein the attachment mechanism, the removable pad, and the toggle-mechanism are part of a carrying case for the smart device. 
     
     
         23 . The access restriction kit of  claim 22 , wherein the carrying case further includes a connection element, the connection element configured such that the user can selectively attach the removable pad to the connection mechanism, enabling the user to selectively convert the carrying case to the access restriction kit by attachment of the removable pad. 
     
     
         24 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein the removable pad is connected to the attachment mechanism such that the removable pad is a flip-up lid hinged to the attachment mechanism, the flip-up lid configured to at least partially cover the one or more buttons to prevent tapping on a home button when the flip-up lid is flipped down onto the smart device. 
     
     
         25 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein the removable pad is a sliding lid that is configured to slide relative to the attachment mechanism, the sliding lid configured to at least partially cover the one or more buttons to prevent tapping on a home button when the sliding lid is slid onto the smart device. 
     
     
         26 . The access restriction kit of  claim 15 , wherein the smart device is one of a smart phone or a tablet computing device. 
     
     
         27 . A carrying case for a smart device, the carrying case comprising:
 a base feature for protecting a rear surface of the smart device;   a front feature coupled to the base feature and configured to cover at least a portion of a front surface of the smart device, the smart device having a touch-screen display portion and a non-display portion, the non-display portion further including a sensor, wherein the non-display portion includes one or more buttons that control operation of the smart device, wherein a user's tapping on at least one of the one or more buttons of the smart devices affects content displayed within the display portion of the smart device;   a removable pad optionally connected to the carrying case by attachment using a connection element, the removable pad having a first setting and a second setting, the first setting enabling detection of the connection of the removable pad to the connection element, the second setting preventing the detection of the removable pad, the detection being performed by the sensor; and   the connection element configured such that a given user can selectively attach the removable pad to the connection mechanism, enabling the user to selectively convert the carrying case to a restricted access kit by attachment of the removable pad, the removable pad having a first setting and a second setting relative to the sensor, the toggle mechanism configured such that the first setting is a restricted access state tending to prevent toggling from the first setting to the second setting.   
     
     
         28 . The carrying case of  claim 27 , wherein the removable pad is connected to the carrying case such that the removable pad is a flip-up lid, the flip-up lid configured to at least partially cover the one or more buttons to prevent tapping on the home button when the flip-up lid is flipped down onto the smart device. 
     
     
         29 . The carrying case of  claim 28 , wherein a first end portion of the flip-up lid is a pivot mechanically connected to the carrying case and a second end is configured to toggle between a flip-up state and a flip-down state, the flip-up state allowing physical access to the one or more buttons and the flip-down state preventing physical access to the one or more buttons in the non-display portion of the smart device. 
     
     
         30 . The carrying case of  claim 29 , wherein the flip-up lid, upon operation in a flip-up state, is configured to support the smart device in a substantially upright position.