How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Original patent title: “Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image”
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone. Granted to Apple Inc in 2010 with 39 claims and 1,269 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a method for unlocking an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display. While the device is locked in a 'user-interface lock state,' it displays an 'unlock image,' which is a graphical, interactive object (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). To unlock the device, a user must make contact with the display and move this unlock image along a 'predefined displayed path' (Claim 1). If the detected contact corresponds to this specific 'predefined gesture,' the device transitions to an unlocked state (Claim 1). If the contact does not match the predefined gesture, the device remains locked and prevents other actions (Claim 2). For example, a user might drag a horizontal slider image across the screen to a specific endpoint (Claim 5, Claim 10).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Unlocking methods that do not involve moving a graphical 'unlock image' on the display.
- Unlocking gestures that do not follow a 'predefined displayed path' (e.g., drawing a freeform pattern or shape).
- Unlocking by simply tapping or pressing an image without moving it along a path.
- Unlocking mechanisms that do not require continuous contact with the display, such as voice commands or biometric scans (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 4).
- Unlocking by moving an image to a predefined location without following a specific displayed path.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lay in combining a visible, interactive 'unlock image' with a specific, 'predefined displayed path' that the user had to follow with continuous contact to unlock the device. This design made it intuitive for users while effectively preventing accidental unlocks from incidental screen touches.
The Patent Drawing
Animated diagram — the unlock image moves along the predefined horizontal path described in Claim 1. Tap to replay.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Original iPhone lock screen
Early iPod Touch lock screens
Many early Android smartphone lock screens featuring a slider
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent was a foundational element for the user experience of the original iPhone and subsequent touch-screen devices. It provided a simple yet effective way to prevent accidental device interactions while allowing quick access. The 'slide-to-unlock' mechanism became a widely recognized interaction model and was a key subject in major patent infringementinfringementMaking, using, selling, or importing a patented invention without permission from the patent holder.Read more → lawsuits in the smartphone industry.
Filed
December 23, 2005
Granted
February 2, 2010
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Apple Inc., as the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, continues to develop and refine user interface interactions for its devices, building on foundational patents like this one. Other major smartphone manufacturers, such as Samsung and Google, have also developed their own variations of lock screen interactions, often navigating around or licensing technologies related to these core concepts.
Market impact
This patent significantly influenced the design of smartphone lock screens, establishing a widely adopted paradigm for secure and intuitive device access. Its existence led to extensive litigationlitigationA lawsuit over patent infringement. Litigated patents often signal commercial importance.Read more →, notably between Apple and Samsung, shaping competitive strategies and encouraging innovation in alternative unlock methods, such as pattern unlocks and biometric authentication, to avoid infringementinfringementMaking, using, selling, or importing a patented invention without permission from the patent holder.Read more →.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a method for unlocking an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display. While the device is locked in a 'user-interface lock state,' it displays an 'unlock image,' which is a graphical, interactive object (Claim 1). To unlock the device, a user must make contact with the display and move this unlock image along a 'predefined displayed path' (Claim 1). If the detected contact corresponds to this specific 'predefined gesture,' the device transitions to an unlocked state (Claim 1). If the contact does not match the predefined gesture, the device remains locked and prevents other actions (Claim 2). For example, a user might drag a horizontal slider image across the screen to a specific endpoint (Claim 5, Claim 10).
The clever bit
The novelty lay in combining a visible, interactive 'unlock image' with a specific, 'predefined displayed path' that the user had to follow with continuous contact to unlock the device. This design made it intuitive for users while effectively preventing accidental unlocks from incidental screen touches.
What it does not cover
- Unlocking methods that do not involve moving a graphical 'unlock image' on the display.
- Unlocking gestures that do not follow a 'predefined displayed path' (e.g., drawing a freeform pattern or shape).
- Unlocking by simply tapping or pressing an image without moving it along a path.
- Unlocking mechanisms that do not require continuous contact with the display, such as voice commands or biometric scans (Claim 4).
- Unlocking by moving an image to a predefined location without following a specific displayed path.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
High impact
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$144K – $461K
Midpoint $288K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Patent Claims
0 independent claims · 1 dependent
Claims are the legal boundaries of the patent. An independent claim stands alone. A dependent claim adds limitations to its parent, narrowing — but not broadening — the scope.
The original legal language
Original claims
39 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Anzures, F. A., Forstall, S., Ording, B., Chaudhri, I., Os, M. V., Christie, G., & Lemay, S. O. (2010). How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works (U.S. Patent No. 7,657,849). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7657849/slide-to-unlock
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works cover?
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Who owns patent US 7657849?
Apple Inc owns this patent, granted in 2010.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 7657849 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1269 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent was a foundational element for the user experience of the original iPhone and subsequent touch-screen devices. It provided a simple yet effective way to prevent accidental device interactions while allowing quick access. The 'slide-to-unlock' mechanism became a widely recognized interaction model and was a key subject in major patent infringement lawsuits in the smartphone industry.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Unlocking methods that do not involve moving a graphical 'unlock image' on the display.
Same assignee
More from Apple Inc
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