Preventing visual observation of content on a mobile device by hiding content
OwnerJames BLAISDELL, Mike ZHANGinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Users can hide content normally displayed on a mobile device screen and read or view content by touching the screen and creating a path, for example, in the shape of a circle, in which a portion of the content can be viewed. The content is hidden by a particle layer. A “hole” into the particle layer and a ghost layer is used to view content normally shown in a table view. Embodiments of the present invention allow a user to view partial content in a table (message) view, such as part of a text message, through a pre-defined area, such as a circle, square or any other shape the designer chooses while covering the other content on the screen.
Claims16
A method of hiding content displayed on a screen, the method comprising:
- enabling a ghost layer on the device;
- detecting contact on the screen of the device;
- creating a path using a contact point and pre-determined radius, said path on the ghost layer;
- determining content to clip from a table layer to the path, wherein the table layer displays content in a conventional manner;
- re-drawing the ghost layer on the device, wherein the path is shown on the ghost layer and content is shown within confines of the path;
- detecting whether there is movement of the contact point;
- and
- re-drawing the ghost layer based on contact point movement.
A system for hiding messages on a screen of a mobile device using a ghost mode setting, the system comprising:
- a memory storing software for implementing the ghost mode setting;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- enable a ghost layer on the device;
- detect contact on the device screen;
- create a path using a contact point and pre-determined radius, said path shown on the ghost layer;
- determine content to clip from a table layer to the path, wherein the table layer displays content in a conventional manner;
- re-draw the ghost layer on the device, wherein the path is shown on the ghost layer and content is shown within confines of the path;
- detect whether there is movement of the contact point;
- and
- re-draw the ghost layer based on contact point movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.