Advanced video camera privacy lock
AssigneeDell Products L.P.
InventorsRoy Stedman, Rocco Ancona
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A video camera privacy lock is set forth. The video camera privacy lock includes a low level filter driver that install and maintains a first position in a filter graph. The filter driver provides a locked media signal to the next sequential item rather than to a media stream until and unless the filter is unlocked. The locked media signal may be a blank screen, a text message, an icon, a static image (such as an avatar, a photograph, etc., pixilated video, or some other predetermined output). Also, in various embodiments, the driver is locked by default, thereby increasing user trust that the video camera only transmits a media signal when desired.
Claims21
A method for providing a camera lock function to an information handling system comprising:
- executing a filter driver to control the camera;
- maintaining the filter driver in a locked condition so that a media stream from the camera is not passed beyond the filter driver, the maintaining the filter driver in the locked condition providing a camera privacy lock to the camera;
- and,
- upon detection of a predetermined event, transitioning the filter driver to an unlocked condition, the unlocked condition transmitting the media stream from the camera to a next sequential item of the information handling system.
An information handling system comprising:
- a processor;
- memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a camera lock system for performing a camera lock operation, the camera lock system comprising instructions executable by the processor for:
- executing a filter driver to control the camera;
- maintaining the filter driver in a locked condition so that a media stream from the camera is not passed beyond the filter driver, the maintaining the filter driver in the locked condition providing a camera privacy lock to the camera;
- and,
- upon detection of a predetermined event, transitioning the filter driver to an unlocked condition, the unlocked condition transmitting the media stream from the camera to a next sequential item of the information handling system.
A non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions executable by the processor for:
- executing a filter driver to control the camera;
- maintaining the filter driver in a locked condition so that a media stream from the camera is not passed beyond the filter driver, the maintaining the filter driver in the locked condition providing a camera privacy lock to the camera;
- and,
- upon detection of a predetermined event, transitioning the filter driver to an unlocked condition, the unlocked condition transmitting the media stream from the camera to a next sequential item of the information handling system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.