US 9,286,482 B1Granted

Privacy control based on user recognition

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsMichael David Dumont, Kenneth Paul Kiraly, Levon Dolbakian, Srinivasan Sridharan, Nadim Awad, Jonathan White Keljo, Arnaud Marie Froment

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Abstract

In some examples, an electronic device may include one or more recognition devices able to be used to recognize a current user. If the electronic device recognizes that a primary user, such as an owner, is currently using the electronic device, the electronic device may allow access to all of the primary user's private information and all of the features of the electronic device. On the other hand, when the electronic device determines that the current user is an unknown user, or that the current user is a known user who is authorized to access only limited information or features of the electronic device, the electronic device may send a communication to restrict the current user from accessing private information of the primary user. In some cases, the electronic device may enable the primary user to designate which items known users and/or unknown users may access.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An electronic device comprising:

a recognition device that includes at least one of:
a camera, a microphone, a biometric feature detection device, an accelerometer, or a touch sensor;
one or more processors;
one or more computer-readable media;
and
one or more modules maintained on the one or more computer-readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include:
receiving, from the recognition device, first recognition data associated with a first current user of the electronic device;
determining, based at least in part on a comparison of the first recognition data with a known user profile, that the first current user is a known primary user authorized to access private information on the electronic device, the private information including at least one of an application, user data, or a device setting;
sending a first communication to at least one of an operating system or the application, the first communication indicating that the first current user is authorized to access the private information on the electronic device;
subsequent to sending the first communication, receiving, from the recognition device, second recognition data associated with a second current user of the electronic device;
determining, based at least in part on the second recognition data, that control of the electronic device has passed from the first current user to the second current user, the second current user being different from the first current user;
determining, based at least in part on a comparison of the second recognition data with the known user profile, that the second current user is at least one of:
an unknown user, or a known user having a lower level of access authorization than the known primary user;
based at least in part on the second recognition data, sending a second communication to at least one of the operating system or the application, the second communication indicating an access authorization level of the second current user with respect to the private information;
the sending the second communication causing at least one of:
hiding at least a portion of the private information from access by the second current user;
or
preventing the second current user from accessing the at least the portion of the private information;
determining that control of the electronic device has passed to the first current user;
and
presenting, based at least in part on the electronic device being under control of the first current user, a user interface element indicating that the second current user accessed the electronic device.

18 more elements

A method comprising:

sending, by a processor of an electronic device, a first communication indicating, to at least one of an operating system or an application, an authorization level of a first user of the electronic device;
receiving, by the processor, from a recognition device, recognition data associated with a second user of the electronic device, wherein the second user is different from the first user;
determining, based at least in part on the recognition data, that control of the electronic device has passed from the first user to the second user;
determining, based at least in part on the recognition data, a likelihood that the second user is a known user;
based at least in part on the likelihood that the second user is the known user, determining an authorization level of the second user for accessing private information on the electronic device, wherein the authorization level of the second user is different from the authorization level of the first user;
sending a second communication indicating, to at least one of the operating system or the application, the authorization level of the second user;
presenting a user interface (UI) element indicating that an unknown user accessed the electronic device;
and
requesting, via the UI element, an authorization level for the unknown user.

6 more elements

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

establishing, on the electronic device, an access authorization level for a first user, wherein the first user is recognized by the electronic device as a known user;
determining, based at least in part on first recognition data from a recognition device, that:
control of the electronic device has passed from the first user to a second user of the electronic device, wherein the second user is different from the first user;
and
the second user is one of:
an unknown user, or a known user with an access authorization level different from that of the first user;
sending a communication to at least one of an operating system or an application on the electronic device, the communication indicating the access authorization level of the second user with respect to private information on the electronic device;
determining, based at least in part on second recognition data, that control of the electronic device has passed to the first user;
and
presenting a user interface element indicating that the second user previously accessed the electronic device based at least in part on control of the electronic device having passed to the first user.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.