Limiting sensor use in restricted areas

• US 10,033,852 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Clavenna, II, Robert A., Hubner, Paul V., Archer, Steven T., Pate, Kristopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US14/104,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A device is configured to receive a request to use a sensor of a user device. The device determines a sensitivity area associated with the sensor. The sensitivity area indicates an area the sensor is capable of sensing. The device identifies a restricted area in the sensitivity area. The restricted area corresponds to an area from which the user device is limited from use. The user device identifies a restriction associated with the restricted area, generates a response to the request based on the restriction, and provides the response. The response causes the user device to limit use of the sensor, recording of data captured by the sensor, or access to data recorded by the user device even when the user device is located outside of the restricted area.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

receive a permission model for a sensor of the mobile communication device,

the permission model including information indicating that;

a restriction applies to a first set of mobile communication devices associated with a first set of users,

the first set of users comprising a user of the mobile communication device, and

the restriction does not apply to a second set of mobile communication devices associated with a second set of users;

receive a request to use the sensor of the mobile communication device;

determine a sensitivity area associated with the sensor,

the sensitivity area indicating an area the sensor is capable of sensing;

identify a restricted area in the sensitivity area,

the restricted area corresponding to an area from which the mobile communication device is limited from use;

identify the restriction based on identifying the restricted area; and

provide, for display and based on the permission model and the restriction, a representation of the restriction where an object, in the restricted area, would be displayed,

the representation of the restriction being provided, for display, while recording a representation of the sensitivity area.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the sensitivity area associated with the sensor, are to:

determine the sensitivity area based on a location of the mobile communication device and a sensor parameter of the sensor,

the sensor parameter indicating a capability of the sensor.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where a sensor parameter indicates a range at which the sensor is capable of sensing information.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the sensitivity area associated with the sensor, are to:

determine the sensitivity area based on a location of the mobile communication device and sensor input information,

the sensor input information indicating data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the mobile communication device.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 4, where the sensor input information indicates at least one of:

a tilt angle of the mobile communication device,

a focus distance of a camera in the mobile communication device,

an acceleration of the mobile communication device,

a velocity of the mobile communication device,

a vibration of the mobile communication device,

a humidity level sensed by the mobile communication device,

an audio level sensed by the mobile communication device, or

a direction that the mobile communication device is facing.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 4, where the one or more processors, when determining the sensitivity area associated with the sensor, are further to:

determine the sensitivity area based on the location of the mobile communication device, the sensor input information, and a sensor parameter of the sensor,

the sensor parameter indicating a capability of the sensor.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the permission model includes information identifying the sensitivity area indicating the area that the sensor is capable of sensing;

where the one or more processors are further to;

determine an actual sensitivity area the sensor is actually sensing based on the permission model and sensor input information,

the sensor input information indicating data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the mobile communication device; and

where the one or more processors, when identifying the restricted area, are to;

identify the restricted area in the actual sensitivity area the sensor is actually sensing.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile communication device, cause the processor to;

receive a permission model for a sensor of the mobile communication device,

the permission model including information indicating that;

a restriction applies to a first set of mobile communication devices associated with a first set of users,

the first set of users comprising a user of the mobile communication device, and

the restriction does not apply to a second set of mobile communication devices associated with a second set of users;

receive a request to use the sensor of the mobile communication device;

determine a sensitivity area corresponding to the sensor,

the sensitivity area indicating a usable area of the sensor;

determine a restricted area in the sensitivity area;

determine that the restriction corresponds to the restricted area; and

provide, for display and based on the permission model and the restriction, a representation of the restriction where an object, in the restricted area, would be displayed,

the representation of the restriction being provided, for display, while recording a representation of the sensitivity area.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

query a data structure based on information associated with the sensitivity area; and

obtain information identifying the restricted area in the sensitivity area based on the query.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

query a data structure based on information associated with the restricted area; and

obtain information identifying the restriction based on the query.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction prohibits the sensor from capturing data from the restricted area.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction limits at least one of:

an input component in the mobile communication device from inputting information, or

an output component in the mobile communication device from outputting information.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction includes a non-location based condition for the restriction to apply.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the non-location based condition is based on sensor input information indicating data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the mobile communication device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the sensor input information indicates at least one of:

a tilt angle of the mobile communication device,

a focus distance of a camera in the mobile communication device,

an acceleration of the mobile communication device,

a velocity of the mobile communication device,

a vibration of the mobile communication device,

a humidity level sensed by the mobile communication device,

an audio level sensed by the mobile communication device, or

a direction that the mobile communication device is facing.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile communication device, permission information for a sensor of the mobile communication device,

the permission information including information indicating that;

a restriction applies to a first set of mobile communication devices associated with a first set of users,

the first set of users comprising a user of the mobile communication device, and

the restriction does not apply to a second set of mobile communication devices associated with a second set of users;

receiving, by the mobile communication device, a request to use the sensor of the mobile communication device;

determining, by the mobile communication device, a sensitivity area associated with the sensor,

the sensitivity area indicating an area that the sensor is capable of sensing;

identifying, by the mobile communication device, a restricted area in the sensitivity area;

identifying, by the mobile communication device, the restriction based on identifying the restricted area; and

providing, by the mobile communication device for display and based on the permission information and the restriction, a representation of the restriction where an object, in the restricted area, would be displayed,

the representation of the restriction being provides, for display, while recording a representation of the sensitivity area.

17. The method of claim 16, where the permission information is first permission information;

where the method further comprises;

receiving second permission information identifying a plurality of restricted areas in a predetermined area around a location of the mobile communication device,

the restricted area being one of the plurality of restricted areas, and where identifying the restricted area includes;

identifying the restricted area based on the second permission information.

18. The method of claim 16, where the permission information is first permission information;

where the method further comprises;

receiving second permission information identifying the restriction associated with the restricted area, and

where obtaining the restriction includes;

obtaining the restriction from the second permission information.

19. The method of claim 16, where the permission information is first permission information;

where the method further comprises;

receiving second permission information including information identifying the sensitivity area indicating the area that the sensor is capable of sensing; and

determining an actual sensitivity area the sensor is actually sensing based on the second permission information and sensor input information,

the sensor input information indicating data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the mobile communication device; and

where identifying the restricted area includes;

identifying the restricted area in the actual sensitivity area the sensor is actually sensing.

20. The method of claim 16, where the restricted area is an area based on location information transmitted by a transmitting device,

the location information indicating a location of the transmitting device.