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Method, device, and system for providing privacy for communications

  • US 10,142,271 B2
  • Filed: 03/06/2015
  • Issued: 11/27/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of outputting content of a message or communication session comprising:

  • setting a privacy indicator that is applicable to a first communication to be received by a communication terminal of an addressee of the first communication based on input received from a sender of the first communication such that a privacy indicator is included in a header of a message of the first communication to indicate that content of the first communication includes private information and should be output in accordance with a privacy setting identified by the privacy indicator in the header of the message prior to the first communication being sent to the communication terminal;

    receiving, by the communication terminal, the first communication;

    determining, by the communication terminal, that the privacy indicator applies to the received first communication based on the privacy indicator of the message;

    outputting content of the first communication in accordance with the privacy setting identified by the privacy indicator via the communication terminal in response to determining that the privacy indicator applies to the received first communication;

    wherein;

    the addressee of the first communication is a user associated with the communication terminal, andthe outputting of content of the first communication in accordance with the privacy setting identified by the privacy indicator via the communication terminal in response to determining that the privacy indicator applies to the received first communication comprises;

    determining, by the communication terminal, whether there is at least one person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal within a pre-specified distance of the communication terminal prior to the outputting of the content of the first communication such that an identification of the at least one person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal that is within the pre-specified distance is determinable by the communication terminal; and

    (i) permitting output of content of the first communication audibly via at least one ear bud or a headphone device when the communication terminal is connected to the headphone device or at least one ear bud such that content is output via the at least one ear bud or the headphone device instead of a speaker of the communication terminal regardless of whether any person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal is determined to be within the pre-specified distance, andupon determining that the headphone device is not connected to the communication terminal and the ear bud is not connected to the communication terminal and that a person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal is within the pre-specified distance;

    identifying the at least one person who is not the user that is within the pre-specified distance;

    (ii) permitting output of content of the first communication audibly in response to determining that no person who is identified within a first list is determined to be within the pre-specified distance of the communication terminal,(iii) permitting output of content of the first communication audibly in response to determining that only one or more persons who are identified within a second list and who are not the user are determined to be within the pre-specified distance of the communication terminal,(iv) permitting output of content of the first communication audibly at or below a pre-specified audible level via a speaker of the communication terminal in response to determining that there is at least one person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal within the pre-specified distance of the communication terminal and is not within the second list, and determining that the communication terminal is in a first position in which the speaker of the communication terminal is adjacent an ear of the user associated with the communication terminal, and(v) permitting output of content of the first communication audibly in response to determining that no other person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal is determined to be within the pre-specified distance of the communication terminal, and(vi) in response to determining that there is at least one person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal within the pre-specified distance of the communication terminal, that the headphone device is not connected to the communication terminal, the ear bud is not connected to the communication terminal, the communication terminal is not in the first position, and that the at least one person who is not the user associated with the communication terminal is not within the second list, deactivating audible outputting of content of the first communication.

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