Using biometric verification to grant access to redacted content

• US 10,289,852 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Han, Byron Bay, Marciniak, Craig Alan, Whalley, Andrew Roger, Shepherd, Matthew Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Lemma, Samson B
• Application Number:
  US15/647,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20180089441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26, 726 28, 726 4- 5, 726 17- 18, 713186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes

Abstract

Some embodiments provide an electronic device with a novel content redaction engine. The content redaction engine of some embodiments determines whether to redact content for output based on whether a user is biometrically verified. When the content redaction engine receives verification data indicating that the user is biometrically verified, the device displays content without any portion redacted. On the other hand, when the content redaction engine does not receive such verification data, the device displays the content with at least a portion redacted. The electronic device of some embodiments additionally includes a biometric reader and a biometric verification engine. The biometric reader reads a person'"'"'s uniquely identifying biometric data (e.g., thumbprint/fingerprint, iris scan, voice, etc.). This biometric information is then read by the biometric verification engine for comparison to a stored set of verified user biometric data. When the biometric data matches the stored data, the person is verified.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

storing a set of content for display on a device in a locked screen mode of the device, wherein at least a portion of the set of content is marked for redaction;

displaying the set of content with the marked portion redacted on the device in the locked screen mode;

receiving biometric verification data indicating whether a user of the device is verified through biometric data; and

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is verified, displaying the set of content without any portion redacted while the device remains in the locked screen mode.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the biometric verification data is provided by a biometric reader that includes a camera.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the camera is a scanning camera.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the content comprises a notification.

5. The method as in claim 3 wherein the content comprises a notification of a message.

6. The method as in claim 3 wherein the display of unredacted content displayed in the locked screen mode is switched to the display of redacted content as soon as the biometric reader is no longer receiving biometric verification data indicating that the user is verified.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein the switch to the display of redacted content is caused by an event that indicates that the biometric reader is no longer receiving biometric verification data indicating that the user is verified.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein the display of redacted content comprises displaying content without the marked portion.

9. The method as in claim 5 wherein a sender of the message is not redacted while at least a portion of the message is redacted when the biometric verification data indicates the user is not verified.

10. The method as in claim 1 wherein the redacted content is automatically marked for redaction based on a type of content.

11. The method as in claim 7 wherein the switch is caused when the user removes a biometric input.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein the biometric verification data is provided by a biometric reader that includes a scanning camera and wherein the display of unredacted content displayed in the locked screen mode is switched to the display of redacted content in response to an event that indicates that the biometric reader is no longer receiving biometric verification data indicating that the user is verified;

and wherein the display of redacted content comprises one of;

(1) blurring the redacted content;

(2) placing a black bar over the redacted content;

or (3) removing the redacted content; and

wherein the event is caused when the user removes a biometric input.

13. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

storing a set of content for display on a device in a locked screen mode of the device, wherein at least a portion of the set of content is marked for redaction;

displaying the set of content with the marked portion redacted on the device in the locked screen mode;

receiving biometric verification data indicating whether a user of the device is verified through biometric data; and

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is verified, displaying the set of content without any portion redacted while the device remains in the locked screen mode.

14. The medium as in claim 13 wherein the biometric verification data is provided by a biometric reader that includes a camera.

15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the camera is a scanning camera.

16. The method as in claim 15 wherein the content comprises a notification.

17. The method as in claim 15 wherein the content comprises a notification of a message.

18. The method as in claim 15 wherein the display of unredacted content displayed in the locked screen mode is switched to the display of redacted content as soon as the biometric reader is no longer receiving biometric verification data indicating that the user is verified.

19. The method as in claim 18 wherein the switch to the display of redacted content is caused by an event that indicates that the biometric reader is no longer receiving biometric verification data indicating that the user is verified.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the display of redacted content comprises displaying content without the marked portion.

21. The method as in claim 17 wherein a sender of the message is not redacted while at least a portion of the message is redacted when the biometric verification data indicates the user is not verified.

22. The method as in claim 13 wherein the redacted content is automatically marked for redaction based on a type of content.

23. The method as in claim 19 wherein the switch is caused when the user removes a biometric input.

24. The method as in claim 13 wherein the biometric verification data is provided by a biometric reader that includes a scanning camera and wherein the display of unredacted content displayed in the locked screen mode is switched to the display of redacted content in response to an event that indicates that the biometric reader is no longer receiving biometric verification data indicating that the user is verified;

and wherein the display of redacted content comprises one of;

(1) blurring the redacted content;

(2) placing a black bar over the redacted content;

or (3) removing the redacted content; and

wherein the event is caused when the user removes a biometric input.