Determining a presentation rule in response to detecting multiple users

• US 20060200463A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kulack, Frederick Allyn, Kolz, Daniel Paul, Paterson, Kevin Glynn, Dettinger, Richard Dean
• Application Number:
  US11/071,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200463A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, detect a first user, detect a second user, determine a presentation rule based on the detection of the first and second user, and send the presentation rule to an application. The presentation rule instructs the application to modify data presented by the application. In an embodiment, the presentation rule contains an action that the application is to take. In another embodiment, the presentation rule includes categories of the users, and the application determines the action to take to modify the data in response to the categories. In various embodiments, the rule may instruct the application to remove information from the presented data, exclude information from a directory from the presented data, remove a window from the presented data, remove a portion of the window from the presented data, or restrict a user interface element. The data presented by the application is capable of being received by the first user and the second user. Detecting the first user may include receiving an identification of the first user and a password for the first user. Detecting the second user may include detecting physical presence of the second user, receiving an identification of the second user, receiving an identification of the second user and a password for the second user, or receiving an identification of a group. In this way, users may be presented data that is appropriate for those present while data that is inappropriate may be excluded from presentation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a first user;

detecting a second user;

determining a presentation rule based on the first user and the second user; and

modifying data presented by an application in accordance with the presentation rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the first user further comprises:

receiving an identification of the first user and a password for the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the second user further comprises:

detecting physical presence of the second user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the second user further comprises

receiving an identification of the second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the second user further comprises:

receiving an identification of the second user and a password for the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation rule identifies an action that the application is to take to modify the data presented.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the presentation rule comprises categories of the first user and the second user and the categories instruct the application to choose an action to modify the data.

8. A signal-bearing medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

detecting a first user;

detecting a second user;

determining a presentation rule based on the first user and the second user; and

sending the presentation rule to an application, wherein the presentation rule instructs the application to remove information from data presented by the application.

9. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the detecting the first user further comprises:

receiving an identification of the first user and a password for the first user.

10. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the detecting the second user further comprises:

detecting physical presence of the second user.

11. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the detecting the second user further comprises

receiving an identification of the second user.

12. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the detecting the second user further comprises:

receiving an identification of the second user and a password for the second user.

13. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the presentation rule further instructs the application to exclude a directory from the presented data.

14. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the presentation rule further instructs the application to remove a window from the presented data.

15. A method for configuring a computer, comprising:

configuring the computer to detect a first user;

configuring the computer to detect a second user;

configuring the computer to determine a presentation rule based on the first user and the second user; and

configuring the computer to send the presentation rule to an application, wherein the presentation rule instructs the application to modify data presented by the application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuring the computer to determine the presentation rule further comprises:

configuring the computer to change the presentation rule in response to detecting a third user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the presentation rule further instructs the application to modify a user interface element.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the presentation rule further instructs the application to exclude a directory from the presented data.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the presentation rule further instructs the application to remove a window from the presented data.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the presentation rule further instructs the application to remove a portion of a window from the presented data.