Notifying a User of Access to Information by an Application

• US 20090089803A1
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Biggs, Todd S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action

Abstract

Functionality is described for detecting an application'"'"'s access to a user'"'"'s information (or the application'"'"'s request to access the user'"'"'s information). The functionality sends a notification to the user which alerts the user to the access that has already taken place (or is pending approval). The functionality detects the current point of presence of the user, and based thereon, sends the notification to the user in an appropriate manner. Upon receipt of the notification, the user may optionally retrieve additional information regarding the application'"'"'s access activity, modify the access rights of the application, and so on.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an electronic data processing system for providing a notification, comprising:

detecting that a network-accessible application has engaged in access activity with respect to information associated with a user, wherein the user has previously granted the application the right to access the information;

generating a notification that alerts the user to the access activity; and

sending the notification to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the access activity comprises detecting that the application has already accessed the information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the access activity comprises detecting that the application is requesting permission to access the information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the user'"'"'s current point of presence, wherein the notification that is generated is compatible with the user'"'"'s current point of presence, and wherein the sending comprises sending the notification to the user'"'"'s current point of presence.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user'"'"'s request to perform an action upon the user'"'"'s receipt of the notification, and performing the action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the action comprises modification of the application'"'"'s right to access the information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the action comprises revocation of the application'"'"'s right to access the information.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the action comprises providing the user additional information regarding the access activity.

9. One or more computing devices, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform the method of claim 1.

10. One or more machine-readable media containing machine-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 1.

11. An electronic data processing system for providing a notification, comprising:

an access administration module configured to detect that a network-accessible application has engaged in access activity with respect to information associated with a user; and

a notification module configured to generate a notification that alerts the user to the access activity, and to send the notification to the user.

12. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the access administration module includes a registration module configured to establish the application'"'"'s right to access information from an information source.

13. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the access administration module includes a user interaction module configured to receive the user'"'"'s authorization for the application to access the information.

14. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the detected access activity comprises an indication that the application has already accessed the information.

15. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the detected access activity comprises an indication that the application is requesting permission to access the information.

16. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the notification module comprises a presence determination module configured to determine the user'"'"'s current point of presence, wherein the notification module is configured to generate the notification so that it is compatible with the user'"'"'s current point of presence and then send the notification to the user'"'"'s current point of presence.

17. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the access administration module includes a user interaction module configured to receive the user'"'"'s request to perform an action upon the user'"'"'s receipt of the notification.

18. The electronic data processing system of claim 17, wherein the action comprises modification of the application'"'"'s right to access the information.

19. The electronic data processing system of claim 17, wherein the action comprises providing the user additional information regarding the access activity.

20. A notification module, comprising:

a presence module configured to determine a current point of presence of a user; and

a message module configured to;

receive an indication that a network-accessible application has engaged in access activity with respect to information associated with a user, wherein the user has previously granted the application the right to access the information;

generate a notification to the user that is compatible with the user'"'"'s current point of presence; and

send the notification to the user'"'"'s current point of presence.