Parental Controls Based on Touchscreen Input

• US 20100097324A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Anson, Douglas Miles, Stedman, Roy William
• Application Number:
  US12/254,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20100097324A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method for controlling user access in an information handling system is provided. Touchscreen signals indicating multiple simultaneous touch points on a touchscreen by an information handling system user are received. The received touchscreen signals are analyzed, and an authorization determination regarding the particular user is made based at least on the analysis of the touchscreen signals. The particular user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system is controlled based at least on the authorization determination regarding the particular user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling user access in an information handling system, comprising:

receiving touchscreen signals indicating multiple simultaneous touch points on a touchscreen by a particular user of an information handling system;

analyzing the received touchscreen signals;

making an authorization determination regarding the particular user based at least on the analysis of the touchscreen signals; and

controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system based at least on the authorization determination regarding the particular user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises determining whether the user is a child;

making an authorization determination regarding the particular user comprises not authorizing the user if the user is determined to be child based on the analysis of the touchscreen signals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system comprises controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more web sites.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system comprises controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more local applications of the information handling system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an image on the touchscreen indicating multiple target touch locations on the touchscreen for the particular user to physically contact;

wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises comparing the multiple simultaneous touch points with the multiple target touch locations indicated in the displayed image; and

making an authorization determination regarding the particular user based at least on the comparison of the multiple simultaneous touch points with the multiple target touch locations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

analyzing the received touchscreen signals further comprises determining whether each of the multiple target touch locations is touched by the particular user; and

making an authorization determination regarding the particular user based at least on the determination of whether all of the multiple target touch locations are simultaneously touched by the particular user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises:

determining a number of the multiple target touch locations simultaneously touched by the particular user; and

determining whether the number of multiple target touch locations simultaneously touched by the particular user meets a predetermined threshold number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals further comprises:

determining, based on the multiple simultaneous touch points on the touchscreen, at least one physical characteristic of the particular user from a group of physical characteristics consisting of;

a size of the particular user'"'"'s palm;

a shape of the particular user'"'"'s palm;

a length of one or more of the particular user'"'"'s fingers;

a size of the particular user'"'"'s hand; and

a shape of the particular user'"'"'s hand; and

comparing the one or more physical characteristics to one or more corresponding reference characteristics.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises determining a location of the particular user'"'"'s palm on the touchscreen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises determining a finger length of the particular user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals further comprises determining a hand print size for the particular user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises;

comparing the multiple simultaneous touch points on the touchscreen with one or more authorized reference data sets, each authorized reference data set corresponding to an authorized user; and

determining whether the particular user is an authorized user based at least on the comparison of the multiple simultaneous touch points with the one or more authorized reference data sets; and

making an authorization determination regarding the user comprises making an authorization determination regarding the user based at least on whether the particular user is determined to be an authorized user.

13. Computer-executable instructions for controlling user access in an information handling system, the instructions stored in a tangible computer readable medium and executable by a processor to:

receive touchscreen signals indicating multiple simultaneous touch points on a touchscreen by a particular user of an information handling system;

analyze the received touchscreen signals;

make an authorization determination regarding the particular user based at least on the analysis of the touchscreen signals; and

control the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system based at least on the authorization determination regarding the particular user.

14. The computer-executable instructions of claim 13, further operable to:

analyze the received touchscreen signals comprises determining whether the user is a child; and

make an authorization determination regarding the particular user comprises not authorizing the user if the user is determined to be child based on the analysis of the touchscreen signals.

15. The computer-executable instructions of claim 13, wherein controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system comprises controlling the particular user'"'"'s access to one or more web sites.

16. The computer-executable instructions of claim 13, further operable to:

display an image on the touchscreen indicating multiple target touch locations on the touchscreen for the particular user to physically contact;

compare the multiple simultaneous touch points with the multiple target touch locations indicated in the displayed image; and

make an authorization determination regarding the particular user based at least on the comparison of the multiple simultaneous touch points with the multiple target touch locations.

17. The computer-executable instructions of claim 16, wherein:

analyzing the received touchscreen signals further comprises determining whether each of the multiple target touch locations is touched by the particular user; and

making an authorization determination regarding the particular user based at least on the determination of whether all of the multiple target touch locations are simultaneously touched by the particular user.

18. The computer-executable instructions of claim 13, wherein analyzing the received touchscreen signals further comprises:

determining, based on the multiple simultaneous touch points on the touchscreen, at least one physical characteristic of the particular user from a group of physical characteristics consisting of;

a size of the particular user'"'"'s palm;

a shape of the particular user'"'"'s palm;

a length of one or more of the particular user'"'"'s fingers;

a size of the particular user'"'"'s hand; and

a shape of the particular user'"'"'s hand; and

comparing the one or more physical characteristics to one or more corresponding reference characteristics.

19. The computer-executable instructions of claim 13, wherein:

analyzing the received touchscreen signals comprises;

comparing the multiple simultaneous touch points on the touchscreen with one or more authorized reference data sets, each authorized reference data set corresponding to an authorized user; and

determining whether the particular user is an authorized user based at least on the comparison of the multiple simultaneous touch points with the one or more authorized reference data sets; and

making an authorization determination regarding the user comprises making an authorization determination regarding the user based at least on whether the particular user is determined to be an authorized user.

20. An information handling system configured to control user access based at least on user input to a touchscreen, comprising:

a touchscreen configured to receive input from a user and generate corresponding touchscreen signals;

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and

computer-executable instructions for controlling user access in an information handling system, the instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to;

receive touchscreen signals indicating multiple simultaneous touch points on the touchscreen by the user of an information handling system;

analyze the received touchscreen signals;

make an authorization determination regarding the user based at least on the analysis of the touchscreen signals; and

control the user'"'"'s access to one or more aspects of the information handling system based at least on the authorization determination regarding the user.