SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING OUTPUT OF CONTENT BASED ON HUMAN RECOGNITION DATA DETECTION

• US 20130279744A1
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ingrassia, Michael I. Jr., Hramits, Nathaniel Paine
• Granted Patent: US 9,633,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling output of content based on human recognition data captured by one or more sensors of an electronic device are provided. The control of the output of particular content may be based on an action of a rule defined for the particular content, and may be performed when at least one human feature detection related condition of the rule is satisfied. In some embodiments, the action may include granting access to requested content when detected human feature data satisfies at least one human feature detection related condition of a rule defined for the requested content. In other embodiments the action may include altering a presentation of content, during the presentation of the content, when detected human feature data satisfies at least one human feature detection related condition of a rule defined for the presented content.

Claims

1. A method of controlling output of content using an electronic device, wherein the content is associated with at least one rule that comprises at least one condition and at least one action, the method comprising:

attempting with the electronic device to detect human feature data;

in response to detecting the human feature data, determining with the electronic device whether the detected human feature data satisfies the at least one condition of the at least one rule; and

in response to a determination that the detected human feature data satisfies the at least one condition, performing with the electronic device the at least one action to control the output of the content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one of a specific individual, a specific class of individuals, and an unidentified individual.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises not detecting at least one of a specific individual, a specific class of individuals, and an unidentified individual.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises at least one of:

human feature data associated with a specific individual being detected;

human feature data associated with a group of specific individuals being detected;

human feature data associated with a specific class of individuals being detected;

human feature data associated with a specific individual not being detected;

human feature data associated with a group of specific individuals not being detected; and

human feature data associated with a specific class of individuals not being detected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one rule is associated with a first priority;

the content is also associated with at least one other rule that is associated with;

at least another condition;

one other action; and

a second priority; and

at least one of the determining and the performing is based on the first priority being higher than the second priority.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein the performing the at least one action comprises altering the presentation of the content.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to the determining, receiving with the electronic device a request to access the content, wherein the performing the at least one action comprises granting access to the content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one child; and

the performing the at least one action comprises at least one of pausing, stopping, hiding, and closing the presentation of the content.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, playing back with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one child; and

the performing the at least one action comprises at least one of muting the playback and enacting sub-titles of the content.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one child; and

the performing the at least one action comprises transitioning the presentation to a form of the content that is rated for children.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one elderly individual; and

the performing the at least one action comprises adjusting at least one of increasing a volume setting of the presentation and a display size of the presenting.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one individual being beyond a threshold distance from at least one of the electronic device and a component of the electronic device; and

the performing the at least one action comprises presenting an on-screen input component of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises not detecting a specific individual; and

the performing the at least one action comprises at least one of pausing, stopping, closing, hiding, and locking the presentation of the content.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting an unauthorized individual; and

the performing the at least one action comprises at least one of pausing, stopping, closing, hiding, and locking the presentation of the content.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the determining, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting an individual user that is associated with a particular language; and

the performing the at least one action comprises transitioning the presentation to a form of the content that corresponds to that particular language.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises;

detecting at least one adult individual; and

not detecting any children; and

the performing the at least one action comprises granting access to the content.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises not detecting any unauthorized individuals; and

the performing the at least one action comprises granting access to the content.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting only a specific individual; and

the performing the at least one action comprises granting access to the content.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises detecting;

a first specific individual; and

a second specific individual; and

the performing the at least one action comprises granting access to the content.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one condition comprises;

detecting a specific individual; and

the specific individual previously altered the output of the content; and

the performing the at least one action comprises granting access to the content.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the specific individual previously altered the output by at least one of pausing, stopping, and locking the content during presentation of the content.

22. An electronic device for controlling output of content, wherein the content is associated with at least one rule that comprises at least one condition and at least one action, the electronic device comprising:

a detector configured to detect human feature data; and

a processor configured to;

direct the detector to attempt to detect the human feature data;

receive the detect human feature data from the detector;

determine whether the detected human feature data satisfies the at least one condition of the at least one rule; and

in response to a determination that the detected human feature data satisfies the at least one condition, perform the at least one action to control the output of the content.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the at least one condition comprises detecting at least one of a specific individual, a specific class of individuals, and an unidentified individual.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the at least one condition comprises not detecting at least one of a specific individual, a specific class of individuals, and an unidentified individual.

25-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A method of controlling output of content using an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting with a first sensor of the electronic device first data of an environment of the electronic device;

detecting with a second sensor of the electronic device second data of the environment of the electronic device;

determining with the electronic device whether the detected first data comprises stored first data of a human feature of an individual and whether the detected second data comprises stored second data of the human feature of the individual;

in response to a determination that the detected first data comprises the stored first data and that the detected second data comprises the stored second data, controlling with the electronic device the output of the content in a first manner; and

in response to a determination that at least one of the detected first data does not comprise the stored first data and the detected second data does not comprise the stored second data, controlling the output of the content in a second manner.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the individual is authorized to access the content, the method further comprising, prior to the determining, receiving a user request to access the content, wherein, when the detected first data is determined to comprise the stored first data and when the detected second data is determined to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output of the content in the first manner comprises granting access to the content.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the individual is authorized to access the content, the method further comprising, prior to the determining, receiving a user request to access the content, wherein, when at least one of the detected first data is determined not to comprise the stored first data and the detected second data is determined not to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output of the content in the second manner comprises restricting access to the content.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the individual is authorized to access the content, the method further comprising, prior to the controlling, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein, when the detected first data is determined to comprise the stored first data and when the detected second data is determined to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output in the first manner comprises maintaining the presenting of the content.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein the individual is authorized to access the content, the method further comprising, prior to the controlling, presenting with the electronic device the content, wherein, when at least one of the detected first data is determined not to comprise the stored first data and the detected second data is determined not to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output in the second manner comprises altering the presenting of the content.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein:

the first sensor comprises an image sensor; and

the second sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein:

the detected first data comprises image data; and

the detected second data comprises infrared data.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the detecting the first data is performed before the detecting the second data.

48-51. -51. (canceled)