LIMITING SENSOR USE IN RESTRICTED AREAS

• US 20150172449A1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: CLAVENNA, Robert A. II, HUBNER, Paul V., ARCHER, Steven T., PATE, Kristopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,033,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A device is configured to receive a request to use a sensor of a user device. The device determines a sensitivity area associated with the sensor. The sensitivity area indicates an area the sensor is capable of sensing. The device identifies a restricted area in the sensitivity area. The restricted area corresponds to an area from which the user device is limited from use. The user device identifies a restriction associated with the restricted area, generates a response to the request based on the restriction, and provides the response. The response causes the user device to limit use of the sensor, recording of data captured by the sensor, or access to data recorded by the user device even when the user device is located outside of the restricted area.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

one or more processors to;

receive a request to use a sensor of a user device;

determine a sensitivity area associated with the sensor,

the sensitivity area indicating an area the sensor is capable of sensing;

identify a restricted area in the sensitivity area,

the restricted area corresponding to an area from which the user device is limited from use;

identify a restriction associated with the restricted area;

generate a response to the request based on the restriction; and

provide the response,

the response causing the user device to limit, even when the user device is located outside of the restricted area, at least one of use of the sensor, recording of data captured by the sensor, or access to data recorded by the user device.

2. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the sensitivity area associated with the sensor, are further to:

determine the sensitivity area based on a location of the user device and a sensor parameter of the sensor,

the sensor parameter indicating a capability of the sensor.

3. The device of claim 2, where the sensor parameter indicates a range at which the sensor is capable of sensing information.

4. The device of claim 1, where the one or more processors, when determining the sensitivity area associated with the sensor, are further to:

determine the sensitivity area based on a location of the user device and sensor input information,

the sensor input information indicating data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the user device.

5. The device of claim 4, where the sensor input information indicates at least one of a tilt angle of the user device, a focus distance of a camera in the user device, an acceleration of the user device, a velocity of the user device, a vibration of the user device, a humidity level sensed by the user device, an audio level sensed by the user device, or a direction that the user device is facing.

6. The device of claim 4, where the one or more processors, when determining the sensitivity area associated with the sensor, are further to:

determine the sensitivity area based on the location of the user device, the sensor input information, and a sensor parameter of the sensor,

the sensor parameter indicating a capability of the sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, where the sensitivity area indicates an area that the sensor is actually sensing.

8. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the processor to;

receive a request to use a sensor of a user device;

determine a sensitivity area corresponding to the sensor,

the sensitivity area indicating a usable area of the sensor;

determine a restricted area in the sensitivity area;

determine a restriction corresponding to the restricted area; and

provide a response to the request,

the response being based on the restriction, and

the response causing the user device to limit, even when the user device is located outside of the restricted area, at least one of a component of the user device, recording of data captured by the sensor, or access to data recorded by the user device.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the plurality of instructions, when determining the restricted area in the sensitivity area, further cause the processor to:

query a data structure based on information associated with the sensitivity area; and

obtain information identifying the restricted area in the sensitivity area based on the query.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the plurality of instructions, when determining the restriction corresponding to the restricted area, further cause the processor to:

query a data structure based on information associated with the restricted area;

obtain information identifying the restriction based on the query.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction prohibits the sensor from capturing data from the restricted area.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction limits at least one of an input component in the user device from inputting information or an output component in the user device from outputting information.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction restricts a playback of information recorded of the restricted area by the sensor.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, where the restriction includes a non-location based condition for the restriction to apply.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the non-location based condition is based on sensor input information,

where the sensor input information indicates data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the user device.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, a request to use a sensor of a user device;

determining, by the device, a sensitivity area associated with the sensor,

the sensitivity area indicating an area that the sensor is capable of sensing;

identifying, by the device, a restricted area in the sensitivity area,

obtaining, by the device, a restriction associated with the restricted area;

generating, by the device, a response to the request,

the response being generated based on the restriction; and

providing, by the device, the response to the request,

the response causing the user device to limit, even when the user device is located outside of the restricted area, at least one of use of the sensor, recording of data captured by the sensor, or access to data recorded from the sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a permission model identifying a plurality of restricted areas in a predetermined area around a location of the user device,

the restricted area being included in the plurality of restricted areas, and

where identifying the restricted area includes identifying the restricted area based on the permission model.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a permission model identifying the restriction associated with the restricted area,

where obtaining the restriction includes obtaining the restriction from the permission model.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a permission model including information identifying the sensitivity area indicating the area that the sensor is capable of sensing; and

determining an actual sensitivity area the sensor is actually sensing based on the permission model and sensor input information,

the sensor input information indicating data sensed by at least one of the sensor or another sensor in the user device.

where identifying the restricted area includes identifying the restricted area in the actual sensitivity area the sensor is actually sensing.

20. The method of claim 16, where the restricted area is an area based on location information transmitted by a transmitting device, the location information indicating a location of the transmitting device.