Method and an apparatus for detecting a need for security and invoking a secured presentation of data

• US 6,918,039 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hind, John R., Peters, Marcia L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): GURSHMAN, GRIGORY
• Application Number:
  US09/573,859
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 713166-168, 713/176, 380/258, 380/241
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/76 Proxy, i.e. using intermediary entity to perform cryptographic operations network architectures or network communication protocols using hop-by-hop encryption H04L63/0464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and an apparatus in a data processing system detects the presence of sensitive data and renders this data in a secured manner. The data processing system may be any device with information presentation capability which can receive data from a network. Detecting a need for secured rendering may include recognition that the data was encrypted, tags in the data indicating a level of secured rendering, or various forms of pre-arrangement between the sender and the recipient. Ways to determine if the recipient is in a secured environment include detection of conversations in the environment, video images showing people in the environment, analysis of infrared signals, determining the location of the data processing system using GPS or similar means, or interaction with an authenticated user. The means for rendering may be specified in the data, may be determined by the recipient, may be determined by pre-agreement between the sender and recipient, or may be based on the capability of the data processing system. Secured rendering means include, but are not limited to, display of data in a visual format that requires a special lens for detection, speaking the data into a speaker device in an ear canal of the recipient, or use of a special coded format known only to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for presenting data to a recipient rendered in a secured manner, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data having a plurality of portions, wherein at least one portion of the data requires secured rendering;

selecting, for each of the plurality of portions, a means for rendering, wherein a selected means for rendering for the at least one portion of the data is a means for secured rendering;

determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for an ambient environment of the recipient; and

presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient using the various selected means for rendering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system is one of a personal computer, a workstation, a laptop computer, an information appliance, a personal digital assistant, a handheld organizer, a pager, a cellular telephone, a digital watch, a television, a cable interface box, a game console and an information presentation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one portion of the data includes recognition that the at least one portion of the data was encrypted when transmitted on a network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one portion of the data includes identifying one of a tag name, an attribute value coded in a tag, and a default attribute value inferred from a document definition, specifying the one or more portions of data being secured.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting means for rendering includes a pre-arrangement between a sender and the recipient based on one of a network registry, a network directory, and a security profile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting mans for rendering includes identifying a means for rendering based on a tag name and an attribute value in the data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting means for rendering includes receiving a selection of a means from the recipient.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting means for rendering includes determination of a means based on a capability of the data processing system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes receiving an indication of an appropriateness from the recipient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes detecting conversations in the environment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes receiving of video images showing people other than the recipient in the environment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes receiving infrared signals and analyze the infrared signals to determine if persons other than the recipient are present in the environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes receiving signals from a motion detector and analyzing the signals from the motion detector to determine if persons other than the recipient are present in the environment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes determining a location of the data processing system using a global positioning system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for the ambient environment includes determining a location of the data processing system using cellular telephone location systems.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient includes display of the data in a visual format that requires a special lens for detection.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient includes presentation of the data on a personal display in a air of eyeglasses.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of potions of the data to the recipient includes presentation of the data using a speaker device in an ear canal of the recipient.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient includes presentation of the data using a vibrating device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient includes presentation of the data using a Braille touch printer.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient includes presentation of the data involves a special coded format known only to the recipient.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the special coded format is base on one of a foreign language, icon substitution, and sound pattern generation.

23. A data processing apparatus for presenting data to a recipient rendered in a secured manner, the data processing apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving data having a plurality of portions, wherein at least one portion of the data requires secured rendering;

selecting means for selecting, for each of the plurality of portions, a means for rendering, wherein a selected means for rendering for the at least one portion of the data is a means for secured rendering;

determining means for determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for an ambient environment of the recipient; and

rendering means for presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient using the various selected means for rendering.

24. The data processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the data processing apparatus is one of a personal computer, a workstation, a laptop computer, an information appliance, a personal digital assistant, a handheld organizer, a pager, a cellular telephone, a digital watch, a television, a cable interface box, a game console and an information presentation device.

25. The data processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the receiving means for receiving the at least one portion of the data is based on one of a recognition that the at least one portion of the data was encrypted, a tag a name, an attribute value coded in a tag, a default attribute value inferred from a document definition, and a pre-arrangement between a sender and the recipient.

26. The data processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the pre-arrangement between a sander and the recipient is based on one of a network registry, a network directory, and a security profile.

27. The data processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the selecting means for secured rendering is based on one of a tag name with attribute value, selection by the recipient, and by a capability of the data processing apparatus.

28. The data processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the determining means for determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for an ambient environment is based on one of an indication of appropriateness by the recipient, detection of conversations in the environment, reception of video images showing people other than the recipient in the environment, analysis of infrared signals to determine if persons other that the recipient are present in the environment, analysis of signals from a motion detector to determine if persons other than the recipient are present in the environment, and determining a location of the data processing system.

29. The data processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the rendering means for presenting the plurality of portions of the data is one of a personal display in a pair of eyeglasses, a speaker device in an ear canal of the recipient, a vibrating device, a Braille touch printer and a special coded format known only to the recipient.

30. The data processing apparatus of claim 29, wherein the special coded format is based on one of a foreign language, an icon substitution, and a sound pattern generation.

31. A computer program product on a data processing system for presenting data to a recipient rendered in a secured manner, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving data having a plurality of portions, wherein at least one portion of the data requires secured rendering;

instructions for selecting, for each of the plurality of portions, a means for rendering, wherein a selected means for rendering for the at least one portion of the data is a means for secured rendering;

instructions for determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for an ambient environment of the recipient; and

instructions for presenting the plurality of portions of the data to the recipient using the various selected means for rendering.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the data processing system is one of a personal computer, a workstation, a laptop computer, an information appliance, a personal digital assistant, a handheld organizer, a pager, a cellular telephone, a digital watch, a television, a cable interface box, a game, console and an information presentation device.

33. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the instructions for receiving the at least one portion of the data is based on one of a recognition that one or more portions of the data was encrypted, a tag name, an attribute value coded in a tag, a default attribute value inferred from a document definition, and a pre-arrangement between a sender and the recipient.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the pre-arrangement between a sender and the recipient is based on one of a network registry, a network directory, and a security profile.

35. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the instructions for selecting a means for secured rendering is based on one of a tag name with attribute value, selection by the recipient, and by a capability of the data processing system.

36. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the instructions for determining whether the selected means for secured rendering is appropriate for an ambient environment is based on one of an indication of appropriateness by the recipient, detection of conversations in the environment, reception of video images showing people other than the recipient in the environment, analysis of signals from a motion detector to determine if persons other than the recipient are present in the environment, and determining a location of the data processing system.

37. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the instructions for presenting the plurality of portions of the data is one of a personal display in a pair of eyeglasses, a speaker device in an ear canal of the recipient, a vibrating device, a Braille touch printer and a special coded format known only to the recipient.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the special coded format is based on one of a foreign language, an icon substitution, and a sound pattern generation.