Methods, systems, and computer program products for protecting information on a user interface based on a viewability of the information

• US 7,774,851 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemtron Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Singh, Mona, Fry, Jared S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaForgia; Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson; Jenise E
• Application Number:
  US11/316,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for protecting information on a user interface based on a viewability of the information are disclosed. According to one method, a viewing position of a person other than a user with respect to information on a user interface is identified. An information viewability threshold is determined based on the information on the user interface. Further, an action associated with the user interface is performed based on the identified viewing position and the determined information viewability threshold.

Claims

1. A method for protecting information on a user interface, the method comprising:

identifying a viewing position of a person other than a user with respect to information on a user interface of the computing system;

determining an information viewability threshold for the person based on the information on the user interface, wherein the information viewability threshold indicates a distance from the user interface and wherein the distance is variable based on at least a viewability of the information as presented by the user interface; and

performing an action associated with the user interface based on the identified viewing position and a relationship of the identified viewing position to the determined information viewability threshold,

wherein at least one of the preceding actions is performed on at least one electronic hardware component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a viewing position of a person other than a user includes:

capturing an image of the person other than the user; and

determining a viewing position of the person based on the captured image.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an information viewability threshold based on the information on the user interface includes determining characteristics of at least one of the user interface and the information.

4. The method of claim 1 determining an information viewability threshold based on the information on the user interface comprises:

determining whether the person is authorized to view the information on the user interface; and

determining the information viewability threshold based on the authorization determination.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein performing an action associated with the user interface includes reformatting the information on the user interface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein reformatting the information on the user interface includes altering at least one of a font size and a zoom level of the information.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the user interface is a display operable to display the information, and wherein reformatting the information on the user interface includes blurring or darkening the information shown on the display.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein performing an action associated with the user interface includes providing an indication to the user of the presence of a potential onlooker.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein performing an action associated with the user interface includes:

determining a position of the person other than the user; and

indicating the position of the person other than the user via the user interface.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein determining whether the person is authorized to view the information on the user interface includes determining a behavior of the person.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining a behavior of the person includes monitoring eye movement of the person.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining a behavior of the person includes detecting eye position of the person.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein determining a behavior of the person includes detecting a facial position of the person.

14. A system for protecting information on a user interface, the system comprising system components including:

a viewing position identifier implemented on a suitably programmed computing system and operable to identify a viewing position of a person other than a user with respect to information on a user interface of the computing system; and

an information viewability function implemented on the computing system and operable to determine an information viewability threshold for the person based on the information on the user interface, wherein the information viewability threshold indicates a distance from the user interface, wherein the distance is variable based on at least a viewability of the information as presented by the user interface, and wherein the information viewability function is operable to perform an action associated with the user interface based on the identified viewing position and a relationship of the identified viewing position to the determined information viewability threshold,

wherein at least one of the system components includes at least one electronic hardware component.

15. The system of claim 14 comprising an image capture device operable to capture an image of the person other than the user, and wherein the viewing position identifier is operable to determine a viewing position of the person based on the captured image.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the information viewability function is operable to determine the information viewability threshold by determining whether the person is authorized to view the information on the user interface and determining the information viewability threshold based on the authorization determination.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the information viewability function is operable to alter the information on the user interface in response to determining that the person is not authorized to view the information.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the information viewability function is operable to reformat the information on the user interface in response to determining that the person is not authorized to view the information.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the information viewability function is operable to alter at least one of a font size and a zoom level of the information in response to determining that the person is not authorized to view the information.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the user interface is a display operable to display the information, and wherein the information viewability function is operable to control the display for blurring or darkening the information shown on the display.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the user interface is a display, and the information viewability function is operable to control the user interface to provide an indication of the person other than the user.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the viewing position identifier is operable to determine a position of the person other than the user, and wherein the information viewability function is operable to control the user interface to indicate the position of the person other than the user.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the viewing position identifier is operable to determine a behavior of the person, and wherein the information viewability function is operable to determine the information viewability threshold based on the identified viewing position.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the viewing position identifier is operable to monitor eye movement of the person for determining the behavior of the person.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the viewing position identifier is operable to detect eye position of the person for determining the behavior of the person.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the viewing position identifier is operable to detect a facial position of the person for determining the behavior of the person.

27. A system for protecting information on a user interface, the system comprising components including:

means implemented on a suitably programmed computing system for identifying a viewing position of a person other than a user with respect to information on a user interface;

means implemented on the computing system for determining an information viewability threshold for the person based on the information on the user interface, wherein the information viewability threshold indicates a distance from the user interface and wherein the distance is variable based on at least a viewability of the information as presented by the user interface; and

means implemented on the computing system for performing an action associated with the user interface based on the identified viewing position and a relationship of the identified computing system and the determined information viewability threshold,

wherein at least one of the means includes at least one electronic hardware component.

28. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium, that when executed by at least one device performs the steps comprising:

identifying a viewing position of a person other than a user with respect to information on a user interface;

determining an information viewability threshold for the person based on the information on the user interface, wherein the information viewability threshold indicates a distance from the user interface and wherein the distance variable based on at least a viewability of the information as presented by the user interface; and

performing an action associated with the user interface based on a relationship between the identified viewing position and the determined information viewability threshold.