Providing greater access to one or more items in response to determining device transfer

• US 8,402,535 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US13/066,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 726/21, 726/2
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• 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

Abstract

A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user; and providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user, wherein said determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user is performed via at least one of a machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, and wherein said determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises;

determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device, and wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises;

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of a first face associated with the first user and a second face associated with the second user in the proximate vicinity of the computing device, the first face being detected as being closer to the computing device than the second face; and

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user.

2. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of at least one face in the proximate vicinity of the computing device that is recognized as being associated with the first user.

3. The computationally-implemented method of claim 2, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of at least one face in the proximate vicinity of the computing device that is recognized as being associated with the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting absence of a face in the proximate vicinity of the computing device not associated with the first user.

4. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of at least one eye in the proximate vicinity of the computing device that is recognized as being associated with the first user.

5. The computationally-implemented method of claim 4, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of at least one eye in the proximate vicinity of the computing device that is recognized as being associated with the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting absence of an eye in the proximate vicinity of the computing device not associated with the first user.

6. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user.

7. The computationally-implemented method of claim 6, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to one or more physical features associated with the first user.

8. The computationally-implemented method of claim 7, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to one or more physical features associated with the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to a face or one or more eyes recognized as being associated with the first user.

9. The computationally-implemented method of claim 6, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user.

10. The computationally-implemented method of claim 9, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user comprises:

detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved away from one or more physical features associated with the second user.

11. The computationally-implemented method of claim 10, wherein said detecting visually that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user by at least detecting visually that the computing device has moved away from one or more physical features associated with the second user comprises:

detecting visually that the computing device has moved away from one or more physical features associated with the second user by detecting visually that the computing device has moved away from a face or one or more eyes associated with the second user.

12. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device and by detecting presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device.

13. The computationally-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device and by detecting presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device, by detecting the presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device, and by detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users.

14. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device and by detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users.

15. The computationally-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device and by detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users comprises:

detecting directly the one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users by detecting directly that the computing device is at least no longer at a particular spatial location that the computing device was detected as being located at when the computing device was possessed by the second user.

16. The computationally-implemented method of claim 15, wherein said detecting directly the one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users by detecting directly that the computing device is at least no longer at a particular spatial location that the computing device was detected as being located at when the computing device was possessed by the second user comprises:

detecting directly that the computing device is at least no longer at the particular spatial location that the computing device was detected as being located at when the computing device was possessed by the second user by detecting directly that the computing device has been relocated from the particular spatial location to another spatial location via a particular movement path that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users.

17. The computationally-implemented method of claim 15, wherein said detecting directly the one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users by detecting directly that the computing device is at least no longer at a particular spatial location that the computing device was detected as being located at when the computing device was possessed by the second user comprises:

detecting directly that the computing device is at least no longer at the particular spatial location that the computing device was detected as being located at when the computing device was possessed by the second user by detecting directly that the computing device has been relocated from the particular spatial location to another spatial location that is at least a predefined distance away from the particular spatial location that the computing device was detected as being located at when the computing device was possessed by the second user.

18. The computationally-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device and by detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users comprises:

detecting directly the one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users by detecting directly that the computing device is vibrating in a manner that matches with a signature vibration pattern associated with the first user.

19. The computationally-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device and by detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users comprises:

detecting directly the one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users by detecting directly that the computing device has exhibited one or more three-dimensional movements that infer that the computing device has been transferred between two users.

20. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device.

21. The computationally-implemented method of claim 20, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting in the proximate vicinity of the computing device presence of a voice pattern that matches with a signature voice pattern of the first user.

22. The computationally-implemented method of claim 21, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting in the proximate vicinity of the computing device presence of a voice pattern that matches with a signature voice pattern of the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting in the proximate vicinity of the computing device presence of the voice pattern that matches with the signature voice pattern of the first user and by detecting in the proximate vicinity of the computing device absence of any voice pattern that matches with the signature voice pattern of first user.

23. The computationally-implemented method of claim 20, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user.

24. The computationally-implemented method of claim 23, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user comprises:

detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user by detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to a source of a voice pattern that matches with a signature voice pattern of the first user.

25. The computationally-implemented method of claim 23, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user comprises:

detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user.

26. The computationally-implemented method of claim 25, wherein said detecting the presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user comprises:

detecting audibly that the computing device has moved closer to the first user and has moved away from the second user by at least detecting audibly that the computing device has moved away from a source of a voice pattern recognized as not matching with a signature voice pattern of the first user.

27. The computationally-implemented method of claim 20, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises:

determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device and detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users.

28. The computationally-implemented method of claim 27, wherein said determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by detecting presence or absence of the one or more audio cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device and detecting directly one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users comprises:

detecting directly the one or more movements of the computing device that at least infers that the computing device has been transferred between two users by detecting directly that the computing device has exhibited one or more three-dimensional movements that infer that the computing device has been transferred between two users.

29. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to said determining by providing at least greater access to the one or more items that were at least not partially accessible by the second user when the second user had possession of the computing device.

30. The computationally-implemented method of claim 29, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to said determining by providing at least greater access to the one or more items that were at least not partially accessible by the second user when the second user had possession of the computing device comprises:

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to said determining by providing at least greater access to the one or more items that were totally inaccessible by the second user when the second user had possession of the computing device.

31. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to said determining by providing total or unrestricted access to the one or more items.

32. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing greater viewing access via the computing device to the one or more items in response to said determining.

33. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing greater audio access via the computing device to the one or more items in response to said determining.

34. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

presenting, via the computing device and in response at least in part to said determining, the one or more items in one or more formats that allow one or more editorial actions to be executed on one or more parts of the one or more items, the one or more editorial actions not previously available to be executed on the one or more parts of the one or more items when the second user was in possession of the computing device.

35. The computationally-implemented method of claim 34, wherein said presenting, via the computing device and in response at least in part to said determining, the one or more items in one or more formats that allow one or more editorial actions to be executed on one or more parts of the one or more items, the one or more editorial actions not previously available to be executed on the one or more parts of the one or more items when the second user was in possession of the computing device comprises:

presenting, via the computing device and in response at least in part to said determining, the one or more items in one or more formats that allow all editorial actions to be executed on one or more parts of the one or more items, the editorial actions not being previously available to be executed on the one or more parts of the one or more items when the second user was in possession of the computing device.

36. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

presenting, via the computing device and in response at least in part to said determining, the one or more items in one or more formats that allow one or more functionalities of the one or more items to be executed, the one or more functionalities of the one or more items not previously available for execution when the second user was in possession of the computing device.

37. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more electronic documents in response to said determining.

38. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing access via the computing device to one or more credentials in response to said determining.

39. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more applications in response to said determining.

40. The computationally-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises:

providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items that are affiliated with one or more particular entities in response to said determining, the one or more items selectively being at least partly not accessible as a result of their affiliation with the one or more particular entities when the computing device was in the possession of the second user.

41. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

means for determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user, wherein said means for determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises;

means for determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device, and wherein said means for determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises;

means for detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of a first face associated with the first user and a second face associated with the second user in the proximate vicinity of the computing device, the first face being detected as being closer to the computing device than the second face; and

means for providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user.

42. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry for determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user, wherein said circuitry for determining that a computing device associated with a first user and that was in possession of a second user has been transferred from the second user to the first user comprises;

circuitry for determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device, and wherein said circuitry for determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user by at least detecting presence or absence of one or more visual cues in proximate vicinity of the computing device comprises;

circuitry for detecting the presence or absence of the one or more visual cues in the proximate vicinity of the computing device by at least detecting presence of a first face associated with the first user and a second face associated with the second user in the proximate vicinity of the computing device, the first face being detected as being closer to the computing device than the second face; and

circuitry for providing at least greater access via the computing device to one or more items in response to determining that the computing device has been transferred from the second user to the first user.