Notifying a user of access to information by an application

• US 8,413,167 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Biggs, Todd S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAO, DIEM K
• Application Number:
  US11/865,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 719/318, 726/26
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action

Abstract

Functionality is described for detecting an application'"'"'s access to a user'"'"'s information (or the application'"'"'s request to access the user'"'"'s information). The functionality sends a notification to the user which alerts the user to the access that has already taken place (or is pending approval). The functionality detects the current point of presence of the user, and based thereon, sends the notification to the user in an appropriate manner. Upon receipt of the notification, the user may optionally retrieve additional information regarding the application'"'"'s access activity, modify the access rights of the application, and so on.

Claims

1. A method implemented by an electronic data processing system for providing a notification, comprising:

detecting that an application has accessed information associated with a user, the application previously having received an authorization from the user to access the information;

in response to detecting that the application has accessed the information associated with the user, generating a notification that alerts the user regarding the application accessing the information associated with the user, the notification providing a control that allows the user to modify an access privilege of the application;

determining a current point of presence of the user, the current point of presence of the user representing an application through which the user is currently interacting with the electronic data processing system, wherein the notification that is generated is compatible with the current point of presence of the user; and

sending the notification to the user at the current point of presence of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to perform an action after sending the notification to the user, and

performing the action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the action comprises modification of a right of the application to access the information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the action comprises revocation of a right of the application to access the information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the action comprises providing the user additional information regarding the application accessing the information associated with the user.

6. One or more computing devices, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform the method of claim 1.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control comprises a selectable field that allows the user to modify the access privilege of the application.

8. An electronic data processing system for providing a notification, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

an access administration module stored in the memory and executable on the processor that is configured to detect that an application has engaged in access activity of information associated with a user, the application previously having received an authorization from the user to access the information;

a presence determination module configured to determine a current point of presence of the user; and

a notification module stored in the memory and executable on the processor that is configured to;

generate a notification that alerts the user regarding the access activity of-reading the information associated with the user in response to detecting that the application has engaged in the access activity of reading the information associated with the user by the access administration module, the notification being compatible with the current point of presence of the user and providing a control that allows the user to modify an access privilege of the application, and

send the notification to the user at the current point of presence of the user.

9. The electronic data processing system of claim 8, wherein the access administration module further includes a registration module configured to establish a right of the application to access information from an information source.

10. The electronic data processing system of claim 8, wherein the access administration module further includes a user interaction module configured to receive an authorization from the user for the application to access the information.

11. The electronic data processing system of claim 8, wherein the access administration module further includes a user interaction module configured to receive a request from the user to perform an action after the notification has been sent to the user.

12. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the action comprises modification of a right of the application to access the information.

13. The electronic data processing system of claim 11, wherein the action comprises providing the user additional information regarding the access activity.

14. The electronic data processing system of claim 8, wherein the control comprises a selectable field that allows the user to modify the access privilege of the application.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

a presence module stored in the memory and executable on the processor that is configured to determine a current point of presence of a user, the current point of presence of the user representing an application through which the user is currently interacting with the system; and

a message module stored in the memory and executable on the processor that is configured to;

receive an indication that a network-accessible application is accessing information associated with a user, wherein the user has previously granted the network-accessible application a right to access the information; and

send a notification to the current point of presence of the user in response to receiving the indication that the network-accessible application is accessing the information associated with the user, the notification being compatible with the current point of presence of the user, wherein the notification alerts the user regarding the application accessing the information associated with the user and provides a control that allows the user to modify an access privilege of the network-accessible application.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the control provides a selectable field that allows the user to modify the access privilege of the application.