Viewer-based device control

• US 9,405,918 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Freed, Ian W., Hart, Gregory M., Bezos, Jeffrey P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): McLoone, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US14/585,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/068 for control of viewing angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A computing device can monitor the gaze direction of people around the device to determine whether any unintended viewers are viewing content displayed on the device. A user can activate a privacy mode of the device, such that when an unintended viewer is detected the device can take an appropriate action. In some cases the device can notify the primary user of the device using audible, visual, or tactile alerts. In other cases, the device can modify the display of content such that the unintended viewer is unable to decipher or view the content, or is otherwise notified of the detection.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining an image using an imaging element of a computing device, the imaging element positioned with respect to the computing device such that one or more viewers viewing a display element of the computing device appear in at least a portion of the obtained image;

analyzing the obtained image, using the computing device, to identify an unauthorized viewer in the obtained image;

determining a position of the unauthorized viewer to be substantially toward at least a portion of the computing device;

identifying a device associated with the unauthorized viewer; and

generating a notification to be communicated to the identified device associated with the unauthorized viewer, the notification including an advertisement associated with content displayed on the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the unauthorized viewer is determined based at least in part on a gaze direction of the unauthorized viewer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the unauthorized viewer is determined based at least in part on tracking, using the imaging element, at least a portion of a body of the unauthorized viewer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification further includes a warning to the unauthorized viewer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a privacy mode of the computing device in response to determining the position of the unauthorized viewer to be substantially toward at least a portion of the computing device; and

performing at least one privacy action associated with the computing device, the privacy action being determined based at least in part on the determined privacy mode.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one privacy action includes at least one of dimming the display element, turning off the display element, limiting a viewable angle of the display element, obstructing content displayed on the display element, or notifying an authorized viewer.

7. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

at least one imaging element;

a display element for displaying content; and

a memory device including instructions operable to be executed by the processor to perform a set of actions, enabling the processor to;

obtain an image using the at least one imaging element;

analyze the obtained image, using the computing device, to identify an unauthorized viewer in the obtained image;

determine a position of the unauthorized viewer to be substantially toward at least a portion of the computing device;

identify a device associated with the unauthorized viewer; and

generate a notification to be communicated to the identified device associated with the unauthorized viewer, the notification including an advertisement associated with content displayed on the computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the position of the unauthorized viewer further is determined based at least in part on tracking, using the at least one imaging element, at least a portion of a body of the unauthorized viewer.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the notification further includes a warning to the unauthorized viewer.

10. The computing device of claim 7, further including instructions operable to be executed by the processor to perform a set of actions, enabling the processor to:

determine a privacy mode of the computing device, wherein content of the notification is generated based at least in part on the determined privacy mode.

11. The computing device of claim 7, further including instructions operable to be executed by the processor to perform a set of actions, enabling the processor to:

determine a privacy mode of the computing device; and

perform at least one privacy action on the computing device based at least in part on the determined privacy mode.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the privacy mode of the computing device is based at least in part on input that specifies one or more privacy actions to be performed by the computing device corresponding to a plurality of situations.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the privacy mode of the computing device is determined based at least in part on an environment in which the computing device is located.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the privacy mode of the computing device is determined based at least in part on content displayed on the computing device.

15. The computing device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one privacy action includes at least one of dimming the display element, turning off the display element, limiting a viewable angle of the display element, obstructing the content displayed on the display element, and notifying an authorized viewer.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions for controlling a computing device, comprising:

program code for obtaining an image using at least one imaging element;

program code for analyzing the obtained image, using the computing device, to identify an unauthorized viewer in the obtained image;

program code for determining a position of the unauthorized viewer to be substantially toward at least a portion of the computing device;

program code for identifying a device associated with the unauthorized viewer; and

program code for generating a notification to be communicated to the identified device associated with the unauthorized viewer, the notification including an advertisement associated with content displayed on the computing device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising:

program code for determining a privacy mode of the computing; and

program code for performing at least one privacy action based at least in part on the privacy mode of the computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one privacy action includes at least one of dimming a display element, turning off the display element, limiting a viewable angle of the display element, obstructing the content displayed on the display element, and notifying a primary viewer.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the privacy mode of the computing device is determined based at least in part on an environment in which the computing device is located.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein determining a position of the unauthorized viewer further comprising:

tracking, using the at least one imaging element, at least a portion of a body of the unauthorized viewer.