Systems and methods for controlling output of content based on human recognition data detection

• US 9,633,186 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ingrassia, Jr., Michael I., Hramits, Nathaniel Paine
• Primary Examiner(s): Kholdebarin, Iman K
• Application Number:
  US13/453,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling output of content based on human recognition data captured by one or more sensors of an electronic device are provided. The control of the output of particular content may be based on an action of a rule defined for the particular content, and may be performed when at least one human feature detection related condition of the rule is satisfied. In some embodiments, the action may include granting access to requested content when detected human feature data satisfies at least one human feature detection related condition of a rule defined for the requested content. In other embodiments the action may include altering a presentation of content, during the presentation of the content, when detected human feature data satisfies at least one human feature detection related condition of a rule defined for the presented content.

Claims

1. A method of controlling output of content using an electronic device, wherein the content is associated with at least one rule that comprises at least one condition and at least one action, the method comprising:

attempting with the electronic device to detect human feature data;

in response to detecting the human feature data, determining with the electronic device whether the detected human feature data satisfies the at least one condition of the at least one rule; and

in response to a determination that the detected human feature data satisfies the at least one condition, performing with the electronic device the at least one action to control the output of the content, wherein;

the at least one condition comprises detecting no individual being positioned within a threshold distance from a touch screen interface component of the electronic device;

the performing the at least one action comprises terminating the presentation of a virtual keyboard input component of the content on the touch screen interface component of the electronic device; and

the performing the at least one action further comprises maintaining the presentation of another component of the content on the touch screen interface component of the electronic device during the terminating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold distance is set by an end user of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the other component of the content comprises one of a web browser, a word processing application, and a media player application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attempting comprises attempting with the electronic device to detect human feature data while presenting the other component of the content on the touch screen interface component of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the other component of the content comprises an application content component.

6. A method of controlling output of content using an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting with a first sensor of the electronic device first data of an environment of the electronic device;

determining with the electronic device whether the detected first data comprises stored first data of a human feature of a particular individual human;

in response to a determination that the detected first data comprises the stored first data;

enabling a previously disabled second sensor of the electronic device;

detecting with the second sensor of the electronic device second data of the environment of the electronic device;

determining with the electronic device whether the detected second data comprises stored second data of the human feature of the particular individual human; and

in response to a determination that the detected second data comprises the stored second data, controlling with the electronic device the output of the content in a first manner; and

in response to a determination that the detected first data does not comprise the stored first data, controlling the output of the content in a second manner, wherein;

the first sensor comprises one of an image sensor and an infrared sensor;

the second sensor comprises the other one of the image sensor and the infrared sensor;

the detected first data comprises one of image data and infrared data; and

the detected second data comprises the other one of image data and infrared data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the particular individual human is authorized to access the content;

the method further comprises, prior to the determining with the electronic device whether the detected first data comprises the stored first data, receiving a user request to access the content; and

when the detected first data is determined to comprise the stored first data and when the detected second data is determined to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output of the content in the first manner comprises granting access to the content.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the particular individual human is authorized to access the content;

the method further comprises, prior to the determining with the electronic device whether the detected first data comprises the stored first data, receiving a user request to access the content; and

when at least one of the detected first data is determined not to comprise the stored first data and the detected second data is determined not to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output of the content in the second manner comprises restricting access to the content.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the particular individual human is authorized to access the content;

the method further comprises, prior to the controlling, presenting with the electronic device the content; and

when the detected first data is determined to comprise the stored first data and when the detected second data is determined to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output in the first manner comprises maintaining the presenting of the content.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the particular individual human is authorized to access the content;

the method further comprises, prior to the controlling, presenting with the electronic device the content; and

when at least one of the detected first data is determined not to comprise the stored first data and the detected second data is determined not to comprise the stored second data, the controlling the output in the second manner comprises altering the presenting of the content.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first sensor comprises the image sensor;

the second sensor comprises the infrared sensor;

the detected first data comprises the image data; and

the detected second data comprises the infrared data.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the first sensor comprises the infrared sensor;

the second sensor comprises the image sensor;

the detected first data comprises the infrared data; and

the detected second data comprises the image data.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting the first data is performed before the detecting the second data.

14. A method of controlling output of content on a touch screen interface component of an electronic device, wherein the content is associated with a first rule that comprises a first condition and a first action and with a second rule that comprises a second condition and a second action, and wherein the content comprises an application content component and a virtual keyboard input component, the method comprising:

while presenting the application content component on the touch screen interface component, attempting with the electronic device to detect human feature data;

in response to detecting the human feature data, determining with the electronic device whether the detected human feature data satisfies one of the first condition and the second condition;

in response to a determination that the detected human feature data satisfies the first condition, performing with the electronic device the first action to control the output of the content; and

in response to a determination that the detected human feature data satisfies the second condition, performing with the electronic device the second action to control the output of the content, wherein;

the first condition comprises detecting at least one individual being positioned within a threshold distance from the touch screen interface component;

the performing the first action comprises initiating a presentation of the virtual keyboard input component on the touch screen interface component;

the second condition comprises detecting no individual being positioned within the threshold distance from the touch screen interface component;

the performing the second action comprises terminating a presentation of the virtual keyboard input component on the touch screen interface component; and

the performing the second action further comprises maintaining the presentation of the application content component on the touch screen interface component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the threshold distance is set by an end user of the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the performing the first action further comprises maintaining the presentation of the application content component on the touch screen interface component.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the application content component comprises one of a web browser, a word processing application, and a media player application.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting the at least one individual being positioned within the threshold distance does not comprise detecting the at least one individual touching the touch screen interface component.