Method and apparatus for suspending screen sharing during confidential data entry

• US 9,699,271 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brander, Ryan Conrad, Poeluev, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Rinna
• Application Number:
  US13/752,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20140215356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 715738, 715740, 715744, 715751, 715752, 715753, 715758, 715759, 715760, 715778, 715790, 715971, 709201, 709203, 709204, 709205, 709206, 709207, 709213, 709217, 709223, 709231, 709278, 340506, 34028602, 348 407, 348 1408, 365 63, 370260, 370261
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]

Abstract

A method, transmitting device, and computer-readable storage medium are provided for sharing image data between a source device and at least one receiving device. In one implementation, a method is provided for periodically sending image data of a shared screen to the at least one receiving device using a sharing connection. The method also receives a request associated with activating a user interface component involving confidential information, suspends updating of the image data responsive to the received request, and periodically sends suspended image data to the at least one receiving device while updating is suspended.

Claims

1. A method for sharing image data between a source device and at least one receiving device, the method comprising:

periodically sending image data of a shared screen to the at least one receiving device using a sharing connection;

receiving a request associated with activating a user interface component;

determining that the user interface component is configured to display confidential information;

in response to the determining that the user interface component is configured to display confidential information;

suspending updating of the image data responsive to the received request; and

periodically placing a single screen image in an image buffer, wherein the single screen image is generated periodically and the single screen image represents a last screen of the source device captured prior to suspending; and

periodically sending suspended image data to the at least one receiving device while updating is suspended, wherein the suspended image data includes the single screen image that represents the last screen of the source device captured prior to suspending.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the user interface component is based at least in part on receiving user input associated with the user interface component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the user interface component is based at least in part on receiving a request to display a virtual keyboard having keyboard elements specific to entry of confidential information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the user interface component is based at least in part on determining that a current input focus is associated with the user interface component.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user interface component is no longer activated when the current input focus is not associated with the user interface component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising resuming updating of the image data responsive to determining that the user interface component is no longer activated.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether confidential information is displayed in the user interface component after determining that the user interface component is no longer activated;

obfuscating the confidential information; and

sending an obfuscation element with the suspended image data to the at least one receiving device while updating is suspended.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending updating of the image data comprises preventing updated image data from being placed into the image buffer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a notification indicating that screen sharing is suspended.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification is added before updating of the image data is suspended, and wherein the suspended image data sent to the at least one receiving device includes the notification.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the user interface component comprises determining that the user interface component includes information designated not to be shared.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface component is associated with the confidential information, and wherein the confidential information is one of a login credential, an account number, a social security number, a credit card number, or information related to finances.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface component is associated with authentication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user interface component is one of an authentication field and an authentication prompt.

15. A source device for sharing image data with at least one receiving device, the source device comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media enabled to store instructions; and

one or more processors enabled to execute the instructions, the executing of the instructions causing the source device to;

periodically send image data of a shared screen to the at least one receiving device using a sharing connection;

receive a request associated with activating a user interface component;

determining that the user interface component is configured to display confidential information;

in response to the determining that the user interface component is configured to display confidential information;

suspend updating of the image data responsive to the received request; and

periodically place a single screen image in an image buffer, wherein the single screen image is generated periodically and the single screen image represents a last screen of the source device captured prior to suspending; and

periodically send suspended image data to the at least one receiving device while updating is suspended, wherein the suspended image data includes the single screen image that represents the last screen of the source device captured prior to suspending.

16. The source device of claim 15, wherein activating the user interface component is based at least in part on one of the following or any combination thereof:

receiving user input associated with the user interface component,

receiving a request to display a virtual keyboard having keyboard elements specific to entry of confidential information, or

determining that a current input focus is associated with the user interface component.

17. The source device of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the source device to resume updating of the image data responsive to determining that the user interface component is no longer activated.

18. The source device of claim 15, wherein suspending updating of the image data comprises preventing updated image data from being placed into the image buffer.

19. One or more tangibly-embodied nontransitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a source device, cause the source device to:

periodically send image data of a shared screen to at least one receiving device using a sharing connection;

receive a request associated with activating a user interface component;

determining that the user interface component is configured to display confidential information;

in response to the determining that the user interface component is configured to display confidential information;

suspend updating of the image data responsive to the received request; and

periodically placing a single screen image in an image buffer, wherein the single screen image is generated periodically and the single screen image represents a last screen of the source device captured prior to suspending; and

periodically send suspended image data to the at least one receiving device while updating is suspended, wherein the suspended image data includes the single screen image that represents the last screen of the source device captured prior to suspending.

20. The one or more tangibly-embodied nontransitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein activating the user interface component is based at least in part on one of the following or any combination thereof:

receiving user input associated with the user interface component,

receiving a request to display a virtual keyboard having keyboard elements specific to entry of confidential information, or

determining that a current input focus is associated with the user interface component.

21. The one or more tangibly-embodied nontransitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the source device to resume updating of the image data responsive to determining that the user interface component is no longer activated.

22. The one or more tangibly-embodied nontransitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein suspending updating of the image data comprises preventing updated image data from being placed into the image buffer.