Using biometric verification to grant access to redacted content

• US 9,721,107 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marciniak, Craig Alan, Han, Byron Bay, Whalley, Andrew Roger, Shepherd, Matthew Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): LEMMA, SAMSON B
• Application Number:
  US13/913,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20140366158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,515 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26, 726 28, 726 4- 5, 726 17- 18, 713186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes

Abstract

Some embodiments provide an electronic device with a novel content redaction engine. The content redaction engine of some embodiments determines whether to redact content for output based on whether a user is biometrically verified. When the content redaction engine receives verification data indicating that the user is biometrically verified, the device displays content without any portion redacted. On the other hand, when the content redaction engine does not receive such verification data, the device displays the content with at least a portion redacted. The electronic device of some embodiments additionally includes a biometric reader and a biometric verification engine. The biometric reader reads a person'"'"'s uniquely identifying biometric data (e.g., thumbprint/fingerprint, iris scan, voice, etc.). This biometric information is then read by the biometric verification engine for comparison to a stored set of verified user biometric data. When the biometric data matches the stored data, the person is verified.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for execution by at least one processing unit of a mobile device, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

while the mobile device is in a locked-screen mode;

receiving a message comprising a sender identification and a message content from another device;

displaying a notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content;

receiving biometric verification data indicating whether a user of the mobile device is verified through biometric data;

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is verified, displaying the notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and the message content without any redactions; and

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is not verified, continuing to display the notification of the received by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content.

2. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for receiving biometric verification data comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving biometric data through a biometric reader of the mobile device; and

generating the biometric verification data by comparing the received biometric data with stored biometric data of the user of the mobile device.

3. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 2, wherein the sender identification and the message content without any redactions is only displayed while biometric data is received through the biometric reader of the mobile device.

4. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the message is one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and an electronic mail message.

5. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for redacting the message content comprises a set of instructions for not displaying the message content.

6. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for redacting the message content comprises a set of instructions for blurring the message content.

7. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the sender identification comprises a name of a user of the other device.

8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 1, wherein the biometric data comprises one of fingerprint and thumbprint data.

9. A mobile device comprising:

a set of processing units comprising at least one hardware processor;

a display screen for displaying a notification of a message while the mobile device is in a locked-screen mode, the message comprising a sender identification and a message content;

a biometric reader; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium storing;

a device display module which when executed by at least one of the processing units displays, on the display screen, the notification of the message by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content;

a biometric verification engine which when executed by at least one of the processing units evaluates biometric data received from the biometric reader to determine whether to verify a user; and

a content redaction engine which when executed by at least one of the processing units determines whether to (i) continue to display the notification of the message by displaying the sender identification and redacted message content when the biometric verification engine does not verify the user or (ii) display the notification of the message by displaying the sender identification and the message content without any redactions when the biometric verification engine verifies the user.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the biometric data reader reads fingerprint information.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the biometric verification engine comprises a set of instructions for comparing the fingerprint information from the biometric data reader to a stored fingerprint for an owner of the mobile device.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the biometric verification engine comprises a set of instructions for comparing the fingerprint information from the biometric data reader to a plurality of stored fingerprints for a plurality of different users.

13. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the message is one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and an electronic mail message.

14. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the sender identification comprises a name of a user of the other device.

15. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein displaying the redacted message content comprises not displaying the message content.

16. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the displaying the redacted message content comprises blurring the message content.

17. A mobile device comprising:

a set of processing units comprising at least one hardware processor; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for execution by at least one of the processing units of the mobile device, the program comprising sets of instructions for;

while the mobile device is in a locked-screen mode;

receiving a message comprising a sender identification and a message content from another device;

displaying a notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content;

receiving biometric verification data indicating whether a user of the mobile device is verified through biometric data;

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is verified, displaying the notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and the message content without any redactions; and

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is verified, continuing to display the notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content.

18. The mobile device of claim 17 further comprising a biometric reader, wherein the set of instructions for receiving biometric verification data comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving biometric data through the biometric reader of the mobile device; and

generating the biometric verification data by comparing the received biometric data with stored biometric data of the user of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the sender identification and the message content without any redactions is only displayed while biometric data is received through the biometric reader of the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 17 further comprises a biometric reader, wherein the biometric data comprises fingerprint information received through the biometric reader of the mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions for redacting the message content comprises a set of instructions for not displaying the message content.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions for redacting the message content comprises a set of instructions for blurring the message content.

23. A method comprising:

while a device is in a lock-screen mode;

receiving a message comprising a sender identification and a message content from another device;

displaying a notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content;

receiving biometric verification data indicating whether a user of the device is verified through biometric data;

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is verified, displaying the notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and the message content without any redactions; and

when the biometric verification data indicates that the user is not verified, continuing to display the notification of the received message by displaying the sender identification and redacting the message content.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the message is one of a Short Message Service (SMS) Message and an electronic mail message.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the sender identification comprises a name of a user of the other device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein redacting the message content comprises blurring the message content.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein redacting the message content comprises not displaying the message content.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the biometric data comprises one of fingerprint and thumbprint data.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving biometric verification data comprises:

receiving biometric data through a biometric reader of the device; and

generating the biometric verification data by comparing the received biometric data with stored biometric data of the user of the device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the sender identification and the message content without any redactions is only displayed while biometric data is received through the biometric reader of the device.