Hiding sensitive content visible through a transparent display

• US 9,928,630 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US15/219,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 345619, 345629, 345 9, 345633, 382212, 382214, 382282, 382283, 715866, 348 46
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/00 Scenes; Scene-specific elements control of digital cameras H04N23/60

Abstract

Facilities for hiding sensitive content visible through a transparent display. An example method includes identifying sensitive content adjacent to a first side of a transparent display device, detecting a viewing direction to the sensitive content through the transparent display device from a position adjacent to a second side of the transparent display device, determining, based at least in part on the detected viewing direction, a display area of the transparent display device through which at least a portion of the sensitive content is visible from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, and presenting, in the display area, digital content at least partially blocking the sensitive content from view from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying, by a computer system, sensitive content adjacent to a first side of a transparent display device, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises;

using one or more cameras of the computer system to obtain one or more images of a scene adjacent to the first side of the transparent display device, applying image recognition to the obtained one or more images, and identifying the sensitive content based on the applied image recognition;

detecting, by the computer system, a viewing direction to the sensitive content through the transparent display device from a position adjacent to a second side of the transparent display device;

determining, by the computer system, based at least in part on the detected viewing direction, a display area of the transparent display device through which at least a portion of the sensitive content is visible from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device; and

presenting, by the computer system, in the display area, digital content at least partially blocking the sensitive content from view from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises determining a location and dimension of the sensitive content, and wherein the determining the display area comprises positioning and dimensioning the display area based on the identified location and dimension of the sensitive content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises tracking user activity adjacent to the first side of the transparent display device and identifying at least some of the user activity as being the sensitive content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing direction is of a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, and the detecting the viewing direction comprises obtaining one or more images of a scene adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device and identifying a focus direction of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, the user having the detected viewing direction, determining a sensitivity privilege level associated with the user, and determining whether the identified sensitive content is sensitive with respect to the determined sensitivity privilege level associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring for a change of position and viewing direction of a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, and adjusting positioning of the display area so that the digital content continues to at least partially block the sensitive content from view.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more images, a blur pattern, or a color.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content comprises an advertisement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some portions of the transparent display device remain transparent and other content adjacent to a first side of a transparent display device remains visible through the transparent display device from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the display area comprises a first display area, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting one or more other viewing directions to the sensitive content through the transparent display device from one or more other positions adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device;

determining, based at least in part on the detected one or more other viewing directions, second display areas of the transparent display device through which the sensitive content is viewable from the one or more other positions adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device; and

presenting, in the second display areas, additional digital content at least partially blocking the sensitive content from view from the one or more positions adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium readable by a processor and storing instructions for execution by the processor for performing a method comprising;

identifying, by a computer system, sensitive content adjacent to a first side of a transparent display device, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises;

using one or more cameras of the computer system to obtain one or more images of a scene adjacent to the first side of the transparent display device, applying image recognition to the obtained one or more images, and identifying the sensitive content based on the applied image recognition;

detecting, by the computer system, a viewing direction to the sensitive content through the transparent display device from a position adjacent to a second side of the transparent display device;

determining, by the computer system, based at least in part on the detected viewing direction, a display area of the transparent display device through which at least a portion of the sensitive content is visible from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device; and

presenting, by the computer system, in the display area, digital content at least partially blocking the sensitive content from view from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises tracking user activity adjacent to the first side of the transparent display device and identifying at least some of the user activity as being the sensitive content.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the viewing direction is of a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, and the detecting the viewing direction comprises obtaining one or more images of a scene adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device and identifying a focus direction of the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises identifying a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, the user having the detected viewing direction, determining a sensitivity privilege level associated with the user, and determining whether the identified sensitive content is sensitive with respect to the determined sensitivity privilege level associated with the user.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises monitoring for a change of position and viewing direction of a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, and adjusting positioning of the display area so that the digital content continues to at least partially block the sensitive content from view.

16. A computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

identifying, by the computer system, sensitive content adjacent to a first side of a transparent display device, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises;

using one or more cameras of the computer system to obtain one or more images of a scene adjacent to the first side of the transparent display device, applying image recognition to the obtained one or more images, and identifying the sensitive content based on the applied image recognition;

detecting, by the computer system, a viewing direction to the sensitive content through the transparent display device from a position adjacent to a second side of the transparent display device;

determining, by the computer system, based at least in part on the detected viewing direction, a display area of the transparent display device through which at least a portion of the sensitive content is visible from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device; and

presenting, by the computer system, in the display area, digital content at least partially blocking the sensitive content from view from the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the identifying the sensitive content comprises tracking user activity adjacent to the first side of the transparent display device and identifying at least some of the user activity as being the sensitive content.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises identifying a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, the user having the detected viewing direction, determining a sensitivity privilege level associated with the user, and determining whether the identified sensitive content is sensitive with respect to the determined sensitivity privilege level associated with the user.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises monitoring for a change of position and viewing direction of a user at the position adjacent to the second side of the transparent display device, and adjusting positioning of the display area so that the digital content continues to at least partially block the sensitive content from view.