System and method for concealing sensitive data on a computing device

• US 10,503,935 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Hadsall, Jacob L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Avery, Jeremiah L
• Application Number:
  US16/001,263
• Time in Patent Office: 552 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 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1365 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092

Abstract

A computer-implemented method may hide sensitive information including when no one is looking at a display screen of a client computing device, such as sensitive information relating to auto, home, life, or renters insurance, banking, and/or vehicle loans. In one aspect, the method may determine that confidential or sensitive information is being displayed on a display screen of a computing device of a user. The method may also collect image data from a front facing camera in communication with the computing device, and determine that zero or two or more people are viewing the display screen for more than a threshold duration of at least one second. The method may further blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen when it is determined that the zero or two or more people are viewing the display screen for more than the threshold duration.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for hiding sensitive information including when no one is looking at a display screen, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors, that confidential or sensitive information is being displayed on a display screen of a computing device of a user;

collecting, by the one or more processors, image data from a front facing camera in communication with the computing device of the user;

determining, by the one or more processors, that zero people are viewing the display screen for more than a threshold duration of at least one second from computer analysis of the collected image data; and

blurring or obscuring, by the one or more processors, the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen when it is determined that the zero people are viewing the display screen for more than the threshold duration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when zero people are viewing the display screen, the method further comprises:

blurring or obscuring, by the one or more processors, the confidential or sensitive information immediately upon determining that zero people are viewing the display screen; and

when more than a predetermined amount of time passes after the one or more processors determine that zero people are viewing the display screen, automatically removing, by the one or more processors, login credentials of the user for an application which includes the confidential or sensitive information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after determining that zero people are viewing the display screen at a first time;

collecting, by the one or more processors, second image data from the front facing camera at a second time;

determining, by the one or more processors, that one person is viewing the display screen at the second time based upon the second image data; and

verifying, by the one or more processors, that the person viewing the display screen at the second time is the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein verifying that the person viewing the display screen at the second time is the user includes:

detecting, by the one or more processors, a biometric identifier belonging to the person viewing the display screen; and

comparing, by the one or more processors, the biometric identifier to a biometric fingerprint for the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein when the biometric identifier matches the biometric fingerprint based upon the comparison, revealing, by the one or more processors, the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein when the biometric identifier does not match the biometric fingerprint based upon the comparison, further blurring or obscuring, by the one or more processors, the confidential or sensitive information.

7. A computing or mobile device configured to hide sensitive information when no one, including the user, is looking at a display screen, the computing or mobile device comprising one or more processors configured to:

determine that confidential or sensitive information is being displayed on a display screen of the computing or mobile device of a user;

collect image data from a front facing camera in communication with, or mounted on, the computing or mobile device of the user;

determine that zero people are viewing the display screen for more than a threshold duration of at least one second from computer analysis of the collected image data; and

blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen when it is determined that the zero people are viewing the display screen for more than the threshold duration to facilitate protecting confidential or sensitive information from eavesdroppers.

8. The computing or mobile device of claim 7, wherein when zero people are viewing the display screen, the one or more processors further:

blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information immediately upon determining that zero people are viewing the display screen; and

when more than a predetermined amount of time passes after the one or more processors determine that zero people are viewing the display screen, automatically remove login credentials of the user for an application which includes the confidential or sensitive information.

9. The computing or mobile device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

after determining that zero people are viewing the display screen at a first time;

collect second image data from the front facing camera at a second time;

determine that one person is viewing the display screen at the second time based upon the second image data; and

verify that the person viewing the display screen at the second time is the user.

10. The computing or mobile device of claim 9, wherein to verify that the person viewing the display screen at the second time is the user, the one or more processors are configured to:

detect a biometric identifier belonging to the person viewing the display screen; and

compare the biometric identifier to a biometric fingerprint for the user.

11. The computing or mobile device of claim 10, wherein when the biometric identifier matches the biometric fingerprint based upon the comparison, the one or more processors are configured to reveal the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen.

12. The computing or mobile device of claim 10, wherein when the biometric identifier does not match the biometric fingerprint based upon the comparison, the one or more processors are configured to further blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine that confidential or sensitive information is being displayed on a display screen of the computing or mobile device of a user;

collect image data from a front facing camera in communication with, or mounted on, the computing or mobile device of the user;

determine that zero people are viewing the display screen for more than a threshold duration of at least one second from computer analysis of the collected image data; and

blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen when it is determined that the zero people are viewing the display screen for more than the threshold duration to facilitate protecting confidential or sensitive information from eavesdroppers.

14. The computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein when zero people are viewing the display screen, the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information immediately upon determining that zero people are viewing the display screen; and

when more than a predetermined amount of time passes after the one or more processors determine that zero people are viewing the display screen, automatically remove login credentials of the user for an application which includes the confidential or sensitive information.

15. The computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

after determining that zero people are viewing the display screen at a first time;

collect second image data from the front facing camera at a second time;

determine that one person is viewing the display screen at the second time based upon the second image data; and

verify that the person viewing the display screen at the second time is the user.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein to verify that the person viewing the display screen at the second time is the user, the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

detect a biometric identifier belonging to the person viewing the display screen; and

compare the biometric identifier to a biometric fingerprint for the user.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein when the biometric identifier matches the biometric fingerprint based upon the comparison, the instructions cause the one or more processors to reveal the confidential or sensitive information being displayed on the display screen.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein when the biometric identifier does not match the biometric fingerprint based upon the comparison, the instructions cause the one or more processors to further blur or obscure the confidential or sensitive information.