OWNER PRIVACY IN A SHARED MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20090282473A1
• Filed: 08/19/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Karlson, Amy Kathleen, Brush, Alice Jane, Schechter, Stuart Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,549,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods that regulate range of access to personal information of a mobile unit'"'"'s owner. The access control component can designate granularity for access levels and/or a spectrum of access modes—(as opposed to a binary choice of full access or no access at all). Such access can be based on a spectrum and/or discrete trust relationship between the owner and user of the mobile unit. A profile definition component can exploit an owner'"'"'s trust relationships to designate levels of security. The profile definition component can further define a profile based on a set of applications, such as entertainment mode, browser mode, and the like.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system comprising:

an access control component that regulates range of access to an owner'"'"'s personal information on a mobile unit; and

a usage profile that designates the range of access for a non-owner user of the mobile unit.

2. The computer implemented of claim 1, the usage profile designates trust relationships between an owner of the mobile unit and a non-owner user.

3. The computer implemented system of claim 1, the access control component further comprising a profile definition component that defines the usage profiles of the non-owner user.

4. The computer implemented system of claim 1, the access control component further comprising a profile selection component that selects the usage profile.

5. The computer implemented system of claim 1 further comprising an artificial intelligence component that infers associations between an owner'"'"'s personal information and applications loaded on the mobile unit.

6. The computer implemented system of claim 1 further comprising an analysis component that recommends an access mode to the owner for a non-owner user.

7. The computer implemented system of claim 6, the analysis component further analyzes applications loaded on the mobile unit for existence of owner'"'"'s personal information.

8. The computer implemented system of claim 1, the trust relationship representable as a spectrum of trust levels.

9. The computer implemented system of claim 1, the usage profile with personality profiles for users.

10. A computer implemented method comprising:

defining usage profiles that designate range of access to data in a mobile unit; and

regulating the range of access when non-owner users employ the mobile unit.

11. The computer implemented system of claim 10 the defining act based on trust relationships between an owner of a mobile unit and a non-owner user thereof.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11 further comprising supplying a spectrum of trust relationship choices to the owner.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising granting access modes at granular levels to the non-owner user.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising segregating personal information from functionalities of an application stored on the mobile unit.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising evaluating existence of personal information on an application available on the mobile unit.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 11 further comprising supplying discrete trust relationship choices.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising automatically recommending an access mode for the non-owner users.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 10 further comprising inferring an access mode for presenting to the non owner users.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 18, the inferring act based on a social network of the owner.

20. A computer implemented system comprising:

means for regulating a range of access to an owner'"'"'s personal information of a mobile unit, and

means for designating access levels between users and an owner of the mobile unit.