Methods and Systems for Indicating Application Data Use and Providing Data According to Permissions

• US 20150113461A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kasten, Glenn, Kelly, James Fintan, Khazanie, Nirdhar, Armour, Joshua Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

Methods and systems for indicating application data use and providing data according to permissions are described. An example method may include providing for display, by a computing device that includes one or more processors, a representation of a first indicator and the first indicator indicates a sensor of the computing device is collecting sensory data from an ambient environment of the computing device. The first indicator is configured to change states so as to further indicate an application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the sensory data. The method further includes providing for display, by the computing device, a representation of a second indicator that identifies the application receiving the sensory data collected by the sensor of the computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing for display, by a computing device that includes one or more processors, a representation of a first indicator, wherein the first indicator indicates a sensor of the computing device is collecting sensory data from an ambient environment of the computing device, wherein the first indicator is configured to change states so as to further indicate an application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the sensory data;

providing for display, by the computing device, a representation of a second indicator that identifies the application receiving the sensory data collected by the sensor of the computing device;

providing for display, via an interface of the computing device, two or more selectable indications, wherein the two or more selectable indications respectively represent distinct data use permissions that include two or more of (i) listening for one or more predetermined keywords, wherein the application is configured to perform a function based on detection of the one or more predetermined keywords, (ii) storing sensory data, and (iii) transmitting sensory data away from the computing device;

receiving, via the interface, at least one respective selection of at least one selectable indication of the two or more selectable indications; and

providing the sensory data to the application for use in accordance with at least one data use permission respectively represented by the at least one selectable indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is further configured to change states so as to further indicate the application is running in a background on the computing device and listening for one or more predetermined keywords, wherein the application is configured to perform a function based on detection of the one or more predetermined keywords.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is further configured to change states so as to further indicate the application is running in a background on the computing device and storing the sensory data in a memory device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is further configured to change states so as to further indicate the application is running in a background or a foreground on the computing device and transmitting the sensory data away from the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is further configured to change states so as to further indicate the application is denied access to the sensory data and the second indicator is further configured to identify the application that is denied access to the sensory data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are included in a first row of the display, wherein the first row further includes text indicating the application is denied access to the sensory data, and wherein the first row further includes text identifying the application.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing a mute toggle button in a second row of the display, wherein the mute toggle button is selectable to indicate whether the application is allowed access to the sensory data; and

providing a permissions button in the second row of the display, wherein the permissions button is selectable to indicate a list of data use permissions for the application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the sensor of the computing device is collecting sensory data from the ambient environment; and

based on receipt of the indication, displaying the first indicator on a display of the computing device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a microphone and the sensory data includes audio data, and the method further comprises:

receiving an indication that the microphone is continuously collecting audio data from the ambient environment; and

based on receipt of the indication, determining whether a given application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the audio data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is configured to change to one of a plurality of states, and the method further comprises:

providing for display text indicative of one of the plurality of states, wherein the plurality of states includes (i) the application is running in a background on the computing device and listening for one or more predetermined keywords that cause the application to perform a function, (ii) the application is running in the background on the computing device and storing the sensory data, and (iii) the application is running in the background or a foreground on the computing device and transmitting the sensory data away from the computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a given application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the sensory data; and

based on the determination, displaying the representation of the second indicator that identifies the given application receiving the sensory data collected by the sensor of the computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the sensor of the computing device is collecting the sensory data from the ambient environment;

displaying the first indicator on a display of the computing device;

determining whether a given application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the sensory data; and

based on the determination, displaying the second indicator that identifies the given application receiving the sensory data collected by the sensor of the computing device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is a first application and the at least one respective selection is a first at least one respective selection, the method further comprising:

providing for display, a list of one or more applications configured to run on the computing device;

receiving a second selection indicating that a second application of the one or more applications is an untrusted application, wherein an untrusted application is an application allowed to access sensory data subject to selected data use permissions, wherein a selected data use permission describes a function that an untrusted application is configured to perform by accessing sensory data;

providing for display a list of two or more data use permissions for untrusted applications;

receiving a third selection indicating that a permission of the list of two or more data use permissions applies to the second application configured to run on the computing device; and

providing the sensory data to the second application for use in accordance with the third selection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the list of two or more data use permissions include running in a background on the computing device and listening for one or more predetermined keywords, running in the background on the computing device and storing the sensory data, and running in the background or a foreground on the computing device and transmitting the sensory data away from the computing device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are provided for display in a notification area of the display, wherein the notification area is an area of the display designated for displaying notification icons.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are provided for display in a notification drawer of the display, wherein the notification drawer is an area of the display designated for displaying notifications and is displayed in response to an input received at a notification area of the display, wherein the notification area is an area of the display designated for displaying notification icons.

13. -14. (canceled)

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage memory having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing device that includes one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

providing for display a representation of a first indicator, wherein the first indicator indicates a sensor of the computing device is collecting sensory data from an ambient environment of the computing device, wherein the first indicator is configured to change states so as to further indicate an application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the sensory data;

providing for display a representation of a second indicator that identifies the application receiving the sensory data collected by the sensor of the computing device;

providing for display, via an interface of the computing device, two or more selectable indications, wherein the two or more selectable indications respectively represent distinct data use permissions that include two or more of (i) listening for one or more predetermined keywords, wherein the application is configured to perform a function based on detection of the one or more predetermined keywords, (ii) storing sensory data, and (iii) transmitting sensory data away from the computing device;

receiving, via the interface, at least one respective selection of at least one selectable indication of the two or more selectable indications; and

providing the sensory data to the application for use in accordance with at least one data use permission respectively represented by the at least one selectable indication.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage memory of claim 17, wherein the two or more selectable indications are provided for display in a notification drawer of the display, wherein the notification drawer is an area of the display designated for displaying notifications and is displayed in response to an input received at a notification area of the display, wherein the notification area is an area of the display designated for displaying notification icons.

18. (canceled)

19. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory having stored therein instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising;

providing for display a representation of a first indicator, wherein the first indicator indicates the computing device is collecting sensory data from an ambient environment of the computing device, wherein the first indicator is configured to change states so as to further indicate an application running on the computing device is receiving and processing the sensory data;

providing for display a representation of a second indicator that identifies the application receiving the sensory data collected by the computing device;

providing for display, via an interface of the computing device, two or more selectable indications, wherein the two or more selectable indications respectively represent distinct data use permissions that include two or more of (i) listening for one or more predetermined keywords, wherein the application is configured to perform a function based on detection of the one or more predetermined keywords, (ii) storing sensory data, and (iii) transmitting sensory data away from the computing device;

receiving, via the interface, at least one respective selection of at least one selectable indication of the two or more selectable indications; and

providing the sensory data to the application for use in accordance with at least one data use permission respectively represented by the at least one selectable indication.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the first indicator is further configured to change states so as to further indicate the application is running in a background or a foreground on the computing device and transmitting the sensory data away from the computing device.