Method and apparatus for secure display of visual content

• US 8,462,949 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
• Original Assignee: Oculis Labs Incorporated (Optio Labs, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, William R., Pujia, Steve, Heron, George L., Turner, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Popham, Jeffrey D
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRACIA, GARY S
• Application Number:
  US12/325,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,655 Days
• Field of Search: 380/252
• US Class Current: 380/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/403 the images being monoscopic

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for displaying visual content on a display such that the content is comprehensible only to an authorized user for a visual display system such as a computer, a television, a video player, a public display system (including but not limited to a movie theater), a mobile phone, an automated teller machine (ATM), voting booths, kiosks, security screening workstations, tactical displays and other systems where information is displayed for viewing.

Claims

1. A computer-controlled display device for displaying content to an authorized viewer and preventing viewing of such content by an unauthorized viewer, comprising a display configured to display content, said display composed of a first secure display region and a second insecure display region, said first secure display region located at a display location corresponding to a gazepoint on said display of said authorized viewer such that only content displayed in said first secure display region is intelligible to said authorized viewer and said first secure display region moves dynamically with the movement of said gazepoint on said display, and said second insecure display region is the remaining area of said display outside of said first secure display region, the content displayed in said first secure display region and in said second insecure display region being displayed in a substantially unintelligible format to said unauthorized viewer, and said content being displayed in said first secure display region and in said second insecure display region substantially simultaneously.

2. The computer-controlled display device of claim 1, wherein said device is configured to authenticate said authorized viewer.

3. The computer controlled display device of claim 1, further comprising a second authorized viewer and a second secure display region corresponding to the gazepoint on said display of said second authorized viewer.

4. The computer-controlled display device of claim 3, further comprising a gazetracking device that is configured to determine the gazepoint on said display of each of said first and said second authorized viewers.

5. The computer-controlled display device of claim 3, further comprising two gazetracking devices, each of said two gazetracking devices being configured to determine the gazepoint on said display of each of said first and said second authorized viewers individually.

6. The computer controlled display device of claim 1, wherein said content in said second region comprises distracter images or disrupter images during user saccades.

7. A computer-controlled system for displaying secure content to an authorized viewer and preventing viewing of such content by an unauthorized viewer, comprising:

a gazetracking device configured to determine a gazepoint on said display of said authorized viewer, said gazetracking device in electronic communication with a computer in electronic communication with a display configured to display content, said display composed of a first secure display region that moves dynamically with the movement of said gazepoint on said display and a second insecure display region, said computer being configured to send said secure content to said first secure display region corresponding to the gazepoint on said display of said authorized viewer such that only content displayed in said first secure display region is intelligible to said authorized viewer, and said second insecure display region is the remaining area of said display outside of said first secure display region, the content displayed in said first secure display region and in said second insecure display region being displayed in a substantially unintelligible format to said unauthorized user, and said content being displayed in said first secure display region and in said second insecure display region substantially simultaneously.

8. The computer-controlled system of claim 7, wherein said device is configured to authenticate said authorized viewer.

9. The computer-controlled system of claim 8, further comprising a gazetracking device that is configured to determine the gazepoint on said display of each of said first and said second authorized viewers.

10. The computer-controlled system of claim 8, further comprising two gazetracking devices, each of said two gazetracking devices being configured to determine the gazepoint on said display of each of said first and said second authorized viewers individually.

11. The computer controlled system of claim 7, further comprising a second authorized viewer and a second secure display region corresponding to the gazepoint on said display of said second authorized viewer.

12. The computer controlled display device of claim 7, wherein said content in said second region comprises distracter images or disrupter images during user saccades.

13. A method for displaying secure content to an authorized viewer and preventing viewing of such content by an unauthorized viewer using a display device, comprising:

receiving information of a gazepoint on said display of said authorized viewer at a computer in electronic communication with said display, said computer being configured to control the contents of said display, such that said display is composed of a first secure display region that moves dynamically with the movement of said gazepoint on said display and a second insecure display region outside of said first secure display region;

defining said first secure display region corresponding to said gazepoint on said display of said authorized viewer;

moving said first secure display region in accordance with the movement of said gazepoint on said display;

only displaying content in an intelligible format in said first secure display region to said authorized user and in a substantially unintelligible format to said unauthorized user;

displaying content in said second insecure display region in a substantially unintelligible format to said unauthorized user; and

displaying said content in said first secure display region and said content in said second insecure display region substantially simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising authenticating said authorized viewer.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the saccades of said authorized viewer.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending distracter images or disrupter images during said authorized viewer saccades to said display device for display as said content outside of said first region.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a computer program product, said computer program product being configured to enable a computer coupled with a display device to:

configure said display such that said display is composed of a first secure display region and a second insecure display region outside of said first secure display region;

receive information of a gazepoint on said display of said authorized viewer at a computer in electronic communication with said display, said computer being configured to control the contents of said display;

define said first secure display region corresponding to said gazepoint on said display of an authorized viewer on said display;

move said first secure display region dynamically with the movement of said gazepoint on said display;

only display content in an intelligible format in said first secure display region to said authorized user and in a substantially unintelligible format to said unauthorized user;

display content in said second insecure display region in a substantially unintelligible format to said unauthorized user; and

display said secure content in said first secure display region and said content in said second insecure display region substantially simultaneously.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said computer program product is further configured to enable said computer to authenticate said user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said computer program product is further configured to enable said computer to determine the saccades of said authorized viewer.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein said computer program product is further configured to enable said computer to send distracter images or disrupter images during said authorized viewer saccades to said display device for display as said content outside of said first region.