WO2001027724A1

WO2001027724A1 - Computer use privacy protector and method

Info

Publication number: WO2001027724A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/024864
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anuj Kumar Jain
Original assignee: Ericsson Inc.
Priority date: 1999-10-07
Filing date: 2000-09-08
Publication date: 2001-04-19
Also published as: AU7828300A

Abstract

An improvement for a system having a processor for running a plurality of applications, a memory storing information relating to use of the applications by a user, a display for displaying application information including the use information, and an input. The improvement includes a privacy toggle which is actuable by the user input to switch between an ON state and an OFF state, and a signal generator which is responsive to the privacy toggle to signal all of the applications of the privacy toggle state. Privacy shields associated with each of the plurality of applications are adapted to prevent display of use information for the user responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator. The signal generator is a server adapted to register applications which are responsive to a change in state of the privacy toggle, check for a switch of the state of the privacy toggle, and send the signal to registered applications responsive to such a switch. A related method includes the steps of (1) providing a privacy toggle selectively actuable by the user to switch between an ON state and an OFF state, (2) monitoring the privacy toggle in the data processing device at a server, (3) registering the plurality of applications with the server, (4) automatic signaling by the server of all of the registered applications whenever the monitoring step detects a switch in the state of the privacy toggle, and (5) hiding the use information from display in all of the applications when a signal is received from the signalling step indicating a switch of the privacy toggle to the ON state.

Description

COMPUTER USE PRIVACY PROTECTOR AND METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed toward privacy protection, and more particularly toward providing a computing device user with privacy regarding their use of the computing device.

BACKGROUND ART

Computers and processing devices, such as communicators and phones, are very common at home, in the workplace and on the road. Users of these computers commonly run many different applications or programs. To facilitate use of these applications, the applications are commonly provided with features which cause history of recent uses to be displayed, thereby allowing the user to relatively quickly return to a recent task even when the user cannot independently recall the name or location of a file required for that task. While this is obviously helpful, it results in a loss of privacy when used with computers which are accessible to others. For example, it is not uncommon for other people such as family members, friends and/or colleagues of a person to use that person's computer. When they do, the "helpful" feature which allowed the principal user to work between different tasks most quickly instead becomes a feature which takes away the privacy of the user's work. That is, the other person when using the computer will be able to see, even if they are not trying to, what the computer's principle user has been working on. While passwords may be provided to specific files (e.g., as word processing files) which will prevent that other person from accessing those files, use of such passwords with all such files is often inconvenient and therefore not done, in any event, particularly with current operating systems which allow highly descriptive file names, merely being able to view a file name can give the person information that the principle user may wish to keep private. Many programs provide the option of clearing out such information. For example, Windows 95/98 includes a list of most recently opened documents which can be deleted through the Settings : Taskbar : Start Menu Programs : Clear Documents Menu options. By going through those steps (if the user is aware of them), the documents menu list can be cleared for privacy, although the list is then lost and unavailable to the user thereafter. Further, clearing the Windows 95/98 documents menu does not clear the similar lists of recently opened documents which might be present for display within the individual applications themselves. For example, applications such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and WordPerfect contain their own lists of recently opened documents, which can also be turned off by following a fairly large number of steps (turning off "Recently used file list" in Tools : Options : General in Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint, and turning off "Display last open documents" in Tools :Settings : Environment : Interface in WordPerfect). Internet browsers also contain histories of previously visited URLs, which can also be turned off by following a fairly large number of steps (e.g., selecting "Clear History" in Edit :

Preferences in Netscape Navigator) Again, turning off these lists for display clears the lists so that they are then lost and unavailable to the user thereafter.

In short, reliably maintaining privacy for a user regarding their use of a computer can be difficult if not impossible as a practical matter. The individual options for clearing out the various lists maintained by the various programs such as described above are unreliable and very time consuming. Turning each list on or off is time consuming, not only because it requires a relatively large number of steps in each case, but also because the numbers of steps are multiplied by the numbers of programs. Further, since turning the lists on and off is a relatively infrequent task about which most users are not intimately familiar, it is often either not accomplished at all or only accomplished through time consuming searching through the menu structure of the program. Of course, given the large number of different programs which might have such lists on a user's computer, it is probable that the user might simply forget to clear one or more of the lists, or might just not make the necessary effort, or have the time available, to protect their (or their employer's) privacy. Such a result is highly likely in cases where the other person is standing in the area waiting to have the computer made available to them by the regular user, since the regular user might be too embarrassed to go through the time consuming process as the person watches, as it will inevitably draw the other person's attention and frequently pique their curiosity into wondering what is being hidden from them. Similar privacy concerns can arise with other processing devices, such as a cellular phone which, if even briefly handed to another person, can give that person access to the normal phone user's private information (such as their phone book or list of last numbers called) maintained in the phone.

The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, an improvement is provided for a system having a processor for running a plurality of applications, a memory storing information relating to use of the applications by a user, a display for displaying application information including private information of user, and an input. The improvement includes a privacy toggle which is actuable by the input to switch between an ON state and an OFF state, and a signal generator which is responsive to the privacy toggle to signal all of the applications of the privacy toggle state. Privacy shields associated with each of the plurality of applications are adapted to protect private information of the user responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator. In another preferred form, a password protector requires input of a user password to change the state of the privacy toggle. In other preferred forms, the input is a user actuable switch and/or is automatically responsive to a selected condition. In a highly preferred form, the private information includes information relating to use by a user, and the privacy shields prevent display of use information responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator.

In still other preferred forms, the privacy shields may alternatively maintain use information for the associated application and blocks access to the use information when the privacy toggle is in the ON state, or delete use information for the associated application responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator.

In still another preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the signal generator is a server adapted to register applications which are responsive to a change in state of the privacy toggle, check for a switch of the state of the privacy toggle, and send the signal to registered applications responsive to a switch of the state of the privacy toggle. In a further preferred form, the applications register with the server whenever they begin running on the processor, and the server is further adapted to send a privacy toggle state signal to one of the applications when the one application begins running on the processor.

In another aspect of the present invention, a data processing device is provided, including a processor adapted to run a plurality of applications, a display for displaying output from the applications, an input, a privacy toggle switchable by the input between an ON state and an OFF state, and a server.

The server is adapted to register selected applications, detect the state of the privacy toggle, and signal the state of the privacy toggle to the applications registered with the server. The selected applications are applications which include private information of a user and are responsive to the state of the privacy toggle to hide the private information when the privacy toggle is in the ON state.

In a preferred form of this aspect of the invention, a memory is provided for storing the plurality of applications and the private information of the user. In other preferred forms, the input is a user actuable switch and/or is automatically responsive to a selected condition. In a highly preferred form, the private information includes information relating to use by a user the device further includes a display, where the privacy shields prevent display of use information responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator.

In another preferred form, a password protector is provided requiring input of a user password to change the state of the privacy toggle. In still another preferred form, a memory adapted to store use information for the associated application is provided and a privacy shield is associated with the registered applications, where the privacy shield hides the use information by blocking the display from access to the use information when the privacy toggle is in the ON state. In yet another preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the selected applications register with the server whenever they begin running on the processor, and the server is further adapted to send a privacy toggle state signal to any selected application when the application begins running on the processor.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method is taught for providing a user with privacy regarding use of a plurality of applications in a data processing device by the user where such applications display use information. The method includes the steps of (1 ) providing a privacy toggle selectively actuable by the user to switch between an ON state and an OFF state, (2) monitoring the privacy toggle in the data processing device at a server, (3) registering the plurality of applications with the server, (4) automatic signaling by the server of all of the registered applications whenever the monitoring step detects a switch in the state of the privacy toggle, and (5) hiding the use information from display in all of the applications when a signal is received from the signaling step indicating a switch of the privacy toggle to the ON state. In a preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the plurality of applications comprise applications which are registered with the processor as responsive to the privacy toggle.

In one preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the further step of requiring a password to switch between privacy toggle states is provided. ln another preferred form, the hiding step includes maintaining the use information for the registered applications, and blocking access to the use information.

In still another preferred form of this aspect of the invention, the registering step occurs for each of the plurality of applications when the applications begin running in the data processing device, and the signaling step further signals the state of the privacy toggle to each application when such application is registered.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device and method whereby a user of a processing device can easily maintain the privacy of the use of their device from others who might also be allowed to periodically use the computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a diagram of a data processing device incorporating the present invention;

Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating operation of a device incorporating the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary operation of the privacy toggle feature of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Fig. 1 broadly illustrates the operation of the present invention. The computer includes a privacy agent 10 at a well known socket or port 12 in a data processing device 14 such as a computer. The device 14 also preferably includes a user input 15 allowing a user to input data and commands, and a display 16 for displaying information from the device. As is well known in the art, the input 15 could be a keyboard, a mouse, a touch sensitive display screen, or virtually any other device allowing the necessary input. Similarly, within the scope of the present invention, the display 16 could be a monitor, an LCD screen, or virtually any other suitable device for displaying information from the device 14. As is known in the art, the processing device 14 conventionally includes a processor and memory for storing information.

It should be understood that while reference is made in the disclosure to computers, the present invention would be applicable to a broad range of data processing devices, including not only personal computers but also hand held devices including PDAs, personal information managers and communication devices (such as cellular phones) which include user inputs, displays and processors for processing data. The privacy agent 10 is a central location which hold information regarding the state of a privacy button or toggle 18 as described below. The privacy toggle 18 may be any suitable means for changing the privacy state as described in detail hereafter, such as an icon on the display 16 (such as on the START menu in Windows 95/98) readily available to input (either automatically or by a user as described below), or even a physical switch.

The privacy agent 10 runs on the well known socket 12, which socket 12 may be a known address to which all applications (such as a word processor application 24 and other applications 26 at other sockets 28, 30) can look when they are first brought up in order to determine the privacy toggle state. In accordance with the present invention, the privacy agent 10 also acts as a server listening on the socket 12, with each application 24, 26 which is interested in the state of the privacy toggle sending a message to register the application 24, 26 with the privacy agent 10 when the application begins running on the processing device 14. The privacy agent 10 at the time of registration tells the application 24, 26 of the state of the toggle. Thereafter, the privacy agent 10 sends messages to the registered applications 24, 26 whenever the privacy toggle is changed, and the interested applications 24, 26 take appropriate action based on such change.

Figs. 2-3 illustrate exemplary operation of one preferred embodiment of the invention generally illustrated in Fig. 1. The assumption in this illustrated operation is that the privacy agent 10 is already running or is run before the application is allowed to run.

At box 40, a client application starts (begins running). This may occur automatically during start up of the processing device 14, or could occur as a result of user input (for example, double clicking the application icon in

Windows 95/98). As one action taken during the application start, a message or signal is sent to the server (privacy agent 10) indicating that it wants to participate in the privacy toggle option (box 42). (It should be understood that not all applications will necessarily participate in this option, and that reference to applications in this disclosure is meant to refer specifically to those applications which do wish to participate without any implication being given that all applications on the processing device 14 must participate). In response to registration, the server 10 generates a message and sends the message back to the registering application informing them of the initial (current) state of the privacy toggle (box 44).

As the application remains active in the processor, it listens for messages from the server 10 (box 46) indicating a change in the privacy toggle state as described further below.

Operation of the device 14 then continues normally (according to the privacy toggle state). If the privacy toggle 18 is switched (box 48), the server

10 notifies the registered (client) applications 24, 26 (box 50), which have been listening for such a message in the background (box 48).

Switching of the privacy toggle 18 may, as one example, occur as a result of user input from the input 15. However, it may also occur automatically if desired. For example, it may automatically switch to the ON state when the device is turned off or is idle for a selected period of time. Also, a proximity sensor or the like may be used to detect persons entering the area of the device, such as an intruder or visitor who has entered the room in which the device 14 is located, which would also automatically change the privacy toggle 18 to an ON state (such a sensor at a door could, for example, protect a user from someone creeping up behind them and viewing confidential information over their shoulder).

When this change in the state of the privacy toggle 18 occurs, the registered applications 24, 26 respond accordingly. Specifically, if the toggle state (decision box 52) is ON (to provide privacy), suitable privacy shields in the registered applications in a preferred embodiment will temporarily hide "user specific" information (box 54). If, instead, the toggle state is OFF, the registered applications 24, 26 will present "user specific" information (box 56).

"User specific" information may be any variety of information relating to a particular user of the device 14 within the scope of the present invention including, but not limited to, information relating to use of the device 14 by a particular user such as "last opened document" lists, histories of use including "favorite" and previously visited Internet URLs, preferences, phone book lists, settings for peripheral devices such as cameras, speakers, or microphones, instant messaging or email programs set to receive personal or otherwise confidential information, and cached and other user identifying information which might be transmitted when an application is used (as commonly occurs with Internet browsers).

Further, privacy shields in the registered application may act in a wide variety of ways, which may be selected by each application programmer

(including user selected options within each program). For example, applications could simply hide lists regarding use (such as "last opened document" lists) from display. The applications could also revert to an application selected set of default parameters rather than use the user's selected default parameters, or could even make selected functions or peripherals dysfunctional (e.g., visitors may only ever need to use a word processor application 24, in which case the other applications 26, such as instant messaging or email programs available for receiving personal or otherwise confidential information, could be made dysfunctional). Fig. 3 illustrates operation according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

At box 100, a client application is started. Although not shown in Fig. 3, as noted in Fig. 2 the application then registers with the server 10 and receives a message (signal) regarding the current state of the privacy toggle 18.

At box 102 (equivalent to box 46 in Fig. 2), the client application then listens for a message from the server to indicate that the privacy toggle 18 state has been changed. At the same time, the client displays "current user specific" information (box 104). If the privacy toggle 18 is in the OFF state, such "user specific" information would include, for example, "last opened documents" lists, and start up icons for all programs. While not shown in Fig. 3, it is also within the scope of the present invention to change settings for various registered applications which may not involve changes in the display 16, such as making selected applications dysfunctional should their open icons be clicked. As operation of the device 14 continues, the privacy toggle 18 may be moved to a different position (box 106). When that occurs, in the preferred embodiment, a password check is done (box 108) to ensure that the current user is permitted to use the privacy toggle 18. If the user is not authorized to do this (i.e., does not have a proper password) (box 110), then operation continues as normal with the client applications continuing to listen for a state change message from the server (box 102).

If the privacy toggle is switched by an authorized user (e.g., a user with a valid password), then the server 10 notifies the registered applications 24, 26 of the change (box 111 ). When the client applications 24, 26 receive such a message, they determine the new state of the privacy toggle 18 (box 112). If the privacy toggle 18 was changed to the ON state, the registered applications mark the then "current user specific" information (which is the private information of the user) as "inactive user specific" information (box 114). In this manner, the user's information is not lost (for example, "last opened document" lists are not irretrievably lost through deletion) but instead is merely hidden from use during operation so that, as discussed below, it may be retrieved and used when the privacy toggle is thereafter switched to the OFF state by the authorized user, thereby allowing the authorized user to continue operation in the same condition as existed prior to switching the privacy toggle 18 to the ON state. At this time, the registered applications also introduce a new "current user specific" information such as by marking "empty user specific" information as the new "current user specific" information (box 116). Such "empty user specific" information could be, for example, blank lists for applications that list "last opened documents". Therefore, even though the application may continue in a mode of operation to list last opened documents, it will not list those opened by the user who switched the privacy toggle 18 to the ON state. "Empty user specific" information could also include the ability to start application (e.g., by renaming the program execution file so as to cause the startup icon to not work, or by not only renaming the program execution file but to also substitute an "empty" file which would start up the application in only a limited manner or with different default parameters). Once this is done, and the applications have all set their particular privacy shields such as discussed above, operation will thereafter continue normally with the registered applications 24, 26 continuing to listen for messages announcing a change in the state of the privacy toggle 18 (boxes 102, 104).

If, thereafter, the normal user returns to use of the device 14, such user will again switch the state of the privacy toggle (box 106), enter the password authorizing such a switch (box 108), and a message will again be sent to the registered applications (box 110). In this case, the switch is to the OFF state, so that processing will continue to box 120. In this situation, the registered applications in the preferred embodiment mark the "current user information" as "empty user specific" information, it being understood that in this case the "current user specific" information is the information resulting from the use of the device 14 by the visitor, not the password authorized user. The registered applications also mark the "inactive user specific" information as the new "current user specific" information (box 122). That is, the settings for the authorized user are reestablished (since the "inactive user specific" information which is now used by the device 14 was the registered user's information, having been temporarily marked as inactive at box 114 when the privacy shields in the applications were set through placement of the privacy toggle to the ON state in box 114).

It should be understood that still other variations than those specifically stated above would be within the scope of the present invention. For example, marking information such as in boxes 114, 116, 120, 122 could be done in a variety of ways depending upon the device 14 and the applications 24, 26, such as changing options within an application or changing file names within applications to switch between different files used by the applications. Further, it should be understood that different levels of privacy could also be provided in accordance with the present invention (for example, more than one ON state could be provided for the privacy toggle 18. For example, personal and business confidential information may be separately protected so that a business colleague could be allowed to use a device with business applications but not personal applications. Also, the privacy toggle may be adapted to respond to multiple users, with the personal information protected or released tied to different passwords. Further, the present invention may be used not only on stand alone devices but also on multiple devices running off of a central processor such as networked computers.

It should thus be appreciated that in accordance with the present invention, the privacy of a user may be reliably and quickly protected in a variety of ways without detracting from the features available to the user of the applications on the processing device. The information may be quickly hidden and then just as quickly restored when the user returns to using the device. Such operation not only makes use of the invention easy, but it also then encourages use of such privacy features and thus advantageously increases the likelihood of protection of confidential information. Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.

Claims

1. In a system having a processor for running a plurality of applications, a memory storing information relating to use of the applications by a user, a display for displaying application information including private information of a user, and an input, the improvement comprising: a privacy toggle actuable by the input to switch between an ON state and an OFF state; a signal generator responsive to the privacy toggle to signal all of said applications of the privacy toggle state; and privacy shields associated with each of said plurality of applications adapted to protect private information of the user responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator.

2. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications comprise applications which are registered with the processor as responsive to the privacy toggle.

3. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein the input is a user actuable switch.

4. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein the input is automatically actuated responsive to a selected condition.

5. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein the private information includes information relating to use by a user, said privacy shields prevent display of use information responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator.

6. The improvement of claim 1 , further comprising a password protector requiring input of a user password to change the state of the privacy toggle.

7. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said privacy shields maintains use information for the associated application and blocks access to said use information when said privacy toggle is in said ON state.

8. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said privacy shields deletes use information for the associated application responsive to an ON state signal from the signal generator.

9. The improvement of claim 1 , wherein said signal generator comprises a server adapted to register applications which are responsive to a change in state of the privacy toggle, check for a switch of the state of the privacy toggle, and send said signal to registered applications responsive to a switch of the state of the privacy toggle.

10. The improvement of claim 9, wherein: said applications register with said server whenever they begin running on said processor; and said server is further adapted to send a privacy toggle state signal to one of said applications when said one application begins running on said processor. -16-

11. A data processing device, comprising: a processor adapted to run a plurality of applications; an input; a privacy toggle switchable by said input between an ON state and an OFF state; and a server adapted to register selected applications, said selected applications being applications which include private information of a user and are responsive to the state of the privacy toggle to hide said private information when said privacy toggle is in the ON state, detect the state of the privacy toggle, and signal the state of the privacy toggle to the applications registered with the server.

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a memory for storing said plurality of applications and the private information of the user accessible through said selected applications.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the input is a user actuable switch.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the input is automatically actuated responsive to a selected condition.

15. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a password protector requiring input of a user password to change the state of the privacy toggle.

16. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a display for displaying output from said applications, wherein said private information includes information relating to use of the selected applications.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising: a memory adapted to store use information for the associated application; and a privacy shield associated with said registered applications, said privacy shield hiding said use information by blocking said display from access to said use information when said privacy toggle is in said ON state.

18. The device of claim 11 , wherein: said selected applications register with said server whenever they begin running on said processor; and said server is further adapted to send a privacy toggle state signal to any selected application when said application begins running on said processor.

19. A method of providing a user with privacy regarding use of a plurality of applications in a data processing device by the user where such applications display use information, comprising the steps of: providing a privacy toggle selectively actuable by the user to switch between an ON state and an OFF state; monitoring the privacy toggle in the data processing device at a server; registering the plurality of applications with the server; automatic signaling by the server of all of the registered applications whenever the monitoring step detects a switch in the state of the privacy toggle; and protecting the privacy of said use information in all of the applications when a signal is received from the signaling step indicating a switch of the privacy toggle to the ON state.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of requiring a password to switch between privacy toggle states.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said protecting step comprises: maintaining said use information for the registered applications; and blocking access to said use information.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein: the registering step occurs for each of the plurality of applications when said applications begin running in the data processing device, and the signaling step further signals the state of the privacy toggle to each application when such application is registered.