Video-based privacy supporting system

Abstract

Computer display privacy and security for computer systems. In one aspect, the invention provides a computer-controlled system for regulating the interaction between a computer and a user of the computer based on the environment of the computer and the user. For example, the computer-controlled system provided by the invention comprises an input-output device including an image sensor configured to collect facial recognition data proximate to the computer. The system also includes a user security parameter database encoding security parameters associated with the user; the database is also configured to communicate with the security processor. The security processor is configured to receive the facial recognition data and the security parameters associated with the user, and is further configured to at least partially control the operation of the data input device and the data output device in response to the facial recognition data and the security parameters associated with the user.

1 . A computer-controlled system for regulating the interaction between a computer and a user of the computer based on an environment of the computer and the user, the computer-controlled system comprising:
 an image sensor device configured to collect facial recognition data proximate to the computer and to communicate the facial recognition data to a security processor; and   a plurality of video displays;   a security processor, configured to use the facial recognition data to determine an attention point of the user and to activate a privacy mode on at least one of the video displays when the attention point of the user is not on the at least one of the video displays;   wherein the activation of the privacy mode comprises at least one of:
 obscuring the data displayed on the at least one of the video displays; 
 removing the data displayed on the at least one of the video displays; and 
 otherwise making the data displayed on the at least one of the video displays unavailable. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy mode is activated on a portion of one or more of the video displays. 
     
     
         3 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy mode is activated on a subset of the video displays. 
     
     
         4 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy mode is activated on all of the plurality of video displays. 
     
     
         5 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein the security processor is further configured to use the facial recognition data and user security parameters to determine whether a user is an authorised user, wherein activation of the privacy mode is effected in relation to an attention point of an authorised user. 
     
     
         6 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein, when there is no authorised user, privacy mode is activated in relation to all of the plurality of video displays. 
     
     
         7 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein the obscuring of the data includes one or more of pixilation, Gaussian blurring, pixel randomization, screen blanking, and activation of a screen saver. 
     
     
         8 . The computer controlled system of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor comprises an infrared sensor.