Biometric Content Redaction Engine for Mobile Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electronic devices often display sensitive information, such as messages, without requiring unlock codes, allowing unauthorized access to others.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a content redaction engine that uses biometric verification to determine whether to display content in redacted or non-redacted form, ensuring that only authorized users can view sensitive information, even in locked-screen mode.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the device displays messages without requiring unlock code, then the user can quickly see received messages, but others can view the message intended for the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of viewing messagesVSAvoidunauthorized access to messages

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different display qualities to different portions of content based on verification status. Verified users see full, unredacted messages, while unverified users see only redacted portions. This local differentiation of content quality resolves the contradiction by providing easy access to authorized users while protecting against unauthorized access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces biometric verification as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the message content. The verification engine acts as a mediator that determines what level of content access is granted, allowing the system to maintain both ease of operation for authorized users and security against unauthorized users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the device requires unlock code to access content, then unauthorized access is prevented, but the user cannot quickly view received messages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against unauthorized accessVSAvoidease of viewing messages

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial verification action by using biometric data verification specifically for message viewing without requiring full device unlock. This partial verification provides sufficient security protection while maintaining ease of operation for the intended user, resolving the contradiction between security and convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary biometric verification checks before displaying message content. This preliminary action of verifying biometric data allows the system to pre-determine access rights, enabling quick message viewing for authorized users without requiring subsequent unlock actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the device displays redacted content to unauthorized users, then privacy is protected, but the user experience is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoiduser experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent redacts only specific portions of content (message bodies) while leaving other portions (sender information, notification banners) visible. This selective local redaction protects privacy while maintaining a functional user experience, allowing users to identify messages without exposing sensitive content to unauthorized users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of showing full content and hiding it from unauthorized users, the patent inverts the approach by showing only redacted portions to unauthorized users and full content to verified users. This inversion maintains privacy protection while providing a natural user experience for authorized users who expect to see complete messages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10552617B2Using biometric verification to grant access to redacted content

Publication Date: 2020.02.04 APPLE INC

AI summary

Some embodiments provide an electronic device with a novel content redaction engine. The content redaction engine of some embodiments determines whether to redact content for output based on whether a user is biometrically verified. When the content redaction engine receives verification data indicating that the user is biometrically verified, the device displays content without any portion redacted. On the other hand, when the content redaction engine does not receive such verification data, the device displays the content with at least a portion redacted. The electronic device of some embodiments additionally includes a biometric reader and a biometric verification engine. The biometric reader reads a person's uniquely identifying biometric data (e.g., thumbprint/fingerprint, iris scan, voice, etc.). This biometric information is then read by the biometric verification engine for comparison to a stored set of verified user biometric data. When the biometric data matches the stored data, the person is verified.