Camera privacy for telemedicine
A system of camera privacy for telemedicine includes a computing device, a camera comprising a lens, and a cover extending over at least the lens. The cover is communicatively connected to the computing device, and the cover is configurable to be in a first state or a second state. The first state configures the cover to block a field of view of the lens to prevent the camera from capturing visual information from a far side of the cover. The computing device is configured to identify a first condition. In response to identifying the first condition, the computing device transmits a signal to the cover that configures the cover to be in the second state.
1 . A system, comprising:
a computing device;
a camera comprising a lens;
a cover extending over at least the lens, wherein the cover is communicatively connected to the computing device, and the cover is configurable to be in a first state or a second state, the first state configures the cover to block a field of view of the lens to prevent the camera from capturing visual information from a far side of the cover; and
the computing device, configured to:
in response to identifying a first condition, transmit a signal to the cover that configures the cover to be in the second state; and
in response to identifying a presence of an unknown person within an environment monitored by the camera, transmit a signal to the cover that configures the cover to be in the first state.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first state causes the camera to be obscured from view.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second state causes the field of view of the lens to be unblocked enabling the camera to capture visual information from the far side of the cover.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
in response to identifying a second condition, transmit a signal to the cover that configures the cover to be in the first state.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a blocking element.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the blocking element comprises a smart glass and the first state corresponds to the smart glass being opaque and the second state corresponds to the smart glass being at least semi-transparent.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
continuously send an electrical signal to the cover that causes the cover to remain in the second state.
8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
cease sending an electrical signal to the cover that configures the cover to be in the first state.
9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
remove the cover from the field of view of the lens that configures the cover to be in the second state.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to identify the first condition comprises to:
receive a first request from a first user device to activate the camera;
display an authorization code to a second user device; and
receive, a second request including the authorization code, from the first user device.
11 . The system of claim 4 , wherein to identify the second condition comprises to:
receive a first request from a first user device to deactivate the camera.
12 . A method, comprising:
in response to identifying a first condition by a computing device, transmitting, by the computing device, a first command that causes a cover communicatively connected to the computing device to be in a second state, wherein the cover extends over at least a lens of a camera, wherein the cover is configurable to be in a first state or the second state, wherein the first state configures the cover to block a field of view of the lens from capturing visual information from a far side of the cover; and
in response to identifying, by the computing device, a presence of an unknown person within an environment monitored by the camera, transmitting, by the computing device, a second command to the cover that configures the cover to be in the first state.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second state configures the field of view of the lens to be unblocked enabling the camera to capture visual information from the far side of the cover.
14 . The method of claim 12 , the method comprising:
sending a continuous electrical signal to the cover that causes the cover to be in the second state, wherein the cover comprises a smart glass, the first state corresponds to the smart glass being opaque and the second state corresponds to the smart glass being at least semi-transparent.
15 . The method of claim 14 , the method comprising:
ceasing to send an electrical signal to the cover that configures the cover to be in the first state.
16 . The method of claim 12 , the method comprising:
removing the cover from the field of view of the lens that configures the cover to be in the second state, wherein the cover comprises a blocking element.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including program instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
in response to identifying a first condition by a computing device, transmitting, by the computing device, a first command that causes a cover communicatively connected to the computing device to be in a second state, wherein the cover extends over at least a lens of a camera, the cover is configurable to be in a first state or the second state, wherein the first state configures the cover to block a field of view of the lens from capturing visual information from a far side of the cover; and
in response to identifying, by the computing device, a presence of an unknown person within an environment monitored by the camera, transmitting, by the computing device, a second command to the cover that configures the cover to be in the first state.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , the operations further comprising:
sending an electrical signal to the cover that causes the cover to remain in the second state, wherein the cover comprises a smart glass, the first state corresponds to the smart glass being opaque and the second state corresponds to the smart glass being at least semi-transparent and transitioning the cover from the first state to the second state comprises continuously.
19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , the operations further comprising:
in response to identifying a second condition, ceasing to send the electrical signal to the cover configuring the cover to be in the first state.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the second state causes the field of view of the lens to be unblocked enabling the camera to capture visual information from the far side of the cover.