IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,940,393
Granted Patent B2
US 9,940,393 · App. 14/729,330 · Granted Apr 10, 2018

Electronic personal assistant privacy

Inventors: Eli M. Dow (Poughkeepsie, NY); James P. Gilchrist (Poughkeepsie, NY); Steven K. Schmidt (Essex Junction, VT); Charles J. Stocker, IV (Plainsboro, NJ)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G06F17/30864G06F21/6245H04L63/04H04L63/0421H04L63/20H04M1/72522H04M1/67H04M1/72572H04M2250/74
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,940,393
App. No.
14/729,330
Filed
Jun 3, 2015
Granted
Apr 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Examiner
KORSAK, OLEG
Art Unit
2492
USPC
726/26
Abstract

A method comprises receiving a first user communication, accessing a directory entry associated with the user, accessing, by a processor, a database stored in a memory that includes content designated as private that is associated with the user in the directory, determining with the processor whether the first user communication includes content designated as private that is associated with the user, generating a second user communication by removing the content designated as private that is associated with the user from the first user communication, and sending the second user communication to an electronic personal assistant.

Claims (12)

1. A system comprising:

a database stored in a memory; and

a processor operative to:

receive a first user communication by constantly monitoring ambient audio, wherein the first user communication is an audio file comprising one or more words spoken by the user that are captured during the ambient audio;

access a directory entry associated with the user;

access the database that includes content designated as private;

determine whether the first user communication includes content designated as private;

generate a second user communication by removing the content designated as private from the first user communication; and

send the second user communication to an electronic personal assistant,

wherein the first user communication includes geographic data that includes a location from where the first user communication is sent, wherein the database includes content designated as private that is associated with the location from where the first user communication is sent in the directory such that content is designated private when the communication was generated in a particular location and is otherwise not designated as private.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further operative to send the first user communication to an electronic personal assistant for processing responsive to determining that the first user communication does not include content designated as private.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first user communication includes a textual communication.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2015
From: DOW, ELI M.; GILCHRIST, JAMES P.; SCHMIDT, STEVEN K.; STOCKER, CHARLES J., IV
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035777/0380 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160359813A1 · Dec 8, 2016