IP Library Granted Patent US 12,153,709
Granted Patent B2
US 12,153,709 · App. 17/653,338 · Granted Nov 26, 2024

Privacy system for an electronic device

Inventors: Mengnan Wang (Chapel Hill, NC); Daryl C. Cromer (Raleigh, NC); Howard Locker (Cary, NC); John W. Nicholson (Cary, NC)
Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
G06F21/6245G10K11/175
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,153,709
App. No.
17/653,338
Granted
Nov 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device is provided that includes an input device configured to receive sound, a processor, and a memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor. Responsive to execution of the program instructions, the processor is configured to identify a third party application that accesses the electronic device, and vary sound characteristics obtained by the input device based on the third party application identified to prevent a biometric algorithm from obtaining user information.

Claims (36)

1. A electronic device, comprising:

an input device configured to receive sound,

a processor; and a memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor, wherein, responsive to execution of the program instructions, the processor configured to:

identify a third party application accessing the electronic device;

in response to the identifying, vary sound characteristics based on the third party application identified, wherein the sound characteristics are obtained by the input device; and

prevent a biometric algorithm of the third party application from obtaining user information by providing the varied sound characteristics to the biometric algorithm.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to vary the sound characteristic before the input device receives the sound characteristic.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to vary the sound characteristic after the input device receives the sound characteristic.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the sound characteristic is varied by modulating the sound characteristic after the input device receives the sound characteristic.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a sound generating device positioned adjacent the input device, the sound generating device configured to vary the sound characteristic obtained by the input device.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the sound generating device is a speaker.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the input device is a microphone.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to prompt a user for user data to provide settings.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a launching of the third party application on the electronic device; and identify the third party application in response to the launching of the third party application.

10. A method, comprising:

under control of one or more processors including program instructions to:

obtain user data related to providing biometric information to a third party application;

determine that the third party application is accessing an electronic device;

identify the third party application in response to determining that the third party application is accessing the electronic device;

in response to the identifying, vary a sound characteristic based on the third party application identified, wherein the sound characteristic is obtained by an input device configured to receive sound; and

prevent a biometric algorithm of the third party application from obtaining user information by providing the varied sound characteristic to the biometric algorithm.

11. The method of claim 10 , the one or more processors further including program instructions to:

obtain a determined filtering sound based on identifying the third party application; obtain the sound characteristic from a microphone of the electronic device; and generating the determined filtering sound adjacent the microphone to vary the sound characteristic.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein to determine filtering sound is based on the biometric algorithm of the third party application.

13. The method of claim 10 , the one or more processors further including program instructions to: vary the sound characteristic by changing the sound characteristic after the input device receives the sound characteristic.

14. The method of claim 10 , the one or more processors further including program instructions to:

determine a launching of the third party application on the electronic device; and identify the third party application in response to the launching of the third party application.

15. A sound generating device, comprising:

a speaker configured to be coupled to an electronic device;

a processor, and a memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor, wherein, responsive to execution of the program instructions, the processor configured to:

identify a third party application accessing the electronic device;

in response to the identifying, vary sound characteristic before the sound characteristic is obtained by an input device of the electronic device based on the third party application identified; and

prevent a biometric algorithm of the third party application from obtaining user information by providing the varied sound characteristic to the biometric algorithm.

16. The sound generating device of claim 15 , further comprising an attachment mechanism configured to secure the sound generating device adjacent the input device of the electronic device.

17. The sound generating device of claim 15 , the processor is further configured to: obtain a determined filtering noise based on identifying the third party application; and generate the determined filtering noise to vary the sound characteristic before the sound characteristic is obtained by the input device.

18. The sound generating device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a launching of the third party application on the electronic device; and identify the third party application in response to the launching of the third party application.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070266/0986 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 061880/0110 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: O'HAIRE, MICHAEL
To: BYTEMARK INC.
Reel/Frame 061411/0823 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2022
From: WANG, MENGNAN; CROMER, DARYL C.; LOCKER, HOWARD; NICHOLSON, JOHN W.
To: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
Reel/Frame 059158/0628 →
Continuity (1)
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