System and Method for Deterring the Ability of a Person to Capture a Screen Presented on a Handheld Electronic Device

Abstract

A system that deters an unauthorized person from viewing the image in the display of a handheld electronic device. The handheld electronic device has a touch screen display. A touch security parameter requires a person to repeatedly tap the touch screen display with one or two fingers. The touch screen display will only accurately display an image for as long as the tapping continues. A camera security parameter senses the location of a face in the field of view of a camera. The touch screen display will only accurately show the image for as long as a face is detected in the camera's field of view. A position security parameter detects pitch and yaw with respect to the downward direction of gravity. The touch screen display will only accurately show the image for as long as the display is held within a range of acceptable positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In an electronic device having a touch screen display, a method of deterring an unauthorized person from viewing an image on said touch screen display, said method including the steps of:
 positioning said touch screen display in an orientation within an orientation range; and   accurately displaying said image on said touch screen display only while said touch screen display is in said orientation range.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said touch screen display exists in a plane, and said orientation range includes when said plane is between vertical and an inclination of between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from vertical. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said touch screen display has a bottom edge and said orientation range includes when said bottom edge is between horizontal and an inclination of between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from horizontal. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device contains a camera and software that identifies a location of a face within a field of view being imaged by said camera, wherein said method further includes the step of accurately displaying said image on said touch screen display only while the face is identified within said field of view. 
     
     
         5 . In a handheld electronic device having a display, a method of controlling the viewing of an image on said display, said method including the steps of:
 holding said display in a predetermined orientation range, wherein said handheld electronic device distorts said image on said display when said display is positioned in any orientation outside of said orientation range.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said handheld electronic device distorts said image by fading said image to a blank screen. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said handheld electronic device distorts said image by displaying said image out of focus. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said display exists in a first plane and has a bottom edge, wherein said orientation range includes said first plane being vertical and an inclination of between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from vertical. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein said orientation range includes said bottom edge being horizontal and being inclined no more than a selected inclination from horizontal, wherein said inclination is between 30 degrees and 60 degrees from horizontal. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said handheld electronic device contains a camera and software that identifies a location of a face within a field of view being imaged by said camera, wherein said method further includes the step of accurately displaying said image on said display only while the face is located within said field of view. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said method further includes the step of accurately displaying said image on said display only while a single face is located within said field of view.