Systems and methods for controlling access to features of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12561463-B2
Application number	US-202418611444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2024
Priority date	Mar 30, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A first user of an electronic device operates the electronic device in a first mode with access to a plurality of features. The first user optionally configures the electronic device to provide permission for another user to use the electronic device in a second mode with access to a subset of the plurality of features. The first user optionally uses another electronic device to update the permissions to use the electronic device in the second mode while another user is using the electronic device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
memory; a display device; and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to:
associate the electronic device with a first user;
detect that one or more criteria are satisfied;
in response to detecting that the one or more criteria are satisfied, allow a second user, different from the first user, access to a first feature of the electronic device and restrict access to a second feature and a third feature of the electronic device;
while allowing access to the first feature and restricting access to the second feature and the third feature:
receive, from a second electronic device associated with the first user of the electronic device, an indication corresponding to a request to allow the second user access to the second feature of the electronic device; and

in response to receiving the indication, allow the second user access to the first feature and the second feature while continuing to restrict access to the third feature; and
while allowing the second user access to one or more features:
displaying, via the display device, a virtual object within a three-dimensional environment to the second user;
while displaying the virtual object within the three-dimensional environment to the second user, receiving, from the second electronic device, an indication of a gesture of the first user towards the virtual object; and
in response to receiving the indication of the gesture of the first user towards the virtual object;
rendering the virtual object including visually emphasizing the virtual object within the three-dimensional environment displayed to the second user; and
after rendering the virtual object, displaying, via the display device, the virtual object with visual emphasis within the three-dimensional environment.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first feature is a first file associated with a respective application of the electronic device, the second feature is a second file accessible to the respective application of the electronic device different from the first file, and the third feature is a third file accessible to the respective application of the electronic device different from the first file and the second file.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, while allowing access to at least the first feature and restricting access to at least the third feature, present, using one or more output devices, the first file using an application of the electronic device, other than the respective application, that is associated with a plurality of file types.

4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, while allowing access to at least the first feature and restricting access to at least the third feature:
in accordance with a determination that access to the respective application is allowed, present, using one or more output devices, the first file using the respective application; and in accordance with a determination that access to the respective application is restricted, present, using the one or more output devices, the first file using an application of the electronic device, other than the respective application, that is associated with a plurality of file types.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein one of the first feature, the second feature, or the third feature is use of a camera or a location sensor of the electronic device.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
while allowing the second user to access at least the first feature of the electronic device:
display, using a first display, visual content; and
transmit, to a third electronic device, an indication of the visual content that enables the third electronic device to display a representation of the visual content using a second display different from the first display.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, while allowing the second user to access at least the first feature and restricting access to the third feature:
receive, using one or more input devices, an input corresponding to a request to access the third feature; in response to receiving the input, transmit, to the second electronic device, a request to access the third feature; and after transmitting the request to access the third feature to the second electronic device:
in response to receiving, from the second electronic device, an indication allowing access to the third feature, allow the second user to access the third feature.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria include a criterion that is satisfied in response to receiving, from the second electronic device, an indication to allow the second user access to at least the first feature of the electronic device.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
while allowing the second user access to at least the first feature of the electronic device:
receive, from the second electronic device, an indication to cause the electronic device to present respective content; and
in response to receiving the indication to cause the electronic device to present the respective content, present, using one or more output devices of the electronic device, the respective content.

10 . A method performed at an electronic device including memory, a display device, and one or more processors coupled to the memory, the method comprising:
associating the electronic device with a first user; detecting that one or more criteria are satisfied; in response to detecting that the one or more criteria are satisfied, allowing a second user, different from the first user, access to a first feature of the electronic device and restrict access to a second feature and a third feature of the electronic device; while allowing access to the first feature and restricting access to the second feature and the third feature:
receiving, from a second electronic device associated with the first user of the electronic device, an indication corresponding to a request to allow the second user access to the second feature of the electronic device; and
in response to receiving the indication, allowing the second user access to the first feature and the second feature while continuing to restrict access to the third feature; and while allowing the second user access to one or more features:
displaying, via the display device, a virtual object within a three-dimensional environment to the second user; while displaying the virtual object within the three-dimensional environment to the second user, receiving, from the second electronic device, an indication of a gesture of the first user towards the virtual object; and in response to receiving the indication of the gesture of the first user towards the virtual object:
rendering the virtual object including visually emphasizing the virtual object within the three-dimensional environment displayed to the second user; and
after rendering the virtual object, displaying, via the display device, the virtual object with visual emphasis within the three-dimensional environment.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first feature is a first file associated with a respective application of the electronic device, the second feature is a second file accessible to the respective application of the electronic device different from the first file, and the third feature is a t

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mittal Aakriti
• Cohen David
• Seshadri Sunitha

Classifications

• G06F21/6209 Primary

  to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself · CPC title