Method and apparatus for controlling a browser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9842225-B2
Application number	US-201514807423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 5, 2013
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a browser are provided. The method includes: acquiring a characteristic identifier of a user; comparing the characteristic identifier of the user with a pre-stored benchmark characteristic identifier to determine whether the characteristic identifier is identical to the benchmark characteristic identifier; if the characteristic identifier is identical to the benchmark characteristic identifier, entering a pre-set private browsing mode wherein a browser plug-in saves the browsing history data of the user; and when the user completes the browsing, receiving an instruction from the user to close the plug-in and exit the private browsing mode. The method and apparatus for controlling a browser save the browsing data of a user in private browsing mode and prevent other users from accessing such data without the correct characteristic identifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a browser, comprising:
receiving an opening command of a browser plug-in by a user to enter a private browsing mode;
in response to the opening command, acquiring an image characteristic identifier of the user after entering the private browsing mode, wherein the image characteristic identifier is in encoded form;
comparing the image characteristic identifier of the user with a pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier to determine whether the image characteristic identifier is identical to the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier;
when the image characteristic identifier is identical to the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier, entering a pre-set private browsing mode to show browsing history data wherein the browser plug-in has a recording unit to save the browsing history data the user browsed earlier, wherein the browsing history data includes bookmarks, cookies, and other webpage data of the user;
receiving an instruction from the user on a close button of the browser plug-in to close the browser plug-in; and
exiting the private browsing mode and the pre-set private browsing mode in response to the instruction.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the receiving an opening command of a browser plug-in by a user to enter a private browsing mode:
acquiring a benchmark image characteristic identifier of the user and saving the benchmark image characteristic identifier as the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier;
creating an account identifier, correlating the account identifier with the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier, and
saving the account identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the acquiring of the benchmark image characteristic identifier of the user and saving the benchmark image characteristic identifier as the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier further comprises:
acquiring a characteristic image of the user;
encoding the characteristic image to generate a characteristic image code; and
saving the characteristic image code as the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the acquiring of the characteristic image of the user comprises capturing a facial image of the user using a camera, and the encoding the characteristic image to generate a characteristic image code comprises encoding the facial image to generate a faceprint.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring of the image characteristic identifier of the user comprising capturing a facial image of the user using a camera.

6. The method of claim 1 , prior to the receiving an instruction from the user on a close button of the browser plug-in, further comprising:
retaining the browsing history data the user browsed if an instruction on the recording unit of the browser plug-in is received.

7. An apparatus for controlling a browser, comprising:
a memory;
a user interface comprising a browser with a browser plug-in; and
at least one hardware processor coupled to the memory and the user interface, wherein:
the user interface is configurated to receive an opening command of the browser plug-in by a user to enter a private browsing mode;
the user interface is also configured to acquire an image characteristic identifier of the user, wherein the image characteristic identifier is in encoded form;
the at least one hardware processor is configured to compare the image characteristic identifier of the user with a pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier stored in the memory to determine whether the image characteristic identifier is identical to the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier;
the at least one hardware processor is configured to control the browser, when the image characteristic identifier is identical to the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier, to enter a pre-set private browsing mode to show browsing history data wherein the browser plug-in has a recording unit to save the browsing history data the user browsed earlier, wherein the browsing history data includes bookmarks, cookies, and other webpage data of the user; and
the user interface is configured to receive an instruction from the user on a close button of the browser plug-in to close the browser plug-in and exit the private browsing mode and the pre-set private browsing mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the user interface is configured to acquire a benchmark image characteristic identifier of the user and the memory is configured to save the benchmark image characteristic identifier as the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier;
the at least one hardware processor is configured to create an account identifier via the user interface; and
the at least one hardware processor is further configured to correlate the account identifier with the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier, and
he memory is further configured to save the account identifier.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the user interface is configured to acquire a characteristic image of the user;
the at least one hardware processor is configured to encode the characteristic image to generate a characteristic image code; and
the memory is further configured to save the characteristic image code as the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the user interface comprises a camera for capturing a facial image of the user, and the at least one hardware processor is configured to encode the facial image to generate a faceprint.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the user interface comprises a camera for capturing a facial image of the user.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions comprising a method for controlling a browser, the method comprising:
receiving an opening command of a browser plug-in by a user to enter a private browsing mode;
acquiring an image characteristic identifier of the user after entering the private browsing mode, wherein the image characteristic identifier is in encoded form;
comparing the image characteristic identifier of the user with a pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier to determine whether the image characteristic identifier is identical to the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier;
when the image characteristic identifier is identical to the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier, entering a pre-set private browsing mode to show browsing history data wherein the browser plug-in has a recording unit to save the browsing history data the user browsed earlier, wherein the browsing history data includes bookmarks, cookies, and other webpage data of the user; and
after the user completes the browsing, receiving an instruction from the user on a close button of the browser plug-in to close the browser plug-in and exit the private browsing mode and the pre-set private browsing mode.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising, prior to the receiving an opening command of a browser plug-in by a user to enter a private browsing mode:
acquiring a benchmark image characteristic identifier of the user and saving the benchmark image characteristic identifier as the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier;
creating an account identifier, correlating the account identifier with the pre-stored benchmark image characteristic identifier, and
saving the account identifier.

Assignees

• Tencent Tech Shenzhen Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Wei
• Huang Ying
• Yang Huijiao
• Zhou Ruiyi
• Tang Tingyong
• Hu Bo
• Zhang Kai
• Liu Renfang
• Wang Zhipei
• Feng Cheng
• Xie Zhengkai
• Wang Xi
• Liu Yulei

Classifications

• G06F17/30994

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F21/32 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title

• G06F21/6245 Primary

  Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes · CPC title

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• G06F16/904 Primary

  Browsing; Visualisation therefor (for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957) · CPC title