Abstract: A companion electronic device includes a communication interface, one or more processors operable with the communication interface, and an authentication device operable with the one or more processors. The one or more processors can be actuated by power received from the communication interface upon the communication interface establishing electronic communication with another electronic device. The one or more processors can delivering signals to the communication interface enabling one or more functions of the other electronic device upon confirming authentication data received by the authentication device after the one or more processors are actuated belongs to an authorized user of the companion electronic device.

Abstract: A method in an electronic device includes identifying an authorized user of the electronic device being present within an environment of the electronic device. The method also includes identifying at least one other person also being present within the environment of the electronic device. The method then includes selecting, with one or more processors of the electronic device, content previously partially consumed by the authorized user and the at least one other person and presenting, with the one or more processors, the content on a user interface of the electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content from an environment of the electronic device. A location detector determines whether the environment of the electronic device is situated at a location of residence of an authorized user of the electronic device. A user interface receives user input requesting transmission of the media content to another electronic device located outside the location of residence of the authorized user of the electronic device. One or more processors preclude transmission of the media content to the other electronic device in response to the user input when the location detector determines that one or more sensors captured the media content at the location of residence of the authorized user of the electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content while the electronic device is situated at a media content capture location. A user interface receives user input requesting transmission of the media content to another electronic device at a user input reception location. A location detector determines whether the media content capture location and the user input reception location are substantially different locations. One or more processors at least temporarily preclude, in response to the user input, the transmission of the media content to the other electronic device when the location detector determines that the media content capture location and the user input reception location are substantially different locations.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content from an environment of the electronic device. A location detector determines whether the environment of the electronic device is situated at a location of residence of an authorized user of the electronic device. A user interface receives user input requesting transmission of the media content to another electronic device located outside the location of residence of the authorized user of the electronic device. One or more processors preclude transmission of the media content to the other electronic device in response to the user input when the location detector determines that one or more sensors captured the media content at the location of residence of the authorized user of the electronic device.

Abstract: A method in an electronic device designates, with one or more processors of the electronic device, at least one data item stored within a memory of the electronic device for storage in a plurality of remote electronic devices. The method encrypts, with the one or more processors, the at least one data item to create at least one encrypted data item. The method divides, with the one or more processors, the at least one encrypted data item into a plurality of encrypted subset data items. The method then delivers, with a communication device, at least a first encrypted subset data item from the plurality of encrypted subset data items to a first remote electronic device and at least a second subset data item from the plurality of encrypted subset data items to a second remote electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content from an environment of the electronic device. One or more processors, operable with the one or more sensors, determine whether the media content is private media content. The electronic device includes a private data store and a public data store. When the one or more processors determine the media content is the private media content, the one or more processors store the private media content in the private data store and preclude transmission of the private media content from the private data store to another electronic device. When the one or more processors determine the media content is other than the private media content, the one or more processors store the media content in the public data store and permit transmission of the media content to the another electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more low-power context sensors, one or more high-power context sensors, and one or more processors operable with the one or more low-power context sensors and the one or more high-power context sensors. The one or more processors, working with context engines associated with the sensors, minimize usage of the high-power context sensors when determining a context of the electronic device, where that determined context has a confidence score above a predefined confidence level threshold.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors, a user interface having one or more user interface output devices, and one or more processors operable with the one or more sensors and the user interface. The one or more processors receive, from the user interface, a command to power OFF the electronic device. Upon failing to detect, with the one or more sensors, an authorized user of the electronic device as a source of the command to power OFF the electronic device, the one or more processors disable the one or more user interface output devices while leaving the one or more sensors operational.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authenticating a user of a mobile electronic device to use a FIDO (fast identification online) compliant application in the device are provided. These entail receiving a user authentication input at the mobile electronic device and caching the authentication input. While the authentication input remains cached, the user is authenticated to use the mobile electronic device via the authentication input. The mobile electronic device is then unlocked and the FIDO compliant application is opened. Secure delayed FIDO authentication is then executed by providing the cached authentication input to the FIDO compliant application to open an authenticated session of the user on the FIDO compliant application.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a physical user interface, a wireless communication device, and one or more processors. The one or more processors identify one or more external electronic devices operating within an environment of the electronic device. The one or more processors cause the wireless communication device to transmit content and one or more control commands causing an external electronic device to present a graphical user interface depicting the physical user interface of the electronic device. The wireless communication device then receives one or more other control commands identifying user inputs interacting with the graphical user interface at the external electronic device. The one or more processors perform one or more control operations in response to the one or more other control commands.

Abstract: A method in an electronic device designates, with one or more processors of the electronic device, at least one data item stored within a memory of the electronic device for storage in a plurality of remote electronic devices. The method encrypts, with the one or more processors, the at least one data item to create at least one encrypted data item. The method divides, with the one or more processors, the at least one encrypted data item into a plurality of encrypted subset data items. The method then delivers, with a communication device, at least a first encrypted subset data item from the plurality of encrypted subset data items to a first remote electronic device and at least a second subset data item from the plurality of encrypted subset data items to a second remote electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content from an environment of the electronic device. One or more processors, operable with the one or more sensors, determine whether the media content is private media content. The electronic device includes a private data store and a public data store. When the one or more processors determine the media content is the private media content, the one or more processors store the private media content in the private data store and preclude transmission of the private media content from the private data store to another electronic device. When the one or more processors determine the media content is other than the private media content, the one or more processors store the media content in the public data store and permit transmission of the media content to the another electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a user interface receiving user credentials, a location detector determining a location of the electronic device when the user credentials are received, and one or more processors determining whether the user credentials are administrative user credentials. When the user credentials are other than the administrative user credentials, the one or more processors make content created in the electronic device within a predefined radius of the location accessible and preclude access to other content created in the electronic device outside the predefined radius of the location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing multiple paths through a mobile electronic device entail providing one of multiple levels of device access and cloud access based on an identity determination and authentication as to a potential user. In an embodiment, the device attempts to identify the user based on traditional touch/touchless authentication techniques. If this attempt is unsuccessful, the device then tries to identify the user by alternative means. If the user can be identified, the device attempts to authenticate the user for full access to the device and associated cloud data. If this is successful, the user is granted full access. If instead the identified user is not qualified for full access, the user is given pass-through access to their personal cloud storage. If, however, the device is unable to even identify the user, the user may be given pass-through access to the cloud generally.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content from an environment of the electronic device. A location detector determines whether the environment of the electronic device is situated at a location of residence of an authorized user of the electronic device. A user interface receives user input requesting transmission of the media content to another electronic device located outside the location of residence of the authorized user of the electronic device. One or more processors preclude transmission of the media content to the other electronic device in response to the user input when the location detector determines that one or more sensors captured the media content at the location of residence of the authorized user of the electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors capturing media content while the electronic device is situated at a media content capture location. A user interface receives user input requesting transmission of the media content to another electronic device at a user input reception location. A location detector determines whether the media content capture location and the user input reception location are substantially different locations. One or more processors at least temporarily preclude, in response to the user input, the transmission of the media content to the other electronic device when the location detector determines that the media content capture location and the user input reception location are substantially different locations.

Abstract: An electronic device and corresponding method includes capturing, with one or more sensors, at least one authentication input from a person in the environment of the electronic device. One or more processors of the electronic device can then compare the captured authentication input with one or more authentication references to determine whether the person is an authorized user of the electronic device. Where the person is, the one or more processors can grant limited operational access to the electronic device. Thereafter, when additional authentication inputs are captured and sufficiently match additional authentication references, additional operation access can be granted.

Abstract: A companion electronic device includes a communication interface, one or more processors operable with the communication interface, and an authentication device operable with the one or more processors. The one or more processors can be actuated by power received from the communication interface upon the communication interface establishing electronic communication with another electronic device. The one or more processors can delivering signals to the communication interface enabling one or more functions of the other electronic device upon confirming authentication data received by the authentication device after the one or more processors are actuated belongs to an authorized user of the companion electronic device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a motion detector operable to detect an at least partially periodic motion of the electronic device. An authentication system operable with the motion detector initiates an authentication process, such as by capturing one or more images or depth scans, to attempt to authenticate a user as an authorized user of the electronic device when the electronic device is most stationary along the at least partially periodic motion.