Device management system

• US 10,212,271 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joanne Walker, Saul Rosenthal
• Original Assignee: Joanne Walker, Saul Rosenthal
• Inventors: Rosenthal, Saul, Walker, Joanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US15/632,866
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Systems and methods of device management are disclosed. Aspects relate to systems and methods that may be implemented to control usage of one or more devices. In one embodiment, a device management system includes a memory, an interface, at least one processor coupled to the memory and the interface, and a control component executable by the at least one processor and configured to determine, at a predetermined time, whether a connection exists between a managed device and the device management system via the interface, generate, in response to determining that the connection did not exist at the predetermined time, a notification indicating that the connection does not exist, and transmit, in response to determining that the connection did not exist at the predetermined time, a request to the managed device to restrict at least one function of the managed device.

Claims

1. A device management system comprising:

memory storing a plurality of usage rules comprising at least one usage rule that specifies an amount of time that a user may access a managed device within each period of a plurality of predetermined periods of time, the amount of time being greater than 0;

an interface; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and the interface and configured to

receive usage data from the managed device via the interface, the usage data being descriptive of usage of the managed device by the user within a first period of the plurality of predetermined periods of time;

determine whether the usage data complies with the plurality of usage rules by comparing the usage data with the plurality of usage rules; and

transmit, in response to determining that the usage data does not comply with the plurality of usage rules, a request to the managed device to decrease the amount of time within a second period of the plurality of predetermined periods of time to a decreased amount of time, the second period being subsequent to and distinct from the first period, the decreased amount of time within the second period being greater than 0 and less than the amount of time within the first period; and

an agent application executable by the managed device and configured to

receive the request; and

restrict access to the managed device within the second period to the decreased amount of time.

2. The device management system of claim 1, wherein each period of the plurality of predetermined periods of time begins with the managed device being disconnected from the interface.

3. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, in response to determining that the usage data complies with the plurality of usage rules, a request to the managed device to either maintain or increase the amount of time within the second period.

4. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive additional usage data from the managed device via the interface, the additional usage data being descriptive of usage of the managed device by the user within the second period;

determine whether the additional usage data complies with the plurality of usage rules by comparing the additional usage data with the plurality of usage rules; and

transmit, in response to determining that the usage data complies with the plurality of usage rules and that the additional usage data complies with the plurality of usage rules, a request to the managed device to increase the amount of time within a third period of the plurality of predetermined periods of time, the third period being subsequent to and distinct from the first period and the second period.

5. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an additional request to the managed device to titrate the amount of time within the second period.

6. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, in response to determining that the usage data complies with the plurality of usage rules, a notification to the user of compliance with the plurality of usage rules.

7. The device management system of claim 1, further comprising the managed device, wherein the managed device is a wireless communication device.

8. The device management system of claim 7, wherein the wireless communication device includes a telephone.

9. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises at least one of a power interface and a data interface.

10. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a wireless interface.

11. The device management system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a universal serial bus interface.

12. The device management system of claim 1, further comprising a housing comprising the memory, the interface, the at least one processor, and a storage component configured to store the managed device.

13. The device management system of claim 12, wherein the storage component is configured to provide the managed device with access to the interface.

14. The device management system of claim 13, wherein the storage component comprises at least one sub-component that is configured to be modular.

15. The device management system of claim 14, wherein the storage component further comprises a locking mechanism that is configured to control the access to the managed device.

16. The device management system of claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism is controlled by the at least one processor.

17. The device management system of claim 1, further comprising a host configured to receive the usage data.

18. The device management system of claim 17, wherein the host is further configured to transmit the plurality of usage rules to the at least one processor and the at least one processor is further configured to store the plurality of usage rules in the memory.

19. The device management system of claim 1, further comprising a remote control component configured to transmit the plurality of usage rules to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive the plurality of usage rules from the remote control component.

20. The device management system of claim 19, wherein the remote control component includes data storage is further configured to:

store the plurality of usage rules in the data storage; and

serve a user interface that accesses the plurality of usage rules stored in the data storage.