System and method for controlling communication device use

• US 10,412,681 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Location Labs (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Hodges, Daniel, Roumeliotis, Tasos, Hotes, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E.
• Application Number:
  US15/412,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20170135045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24015 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44226 on social networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A computer implemented method is provided including establishing a value corresponding to a particular user of a device, receiving an indication of a triggering condition of the particular user of the device, the triggering condition being enabled by the device or measurable by the device, and determining the triggering condition has been met by the user via the device. The method further includes modifying the value responsive to determining the triggering condition has been met, determining when the value crosses a particular threshold, and disabling an application or a functional component of the device responsive to the value crossing the particular threshold. A system for implementing the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of controlling use of a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

establishing a value corresponding to a particular user of the device;

receiving an indication of at least one triggering condition of the particular user of the device, the at least one triggering condition being based on a level of battery charge;

determining at a plurality of times that the at least one triggering condition has been met based on measurement by the device;

modifying the value based on an aggregating of the determining of the at least one triggering condition has been met at the plurality of times;

determining when the value crosses a particular threshold; and

disabling at least one of an application or a functional component of the device responsive to the value crossing the particular threshold.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the at least one triggering condition comprises receiving an indication corresponding to a required battery charge of the device, the method further comprising:

determining a battery charge of the device at the plurality of times; and

modifying at the value responsive to determining battery charge being less than a particular minimum battery charge at the plurality of times.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising receiving an indication of the particular minimum battery charge.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises a failure to maintain a battery charge of the device at a particular threshold level.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one triggering condition comprises charging a battery of the device to a particular threshold level.

6. A mobile communication device of a first user comprising a processor-enabled monitoring agent configured for:

receiving an indication of a required level of battery charge of the mobile communication device;

monitoring a battery charge level of the mobile communication device;

determining at a plurality of times that the battery charge level has decreased below the required level of battery charge;

modifying an established value based at least on an aggregating of the determining at the plurality of times that the battery charge level has decreased below the required level of battery charge;

determining when the value crosses a particular threshold; and

disabling at least one of an application or a functional component of the mobile communication device responsive to the value crossing the particular threshold.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, the processor-enabled monitoring agent configured for re-enabling the at least one of the application or the functional component of the mobile communication device responsive to the level of battery charge level increasing above a particular threshold level.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 6, the processor-enabled monitoring agent further configured for further modifying the established value based on a failure to perform a check-in communication using the mobile communication device.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 6, the processor-enabled monitoring agent further configured for:

monitoring communications by the first user using the mobile communication device; and

further modifying the established value based on the communications exceeding at least one of a particular quantity or a particular duration.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 6, the processor-enabled monitoring agent further configured for:

receiving an indication of a particular functional component of the device;

monitoring the particular functional component; and

further modifying the established value based on whether the particular functional component is at least partially disabled.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the particular functional component comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the device.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 6, the processor-enabled monitoring agent further configured for:

monitoring communications of the mobile communication device;

further modifying the established value based on at least one of the first user performing a check-in communication to a second user or a failure by the first user to perform a check-in communication to the second user using the mobile communication device; and

further modifying the established value based on at least one of a quantity or duration of communications performed by the first user.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 6, the processor-enabled monitoring agent further configured for:

monitoring location of the mobile communication device via Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware of the mobile communication device; and

further modifying the established value based on the monitored location of the mobile communication device.