Method and system for parental internet control

• US 20040051733A1
• Filed: 06/24/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Katzir
• Original Assignee: David Katzir
• Inventors: Katzir, David
• Application Number:
  US10/451,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/741
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for carrying out Parental Control when browsing the Internet by means of a computer, which comprises: (a) Providing a Parental Control application; (b) Providing in said parental control application several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages; (c) Providing at least two mouse components, each mouse component having its unique ID; (d) Associating with each mouse component one or more of said setups; (e) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet, activating said Parental Control application; (f) Retrieving by said application the ID of the mouse component connected; and (g) Activating by said application the setup associated with the ID of said mouse component, thereby activating its corresponding Internet access restrictions.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out Parental Control when browsing the Internet by means of a computer, comprising:

a) Providing a Parental Control application;

b) Providing in said parental control application several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages;

c) Providing at least two mouse components, each mouse component having its unique ID;

d) Associating with each mouse component one or more of said setups;

e) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet, activating said Parental Control application;

f) Retrieving by said application the ID of the mouse component connected; and

g) Activating by said application the setup associated with the ID of said mouse component, thereby activating its corresponding Internet access restrictions.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the Parental Control application is a module of the Internet browser.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the Parental Control application is a module separate from the Internet browser.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ID of the mouse component is a unique ID stored in a memory storage within the mouse.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a first of said at least two mouse component is given to a parent, and a second is given to a child.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the setup associated with the ID of the parent mouse component includes less restrictions than those in the setup of the child'"'"'s mouse, or null restrictions.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mouse component is a mouse.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the parent'"'"'s mouse differs in shape and/or color from the child'"'"'s mouse.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the differences in shape and/or color between the parent'"'"'s mouse and the child mouse are so significant as to be easily noticed even from a considerable distance.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ability to define the restrictions in the setups is restricted.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein defining the restrictions in the setups is restricted by a password.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein associating of setups to a mouse ID is restricted.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein associating setups to a mouse ID is restricted by a password.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mouse component of the parent is kept in a safe place inaccessible to the child, when not in use.

22. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a) Defining a “

child”

user according to the ID of the mouse component he uses;

b) Determining when a chat session is activated by said “

child”

user; and

c) Sending a message to the chat partner of said “

child”

user to warn him that he is chatting with a child.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

a) the mouse components are at least one UIDMs connectable to the mouse system of the computer, each UIDM having its unique ID;

b) Associating with each UIDM one or more of the setups;

c) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet, activating said Parental Control application;

d) Retrieving by said application the ID of the UIDM connected to the mouse of the computer; and

e) Activating by said application the setup associated with the ID of said UIDM, thereby activating its Internet access restrictions.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the Parental Control application is a module of the Internet browser.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the Parental Control application is a module separate from the Internet browser.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein the ID of the UIDM is a unique ID stored in a memory storage within the UIDM.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein a UIDM is given to a parent, and the UIDM is connected to the mouse only when the parent is working on the computer, and removed at other times.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the setup associated with the ID of the parent UIDM includes less restrictions than those in the setup of a child'"'"'s UIDM, or null restriction.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the most restricted setup is activated when no UIDM is connected to the mouse.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the mouse system further comprises a light indicator that lights when a UIDM is connected to the mouse system or alternatively lights when a UIDM is not connected to the mouse system.

34. A method according to claim 26, wherein the ability to define the restrictions in the setups is restricted.

35. A method according to claim 26, wherein defining the restrictions in the setups is restricted by a password.

36. A method according to claim 26, wherein the associating of setups to a UIDM ID is restricted.

37. A method according to claim 26, wherein associating setups to a UIDM ID is restricted by a password.

38. A method according to claim 31 wherein the UIDM of the parent is kept in a safe place inaccessible to the child, when not in use.

39. A method according to claim 26, wherein the UIDM is connected by inserting it into a slot within the mouse system.

40. A method according to claim 26, wherein the mouse system comprises a mouse connectable to the computer and a slot, wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within the mouse.

41. A method according to claim 26, wherein the mouse system comprises a mouse and an identification box connectable to said mouse and computer, and wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within said identification box.

42. A method according to claim 26, wherein the UIDM is connected by inserting it into a slot within a mouse pad.

62. A method according to claim 1, wherein the age of the user is recorded within the mouse component, which can be retrieved from the mouse component by a remote application with which the user is remotely connected.

15. A system for carrying out parental control which comprises a parental control application, and at least two mouse components.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the parental control application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the mouse component comprises an ID and the parental control application comprises software means for retrieving said ID.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the mouse component is a mouse.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein each mouse comprises a first plug to which a second plug in the cable leading to the computer is connected.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein said first plug is located within the case of the mouse.

21. A system according to claim 18, wherein said first plug is located external to the mouse casing, several centimeters therefrom, a data cable connecting between said first plug and the mouse.

23. A system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a) Means in said parental application for defining a “

child”

user;

b) A warning message for warning a chat partner that he is chatting with a child.

c) A module within said parental application for determining when a chat session is activated by said “

child”

user, and for sending said warning to said chat partner when such session is found active.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the warning message is a predefined message being an integral part of the parental control application.

25. A system according to claim 23, wherein the warning message is a message which is predefined by an adult user of the computer.

43. A system for carrying out parental control which comprises a parental control application, and at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse system of the computer.

44. A system according to claim 43, wherein the parental control application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages.

45. A system according to claim 43, wherein the UIDM comprises an ID and the parental control application comprises software means for retrieving said ID.

46. A method for carrying out Security Control when browsing the Internet by means of a computer, comprising:

a) Providing a Security Control application;

b) Providing in said Security control application several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing data from a computer;

c) Providing at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse system of the computer, each UIDM having its unique ID;

d) Associating with each UIDM one or more of said setups;

e) When operating the computer, activating said Security Control application;

f) Retrieving by said application the ID of the UIDM connected to the mouse system of the computer; and

g) Activating by said Security Application the setup associated with the ID of said UIDM, thereby activating the security restrictions associated with said UIDM.

47. A method according to claim 46, wherein the ID of the UIDM is a unique ID stored in memory storage within the UIDM.

48. A method according to claim 46, wherein different UIDMs are given to different users, and the UIDM is connected to the mouse system only when the user is working on the computer, and removed at other times.

49. A method according to claim 46, wherein the mouse system further comprises a light indicator that lights when a UIDM is connected to the mouse system or alternatively lights when a UIDM is not connected to the mouse system.

50. A method according to claim 47, wherein the ability to define the restrictions in the setups is restricted.

51. A method according to claim 46, wherein defining the restrictions in the setups is restricted by a password.

52. A method according to claim 46, wherein associating of setups to a UIDM ID is restricted.

53. A method according to claim 46, wherein associating setups to a UIDM ID is restricted by a password.

54. A method according to claim 46 wherein the UIDM of the computer user is kept in a safe place inaccessible to other, when not in use.

55. A method according to claim 46, wherein the UIDM is connected by inserting it into the slot within the mouse system.

56. A system for carrying out security control which comprises a security control application, and at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse system of the computer.

57. A system according to claim 56, wherein the security control application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing data from said computer.

58. A system according to claim 56, wherein the UIDM comprises an ID and the security control application comprises software means for retrieving said ID.

59. A system according to claim 56, wherein the mouse system comprises a mouse connectable to the computer and a slot wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within the mouse.

60. A system according to claim 56, wherein the mouse system comprises a mouse connectable to the computer and a slot wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within the mouse pad.

61. A system according to claim 56, wherein the mouse system comprises a mouse and an identification box connectable to said mouse and computer, and wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within the mouse.