Client comparison of network content with server-based categorization

• US 20050065935A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Timothy A., McMenamin, Marie Louise, Patrawala, Zakir S., Virani, Samira S., Chebolu, Anil Kumar
• Application Number:
  US10/741,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20050065935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling access to to Internet sites from a computer. Briefly described in architecture, some embodiments of a system provide an Internet user interface to access Internet sites from the computer. An access control unit regulates user-access to Internet sites from the computer according to a user profile of a current user of the computer. The user profile for the current user of the computer indicates which content categories the current user is authorized to access. The content categories are remotely stored in a database. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for controlling access to Internet sites from a computer, the system comprising:

a database storing a list of content categories for the Internet sites, the database connected to the Internet and located remotely from the computer;

at least one user profile for at least one respective user, each user profile indicating which content categories the respective user is authorized to access, wherein each user profile is customizable for the respective user; and

a control unit to regulate user-access to the Internet sites from the computer according to the user profile of a current user of the computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user profile contains a list of content categories that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user profile contains a blacklist of Internet sites that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user profile contains a whitelist of Internet sites that the respective user of the profile is authorized to access.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism for generating a request for authorization to access a particular Internet site.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a server for accessing the database, wherein the server includes a web page that notifies the user that authorization to access the particular Internet site has been denied if the user is not authorized to access the Internet site, the web page providing the mechanism for generating a request.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a server for accessing the database, wherein the server includes a web page to create the at least one user profile, the user profile being stored on the server and the computer.

8. A system to control computer access to Internet content, comprising:

a server connected to the Internet, the server maintaining a list of content categories for Internet sites; and

an access control unit configured to;

detect a request from a user to access an Internet site;

request a content category rating for the Internet site from the server; and

deny access to the Internet site if the user is not authorized for the content category rating retrieved from the server.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one user profile for at least one respective user, each user profile indicating which content categories the respective user is authorized to access, wherein each user profile is customizable for the respective user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one user profile is maintained in a database remote from the access control unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a copy of the at least one user profile is maintained in a local storage device to the access control unit.

12. A system for controlling access to Internet sites from a computer, the system comprising:

means for creating at least one user profile restricting access to at least one content category of Internet sites for at least one respective user;

means for storing the at least one user profile on a computer;

means for identifying a current user of the computer;

means for receiving a request from the current user to access an Internet site;

means for obtaining a content category rating for the Internet site that was requested by the current user;

means for checking the user profile of the current user to determine if the current user is authorized to access the content category rating; and

means for denying access to the Internet site if the current user is not authorized to access the content category rating.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for requesting permission to authorize the Internet site that has been denied.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein an administrator of the computer creates the at least one user profile for other users of the computer.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the user profile contains a list of rating categories that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the user profile contains a block list of Internet sites that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the user profile contains an allow list of Internet sites that the respective user of the profile is authorized to access.

18. A method to control computer access to Internet content, comprising:

creating at least one user profile restricting access to at least one content category of Internet sites for at least one respective user;

storing the at least one user profile on a computer;

identifying a current user of the computer;

receiving a request from the current user to access an Internet site;

obtaining a content category rating for the Internet site that was requested by the current user;

checking the user profile of the current user to determine if the current user is authorized to access the content category rating; and

denying access to the Internet site if the current user is not authorized to access the content category rating.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

requesting permission to authorize the Internet site that has been denied.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein an administrator of the computer creates the at least one user profile for other users of the computer.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the user profile contains a list of rating categories that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the user profile contains a block list of Internet sites that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the user profile contains an allow list of Internet sites that the respective user of the profile is authorized to access.

24. A computer-readable medium for storing a program that controls computer access to Internet content, the program comprising the steps of:

creating at least one user profile restricting access to at least one content category of Internet sites for at least one respective user;

storing the at least one user profile on a computer;

identifying a current user of the computer;

receiving a request from the current user to access an Internet site;

obtaining a content category rating for the Internet site that was requested by the current user;

checking the user profile of the current user to determine if the current user is authorized to access the content category rating; and

denying access to the Internet site if the current user is not authorized to access the content category rating.

25. The medium of claim 24, the program further comprising the step of:

requesting permission to authorize the Internet site that has been denied.

26. The medium of claim 24, wherein the user profile contains a list of content categories that the respective user of the user profile is not authorized to access.