System and method for adult approval URL pre-screening

• US 20050102407A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Clapper, Edward O.
• Granted Patent: US 7,594,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access

Abstract

A system and method for adult URL pre-screening. A URL request made by a child on a first computer is received by a gatekeeper. The gatekeeper compares the requested URL to URL entries in an approved URL table. If the requested URL is found in the approved URL table, permission is granted for enabling the child on the first computer to browse a Web page associated with the requested URL. If the requested URL is not found in the approved URL table, the gatekeeper accesses the Web page associated with the requested URL, generates a thumbnail of the Web page, and alerts a parent/guardian operating the second computer via an alert icon. The parent/guardian may view the thumbnail of the Web page by placing their mouse over the alert icon. The thumbnail includes a set of approval options from which to allow the parent/guardian to approve or deny access of the Web page for the child on the first computer to browse.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring Internet browsing:

receiving a URL (universal resource locator) request from a first computer;

comparing the URL request with URL entries in an approved table of information;

if the requested URL is found in the approved table of information, permitting access of the URL request by the first computer;

if the requested URL is not found in the approved table of information, enabling an operator of a second computer to determine whether to grant access of the requested URL to the first computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer is operated by a child and the operator of the second computer is a parent/guardian.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling an operator of a second computer to determine whether to grant access of the requested URL to the first computer comprises:

accessing a Web page identified by the requested URL;

generating a thumbnail of the Web page;

alerting the operator of the second computer of the requested URL; and

enabling the operator of the second computer to view the thumbnail of the Web page on the second computer, wherein the operator grants access if the Web page is approved and denies access if the Web page is disapproved.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein alerting the operator of the second computer of the requested URL comprises enabling an alert icon to do one of blink, change color, blink and change color, change bitmap, and animate.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein enabling the operator of the second computer to view the thumbnail of the Web page on the second computer comprises enabling the operator to place a mouse over an alert icon, wherein placement of the mouse over the alert icon causes a window of the thumbnail of the Web page to drop down.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein enabling the operator of the second computer to view the thumbnail of the Web page on the second computer comprises enabling the operator to click on an alert icon, wherein clicking the alert icon causes a browsable full frame of the requested Web page to be viewed.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the thumbnail comprises a set of approval controls for enabling the operator of the second computer to approve or disapprove access to the Web page by the first computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of approval controls include an approve control, the approve control including a drop down menu, the drop down menu including a plurality of acceptance options from which the operator may select.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of acceptance options comprise a link depth and a time period in which the Web page may be viewed.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of approval controls include a denial control, the denial control including a drop down menu, the drop down menu including a plurality of denial options from which the operator may select.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of denial options includes denial for a predetermined period of time, denial to consult with another, denial to perform research, and denial:

ask again later.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple URLs are requested by the first computer, each URL being placed in a queue awaiting approval.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the queue is a limited queue with a maximum predetermined number of URLs allowed in the queue.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the queue is an unlimited queue with no limit as to the number of URLs allowed in the queue.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein permitting access of the URL request by the first computer if the requested URL is found in the approved table of information comprises:

accessing a Web page identified by the requested URL; and

routing the Web page to the first computer for browsing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the operator of the second computer is notified that access to the Web page has been granted to the first computer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the URL request is logged.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the table of information if the URL request is approved.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating a table of denied URLs if the URL request is denied.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message to the first computer indicating denial of the URL request if the URL request is denied.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling an operator of a third computer to determine whether to grant access of the requested URL to the first computer when the operator of the second computer is unavailable and the requested URL is not found in the approved table of information, wherein the operator of the first computer comprises a child, the operator of the second computer comprises a parent/guardian and the operator of the third computer comprises one of a trusted friend and family member.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein a second computer includes a television connected to a home network.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein an operator of a second computer, when unavailable, is notified using one of a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices comprise a work computer, a personal digital assistant, and a cell phone.

24. An article comprising:

a storage medium having a plurality of machine accessible instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by a processor, the instructions provide for receiving a URL (universal resource locator) request from a first computer;

comparing the URL request with URL entries in an approved table of information;

if the requested URL is found in the approved table of information, permitting access of the URL request by the first computer;

if the requested URL is not found in the approved table of information, enabling an operator of a second computer to determine whether to grant access of the requested URL to the first computer.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the first computer is operated by a child and the operator of the second computer is a parent/guardian.

26. The article of claim 24, wherein instructions for enabling an operator of a second computer to determine whether to grant access of the requested URL to the first computer comprises instructions for:

accessing a Web page identified by the requested URL;

generating a thumbnail of the Web page;

alerting the operator of the second computer of the requested URL; and

enabling the operator of the second computer to view the thumbnail of the Web page on the second computer, wherein the operator grants access if the Web page is approved and denies access if the Web page is disapproved.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein instructions for alerting the operator of the second computer of the requested URL comprises instructions for enabling an alert icon to do one of blink, change color, blink and change color, change bitmap and animate.

28. The article of claim 26, wherein instructions for enabling the operator of the second computer to view the thumbnail of the Web page on the second computer comprises instructions for enabling the operator to place a mouse over an alert icon, wherein placement of the mouse over the alert icon causes a window of the thumbnail of the Web page to drop down.

29. The article of claim 26, wherein instructions for enabling the operator of the second computer to view the thumbnail of the Web page on the second computer comprises instructions for enabling the operator to click on an alert icon, wherein clicking the alert icon causes a browsable full frame of the requested Web page to be viewed.

30. The article of claim 26, wherein the thumbnail comprises a set of approval controls for enabling the operator of the second computer to approve or disapprove access to the Web page by the first computer.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the set of approval controls include an approve control, the approve control including a drop down menu, the drop down menu including a plurality of acceptance options from which the operator may select.

32. The article of claim 31, wherein the plurality of acceptance options comprise a link depth and a time period in which the Web page may be viewed.

33. The article of claim 30, wherein the set of approval controls include a denial control, the denial control including a drop down menu, the drop down menu including a plurality of denial options from which the operator may select.

34. The article of claim 33, wherein the plurality of denial options includes denial for a predetermined period of time, denial to consult with another, denial to perform research, and denial:

ask again later.

35. The article of claim 24, wherein multiple URLs are requested by the first computer, each URL being placed in a queue awaiting approval.

36. The article of claim 24, wherein instructions for permitting access of the URL request by the first computer if the requested URL is found in the approved table of information comprises instructions for:

accessing a Web page identified by the requested URL; and

routing the Web page to the first computer for browsing.

37. The article of claim 24, further comprising instructions for updating the table of information if the URL request is approved.

38. The article of claim 24, further comprising instructions for updating a table of denied URLs if the URL request is denied.

39. A system for monitoring Internet browsing comprising:

a first computer to request access to a URL;

a second computer to access a Web page associated with the requested URL through a gatekeeper, the second computer to enable the first computer to access the Web page through the gatekeeper if the second computer approves the Web page for viewing on the first computer.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the first computer comprises a child personal computer (PC) and the second computer comprises a parent/guardian PC.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the gatekeeper comprises a personal computer.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the second computer comprises the gatekeeper.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the gatekeeper accesses the requested URL, and if the requested URL is not included in a list of acceptable URLs on the gatekeeper, generates a thumbnail of the Web page associated with the requested URL, and displays the thumbnail of the Web page via a browser of the second computer.

44. The system of claim 39, further comprising a third computer to enable the gatekeeper to escalate the request to access the URL to the third computer for approval when the operator of the second is unavailable.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein an operator of the first computer comprises a child, an operator of the second computer comprises a parent/guardian, and an operator of the third computer comprises a trusted friend or family member.

46. The system of claim 39, further comprising a plurality of mobile devices to enable the gatekeeper to provide the request to one or more of the plurality of mobile devices when the second computer is inaccessible.