Method and system for providing supervisory control over wireless phone usage

• US 20060160523A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xius Holding Corp. (Megasoft Limited)
• Original Assignee: Boston Communications Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Sonberg, Kenneth W., Erskine, Thomas, Rudisill, Luther
• Granted Patent: US 7,218,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• 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: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/39 Arrangements for preventing metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 : Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A system for controlling wireless phone usage enables a supervisor to establish user profiles for supervised users of wireless phones across a range of parameters which are stored in a user profile database. Such parameters may include one or more locations at which use of the wireless phone is restricted or permitted. In addition, restrictions on phone use may be provided based upon total phone usage within a specified control period, time periods, dates or days of the week during which phone use is restricted or permitted. One or more lists including numbers that are always-accessible may be provided and one or more lists including numbers that are never-accessible may also be provided. In the event a call does not satisfy predefined criteria, the call is blocked. Predetermined messages may be played to the called or calling party as applicable when a call is blocked. Boolean combinations of restrictions and permissive use criteria for the wireless phone may be specified to provide for flexibility when establishing use criteria for the wireless phone.

Claims

1-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A computer based method of controlling the use of a wireless device comprising the steps of:

storing in a database a supervisory account identifier associated with a supervisory account, said supervisory account including information pertaining to the use of at least one wireless device including said wireless device, said information being password protected and at least some of said information being modifiable by said account administrator;

storing in said database in association with said supervisory account identifier at the request of said account administrator, a wireless device identifier associated with said wireless device and at least one modifiable restriction governing the use of said wireless device by a wireless device user, wherein said wireless device user is an individual distinct from said account administrator;

storing in said database in association with said supervisory account identifier, a code value corresponding to a cut-through code, wherein said code-value is useable by said account administrator to permit said account administrator to establish communication with said wireless device at a time when the use of said wireless device is restricted;

receiving an indication of an intended communication from a communication device to said wireless device;

determining whether said intended communication violates said at least one restriction governing the use of said wireless device prior to connection of said communication between said communication device and said wireless device;

in the event said determining step indicates that the connection of said intended communication violates said at least one restriction and an input value corresponding to said stored code value is not received from said communication device within a predetermined time interval, generating a control message of a first type to prevent said communication from proceeding; and

in the event said determining step indicates that the connection of said intended communication would violate said at least one restriction pertaining to the use of said wireless device and said input value corresponding to said code value code is received from said communication device within said predetermined time interval, generating a control message of a second type to allow said communication to be proceed.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of storing said code value corresponding to said cut-through code comprises the step of storing in said database a user name and utilizing a value corresponding to said user name as said code value.

52. A computer based system for controlling the use of a wireless device by a wireless device user, said system comprising:

a database stored in a storage device, said database containing a supervisory account identifier associated with a supervisory account, said database including information pertaining to the use of at least one wireless device, including said wireless device, said information contained in said database being password protected and modifiable by a supervisory account administrator;

said database containing in association with said supervisory account identifier, a wireless device identifier associated with said wireless device and at least one parameter defining at least one restriction governing the use of said wireless device by said wireless device user, wherein said wireless device user is an individual distinct from said account administrator;

said database a code value corresponding to a cut-through code, wherein said code value is stored in association with said supervisory account identifier and wherein said code-value is useable by said account administrator to establish communication with said wireless device at a time when the use of said wireless device is restricted;

at least one computer operative to;

receive an indication of an intended communication from a communication device to said wireless device;

determine using said at least one parameter whether said intended communication violates said at least one restriction governing the use of said wireless device prior to connection of said communication between said communication device and said wireless device;

generate a control message of a first type to prevent said communication from proceeding in the event said at least one computer determines that the connection of said intended communication would violate said at least one restriction and an input value corresponding to said stored code value is not received from said communication device within a predetermined time interval; and

generate a control message of a second type to allow said communication to proceed in the event said at least one computer determines that the connection of said intended communication would violate said at least one restriction pertaining to the use of said wireless device and said input value corresponding to said code value code is received from said communication device within said predetermined time interval.

53. The system of claim 52 further including:

an access point and a web server communicably coupled via a data network;

a data path between said web server and said database;

said access point operative to receive as an input from said supervisory account administrator a user name and to communicate said user name to said database;

said database operative to store said user name in association with said supervisory account identifier; and

said at least one computer being operative to utilize said user name stored in said database as said code value.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein said data path includes said at least one computer.

55. A method of communicating information regarding the usage of a wireless device comprising the steps of:

storing in a database an identifier of said wireless device in association with an identifier associated with a supervisory account, wherein information in said database pertaining to said supervisory account is modifiable by a supervisor having administrative responsibility for said supervisory account;

storing in said database in association with said wireless device identifier at least one parameter defining at least one alert condition relating to the usage of said wireless device;

maintaining for said at least one wireless device a time measure indicative of the cumulative usage of said wireless device within a control period;

determining whether said alert condition has occurred by utilizing said time measure and said at least one parameter; and

in the event said determining step indicates that said alert condition has occurred, communicating an alert message to said supervisor.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein said at least one parameter includes a time value defining the amount of time said wireless device may be used prior to the transmission of said alert message to said supervisor.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein said communicating step further includes the step of communicating said alert message to said supervisor when said determining step indicates that said time measure equals said time value.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein said communicating step further includes the step of communicating said alert message to said supervisor each time said determining step indicates that said time measure equals an integral multiple of said time value within said control period.

59. The method of claim 58 further including the step of resetting said time measure at the beginning of each control period.

60. The method of claim 55 wherein said communicating step comprises the step of communicating said alert message to said supervisor via an audible message directed to a telephone number specified by said supervisor and stored in said database.

61. The method of claim 55 wherein said communicating step comprises the step of communicating said alert message to said supervisor via a text message directed to a telephone number specified by said supervisor and stored in said database.

62. The method of claim 55 wherein said communicating step comprises the step of communicating said alert message to said supervisor via an email message directed to an email address specified by said supervisor and stored in said database.

63. The method of claim 55 wherein said alert message includes an indication of said measure indicative of said cumulative usage of said wireless device within said control period.