Parental control graphical user interface

• US 20070055754A1
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Jeff, Heller, David, Robbin, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12

Abstract

Improved graphical user interfaces suitable for restricting the availability of media items and/or podcasts are also disclosed. The graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for a system that provides purchase and distribution of media in a client-server environment.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface produced by an application program on a client device, comprising:

an application program window generated by the application program, said application program window concurrently including at least a first sub-window and a second sub-window,

wherein said first sub-window displays a list of selectable program utility items further including a selectable parental control item, and

wherein said second sub-window displays a list of selectable items available for restriction and a selectable locking item for disabling unauthorized access to the list of selectable items available for restriction.

2. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the list of selectable items available for restriction includes a restrict sources selectable item for selectively disabling any of a plurality of media sources.

3. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 2, wherein the restrict sources selectable item includes a disable podcast selectable item for selectively disabling reception of podcasts, a disable music store selectable item for disabling access to or viewing of an online music store, and a disable shared music selectable item for disabling sharing of music files between computers.

4. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the selectable locking item disables access to the list of selectable items available for restriction.

5. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 4, wherein when the list of selectable items available for restriction is disabled, then the list of selectable items available for restriction is visible but grayed out.

6. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 5, wherein an authorized user can unlock the list of selectable items available for restriction using a password.

7. A graphical user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the restrictions apply to the client device.

8. A method for restricting access of a client device to a remote server, said method comprising:

requesting first selectable items for a list of selectable program utility items having a selectable parental control item from the remote server;

displaying a first browse window with the list of selectable program utility items;

receiving a first user selection of one of the selectable parental control item;

distinctively displaying in a second browse window a list of selectable items available for restriction and a selectable locking item for disabling unauthorized access to the list of selectable items available for restriction based upon the selection of the parental control item by the user;

receiving a second user selection of one of the list of selectable items available for restriction;

distinctively displaying the one of the second selectable items in the second list that the user has selected;

receiving a third user selection of the selectable locking item;

requesting a disable second browse window command from the remote server that includes a locked icon; and

and displaying the first browse window with the first list of the first selectable items, the second browse window with the list of selectable items available for restriction that cannot be accessed, and the accessible locked icon.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the list of selectable items available for restriction includes a restrict sources selectable item for selectively disabling any of a plurality of media sources.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the restrict sources selectable item includes a disable podcast selectable item for selectively disabling reception of podcasts, a disable music store selectable item for disabling access to or viewing of an online music store, and a disable shared music selectable item for disabling sharing of music files between computers.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the selectable locking item disables access to the list of selectable items available for restriction.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein when the list of selectable items available for restriction is disabled, then the- list of selectable items available for restriction is visible but grayed out.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein an authorized user can unlock the list of selectable items available for restriction using a password.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the restrictions apply to the client device.

15. Computer program product for restricting access of a client device to a remote server, said method comprising:

computer code for requesting first selectable items for a list of selectable program utility items having a selectable parental control item from the remote server;

computer code for displaying a first browse window with the list of selectable program utility items;

computer code for receiving a first user selection of one of the selectable parental control item;

computer code for distinctively displaying in a second browse window a list of selectable items available for restriction and a selectable locking item for disabling unauthorized access to the list of selectable items available for restriction based upon the selection of the parental control item by the user;

computer code for receiving a second user selection of one of the list of selectable items available for restriction;

computer code for distinctively displaying the one of the second selectable items in the second list that the user has selected;

computer code for receiving a third user selection of the selectable locking item;

computer code for requesting a disable second browse window command from the remote server that includes a locked icon;

computer code for displaying the first browse window with the first list of the first selectable items, the second browse window with the list of selectable items available for restriction that cannot be accessed, and the accessible locked icon; and

computer readable medium for storing the computer code.

16. Computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the list of selectable items available for restriction includes a restrict sources selectable item for selectively disabling any of a plurality of media sources.

17. Computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the restrict sources selectable item includes a disable podcast selectable item for selectively disabling reception of podcasts, a disable music store selectable item for disabling access to or viewing of an online music store, and a disable shared music selectable item for disabling sharing of music files between computers.

18. Computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the selectable locking item disables access to the list of selectable items available for restriction.

19. Computer program product as recited in claim 18, wherein when the list of selectable items available for restriction is disabled, then the list of selectable items available for restriction is visible but grayed out.

20. Computer program product as recited in claim 19, wherein an authorized user can unlock the list of selectable items available for restriction using a password.

21. Computer program product as recited in claim 15, wherein the restrictions apply to the client device.