Second party control over mobile device usage

• US 20080146211A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cenciarelli, Fulvio, McNamara, Justin, Kefalas, Anastasios L., Lewis, John Ervin, Mikan, Jeffrey Clinton
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/86 Recipients of the notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/886 limit per terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/887 limit per user or user related number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7054 Using the phone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• 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 3/42153 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 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent

Abstract

A mechanism is provided whereby a parent, or other second party, can monitor and/or control a child'"'"'s or other first party'"'"'s wireless device usage. An interface can allow the parent to set rules for the child'"'"'s usage, and can specify that the parent should receive messages when a call is made to or from the child'"'"'s wireless device. In addition to call information, the message may prompt the parent for approval of the call connection. Thus, a parent can decide whether a call that is incoming from or outgoing to a third party should be permitted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a communication on a network to or from a mobile device associated with a first party;

consulting a second party rule to determine whether said communication is one or more of prohibited, subject to copying, subject to approval, or permitted, wherein said second party is a customer of a network provider associated with said network;

allowing said communication to said mobile device if said communication is permitted under said second party rule.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first party is a child and said second party is a parent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said communication is a call.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said communication is a text message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an approval request to a mobile device associated with said second party if said communication is subject to approval under said second party rule.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving an approval from said mobile device associated with said second party and subsequently allowing said communication.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a denial of approval from said mobile device associated with said second party and subsequently terminating said communication.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising notifying a third party that said communication will not be allowed.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising notifying a third party that said communication is subject to approval.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying a default rule if no response to said approval request is available.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said approval request comprises caller identification information.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein said approval request comprises address book information from said cellular telephone associated with a first party.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein said approval request comprises a voice or name recording.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said approval request is in the form of an Instant Message (IM).

16. The method of claim 6, wherein said approval request is in the form of a script that allows said second party to respond with a yes or a no.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein said approval request is in the form of a text message.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said second party rule is established by said second party via a website maintained by said network provider.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said website provides summary information pertaining to a communication made to or from said mobile device associated with said first party.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said website provides a recording of a call made to or from said mobile device associated with said first party.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said second party rule makes a communication subject to approval during a specified time of day.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said second party rule makes a communication subject to approval during a specified day of the week.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said second party rule makes a communication subject to approval if it is to or from an identified third party.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said second party rule makes a communication subject to approval if it is subject to additional network charges.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said second party rule makes a communication subject to approval if it is of an identified communication type.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification of said communication to or from said mobile device associated with said first party to a mobile device associated with said second party.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a periodic summary of communications to or from said mobile device associated with said first party to a mobile device associated with said second party.

28. A method comprising:

detecting a communication on a network to or from a mobile device associated with a first party;

sending an approval request to a mobile device associated with said second party, wherein said second party is a customer of a network provider associated with said network;

allowing or terminating said communication to said mobile device associated with said first party subsequent to sending said approval request.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said first party is a child and said second party is a parent.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said mobile device associated with a first party is a cellular telephone.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said communication is a call.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said communication is a text message.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising receiving an approval from said mobile device associated with said second party and subsequently allowing said communication.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising receiving a denial of approval from said mobile device associated with said second party and subsequently terminating said communication.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising notifying a third party that said communication will not be allowed.

36. The method of claim 28, further comprising notifying a third party that said communication is subject to approval.

37. The method of claim 28, further comprising applying a default rule if no response to said approval request is available.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein said approval request comprises caller identification information.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein said approval request comprises address book information from said cellular telephone associated with a first party.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein said approval request comprises a voice or name recording.

41. The method of claim 28, wherein said approval request is in the form of an Instant Message (IM).

42. The method of claim 28, wherein said approval request is in the form of a script that allows said second party to respond with a yes or a no.

43. The method of claim 28, wherein said approval request is in the form of a text message.