Supervised Access Computer Network Router
First Claim
1. ) A network management system connected to a client computer via a first network, said client computer having an associated client activity monitor, said network management system comprising:
- (a) a router-switch connected to said first network and to a second network;
(b) a network server comprising a means for communication to said router-switch and computer hardware platform having a processor and a computer-readable storage medium;
(c) a status monitor which receives status messages from each of said client activity monitors; and
(d) a network activity monitor which receives activity information from said client activity monitor and stores said activity information for subsequent retrieval;
said network server causing said router-switch to restrict said client computer'"'"'s access to said second network as a function of status messages received by said network server from said client computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring and regulating computer usage on a local network is disclosed. Computers on a network are configured with a client activity monitoring module that collects activity information including screen captures, keyboard activity, and/or information relating to network communications and sends the collected activity information to a network activity monitor for storage and later retrieval. Each computer on the local network periodically verifies that its client activity monitor module is operable. If a computer fails to send such verification, the system restricts network access by that computer, thus enforcing compliance with the activity monitoring system. The system further provides means for automatically displaying the collected activity information, including through screen savers, automatically changing desktop background images, and pop-up or sidebar windows. The system thus enables review of computer activities for appropriateness by both supervisors or parents as well as by peer users without requiring the reviewer to take affirmative steps to retrieve the activity information.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. ) A network management system connected to a client computer via a first network, said client computer having an associated client activity monitor, said network management system comprising:
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(a) a router-switch connected to said first network and to a second network; (b) a network server comprising a means for communication to said router-switch and computer hardware platform having a processor and a computer-readable storage medium; (c) a status monitor which receives status messages from each of said client activity monitors; and (d) a network activity monitor which receives activity information from said client activity monitor and stores said activity information for subsequent retrieval; said network server causing said router-switch to restrict said client computer'"'"'s access to said second network as a function of status messages received by said network server from said client computer. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. ) A network management system connected to a client computer via a network, said client computer having an associated client activity monitor, said network management system comprising:
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(a) a network server comprising a computer hardware platform having a processor and a computer-readable storage medium; (b) a network activity monitor which receives and stores activity information from each of said client activity monitors; and (c) a display module operable to automatically display said activity information stored by said network activity monitor. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. ) An article of manufacture comprising a machine-accessible medium having instructions encoded thereon for enabling a processor to perform the operations of:
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(a) capturing client activity information relating to one or more computer terminals; (b) storing said client activity information; (c) retrieving said client activity information; and (d) automatically displaying said information on a display means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification