SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING USE OF MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20120237908A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Blancco Technology Group Ip Oy
• Original Assignee: Blancco Technology Group Ip Oy
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, William, Bermingham, Peter, Hannigan, Frank, Prendergast, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 11,864,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Certain embodiments are directed to systems and methods for monitoring and/or managing a device with respect to a rule or set of rules and/or altering the functionality of the device in response. In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring a mobile user'"'"'s equipment with respect to a rule. The method also includes applying at least one consequence to the mobile user equipment when the rule is at least one of followed or violated. The at least one consequence comprises at least one of a reward or a punishment. The at least one consequence pertains to use of the mobile user equipment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring a mobile user equipment with respect to a rule; and

applying at least one consequence to the mobile user equipment when the rule is at least one of followed or violated,

wherein the at least one consequence comprises at least one of a reward or a punishment, and wherein the at least one consequence pertains to use of the mobile user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule comprises at least one restriction selected from the following:

geographic position of mobile user equipment, speed of mobile user equipment, adherence of mobile user equipment to traffic laws, distance from reference point, or departure from predefined path.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the traffic laws comprise at least one of speed limit, stop sign, and one way street.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the reference point comprises at least one of one or more family member, a home, a vehicle, a school, or a place of employment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule comprises at least one rule selected from usage limit or usage parameters.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the usage limit comprises a limit on at least one activity of calls, texts, short message service (SMS) messages, multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages, video chatting, photography, videography, internet usage, music listening, video watching, social media usage, application usage, or gaming.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the limit comprises at least one of an absolute prohibition, a maximum usage per unit time, or a minimum usage per unit time.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the usage parameters include a blacklist of forbidden sites, a category of forbidden activity, a time of day restriction, a day of week restriction, or a day of year restrictions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile user equipment comprises at least one device selected from the following:

a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet, a personal computer, a radio equipped vehicle, or a radio equipped purse, bag, backpack, briefcase, or watch.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing an inviolable restriction on the mobile user equipment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inviolable restriction comprises at least one of cost, usage limit, or usage parameters.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a warning to a user of the mobile user equipment when an inviolable restriction is immanent.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the usage limit comprises a limit on at least one activity of calls, texts, short message service (SMS) messages, multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages, video chatting, photography, videography, internet usage, music listening, video watching, social media usage, application usage, or gaming.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the limit comprises at least one of an absolute prohibition, a maximum usage per unit time, or a minimum usage per unit time.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the usage parameters include a blacklist of forbidden sites, a category of forbidden activity, a time of day restriction, a day of week restriction, or a day of year restrictions.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a location of the mobile user equipment, wherein the monitoring comprises the identifying the location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

mapping the location of the mobile user equipment, based on the identifying.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying a second location of a second mobile user equipment in relation to the mobile user equipment, wherein the monitoring comprises the identifying the second location.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying locations of a plurality of related mobile user equipment, and

ranking the plurality of related mobile user equipment based on proximity to the mobile user equipment, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the identifying the locations.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

contacting a first mobile user equipment of the plurality of the user equipment based on the ranking, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the contacting the first mobile user equipment.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

contacting the plurality of related mobile user equipment in an order of the ranking, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the contacting the plurality of related mobile user equipment.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in the mobile user equipment.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in one or more servers.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing an alert, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the alert.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the alert comprises an alert to the user of the mobile user equipment.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the alert comprises an alert to a family member of the user of the mobile user equipment.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the alert comprises at least one of element of information of the following:

a distance to the mobile user equipment, a location of the mobile user equipment, or a path to the mobile user equipment.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one consequence comprises a positive consequence.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the positive consequence comprises unlocking a feature of the mobile user equipment.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the positive consequence is tied to performance of a task.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the task comprises at least one action selected from calling a predetermined number, texting a predetermined number, emailing a predetermined address, traveling a predetermined route, or avoiding negative infractions for a predetermined period of time.

32. A system comprising:

at least one memory including computer program code, and

at least one processor,

wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to

monitor mobile user equipment with respect to a rule; and

apply at least one consequence to the mobile user equipment when the rule is at least one of followed or violated,

wherein the at least one consequence comprises at least one of a reward or a punishment, and wherein the at least one consequence pertains to use of the mobile user equipment.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the rule comprises at least one restriction selected from the following:

geographic position of mobile user equipment, speed of mobile user equipment, adherence of mobile user equipment to traffic laws, distance from reference point, or departure from predefined path.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the traffic laws comprise at least one of speed limit, stop sign, and one way street.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the reference point comprises at least one of one or more family member, a home, a vehicle, a school, or a place of employment.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the rule comprises at least one rule selected from usage limit or usage parameters.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the usage limit comprises a limit on at least one activity of calls, texts, short message service (SMS) messages, multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages, video chatting, photography, videography, internet usage, music listening, video watching, social media usage, application usage, or gaming.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the limit comprises at least one of an absolute prohibition, a maximum usage per unit time, or a minimum usage per unit time.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the usage parameters include a blacklist of forbidden sites, a category of forbidden activity, a time of day restriction, a day of week restriction, or a day of year restrictions.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein the mobile user equipment comprises at least one device selected from the following:

a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet, a personal computer, a radio equipped vehicle, or a radio equipped purse, bag, backpack, briefcase, or watch.

41. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to place an inviolable restriction on the mobile user equipment.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the inviolable restriction comprises at least one of cost, usage limit, or usage parameters.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to provide a warning to a user of the mobile user equipment when an inviolable restriction is immanent.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the usage limit comprises a limit on at least one activity of calls, texts, short message service (SMS) messages, multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages, video chatting, photography, videography, internet usage, music listening, video watching, social media usage, application usage, or gaming.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the limit comprises at least one of an absolute prohibition, a maximum usage per unit time, or a minimum usage per unit time.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the usage parameters include a blacklist of forbidden sites, a category of forbidden activity, a time of day restriction, a day of week restriction, or a day of year restrictions.

47. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to identify a location of the mobile user equipment, wherein the monitoring comprises the identifying the location.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to map the location of the mobile user equipment, based on the identifying.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to identify a second location of a second mobile user equipment in relation to the mobile user equipment, wherein the monitoring comprises the identifying the second location.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to identify locations of a plurality of related mobile user equipment and rank the plurality of related mobile user equipment based on proximity to the mobile user equipment, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the identifying the locations.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to contact a first mobile user equipment of the plurality of the user equipment based on the ranking, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the contacting the first mobile user equipment.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to contact the plurality of related mobile user equipment in an order of the ranking, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the contacting the plurality of related mobile user equipment.

53. The system of claim 32, wherein the system comprises the mobile user equipment.

54. The system of claim 32, wherein the system comprises one or more servers.

55. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system at least to issue an alert, wherein the at least one consequence comprises the alert.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the alert comprises an alert to the user of the mobile user equipment.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the alert comprises an alert to a family member of the user of the mobile user equipment.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the alert comprises at least one of element of information of the following:

a distance to the mobile user equipment, a location of the mobile user equipment, or a path to the mobile user equipment.

59. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one consequence comprises a positive consequence.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the positive consequence comprises unlocking a feature of the mobile user equipment.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein the positive consequence is tied to performance of a task.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the task comprises at least one action selected from calling a predetermined number, texting a predetermined number, emailing a predetermined address, traveling a predetermined route, or avoiding negative infractions for a predetermined period of time.

63. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed in hardware, perform a process, the process comprising:

monitoring a mobile user equipment with respect to a rule; and

applying at least one consequence to the mobile user equipment when the rule is at least one of followed or violated,

wherein the at least one consequence comprises at least one of a reward or a punishment, and wherein the at least one consequence pertains to use of the mobile user equipment.