PARENTAL CONTROL MANAGEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT BASED ON HARDWARE IDENTIFIERS

• US 20160080322A1
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Prisser, Laura D., Munn, Jude M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,560,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A device may receive a first indication that a user device connected to a first network device associated with a first network, the first indication including a hardware identifier associated with the user device; identify a policy set associated with the hardware identifier; and output the policy set to the first network device. The outputting may cause the first network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the first network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the policy set. The device may receive a second indication that the user device has connected to a second network device associated with a second network; and output the policy set to the second network device. The outputting may cause the second network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the second network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the policy set.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device, a first indication that a user device connected to a first network device associated with a first network, the first indication including a hardware identifier associated with the user device;

identifying, by the device, a policy set associated with the hardware identifier;

outputting, by the device, the policy set to the first network device,

the outputting causing the first network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the first network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the policy set;

receiving, by the device, a second indication that the user device has connected to a second network device associated with a second network,

the second network being different from the first network; and

outputting, by the device, the policy set to the second network device,

the outputting causing the second network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the second network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the policy set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy set relates to a parental control setting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is a local area network, and wherein the second network is a wireless telecommunications network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from an administrative device, account information via a portal or website associated with the device;

identifying the first network device based on the account information;

requesting a list of hardware identifiers connected to the first network device,

wherein receiving the hardware identifier of the user device is based on requesting the list of hardware identifiers.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

outputting information identifying the user device associated with the hardware identifier for display on the administrative device; and

receiving, from the administrative device and based on outputting the information identifying the user device, information identifying the policy set for the user device,

wherein the information identifying the policy set corresponds to user inputs received by the administrative device; and

storing information linking the hardware identifier to the policy set,

wherein identifying the policy set is based on storing the information linking the hardware identifier to the policy set.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an update to the policy set; and

outputting the update to the policy set to the first network device and the second network device,

the outputting causing the first network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the first network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the updated policy set,

the outputting further causing the second network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the second network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the updated policy set.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the hardware identifier includes receiving the receive hardware identifier when user device connects to the first network device and when the first network device does not store the policy set associated with the hardware identifier.

8. A system comprising:

a server device, comprising;

a non-transitory memory device storing;

a plurality of processor-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the processor to;

receive a first indication that a user device connected to a first network device associated with a first network, the first indication including a hardware identifier associated with the user device;

identify a policy set associated with the hardware identifier;

output the policy set to the first network device,

the outputting causing the first network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the first network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the policy set;

receive a second indication that the user device has connected to to a second network device associated with a second network,

the second network being different from the first network; and

output the policy set to the second network device,

the outputting causing the second network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the second network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the policy set.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the policy set relates to a parental control setting.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first network is a local area network, and wherein the second network is a wireless telecommunications network.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the processor to:

receive account information via a portal or website associated with the device;

identify the first network device based on the account information;

request a list of hardware identifiers connected to the first network device,

wherein executing the processor-executable instructions, to receive the hardware identifier of the user device, causes the processor to receive the hardware identifier based on requesting the list of hardware identifiers.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the processor to:

output information identifying the user device associated with the hardware identifier for display on the administrative device; and

receive, from the administrative device and based on outputting the information identifying the user device, information identifying the policy set for the user device,

wherein the information identifying the policy set corresponds to user inputs received by the administrative device; and

storing information linking the hardware identifier to the policy set,

wherein identifying the policy set is based on storing the information linking the hardware identifier to the policy set.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions further causes the processor:

receive an update to the policy set; and

output the update to the policy set to the first network device and the second network device,

the outputting causing the first network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the first network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the updated policy set,

the outputting further causing the second network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the second network device and destined for the user device, in accordance with the updated policy set.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions, to receive the hardware identifier, causes the processor to receive the receive hardware identifier when user device connects to the first network device and when the first network device does not store the policy set associated with the hardware identifier.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device, account information;

identifying, by the device, a network device that implements a local network associated with the account information;

identifying, by the device, one or more user devices connected to the network device or associated with the account information;

identifying, by the device, a plurality of users associated with the account information;

outputting, by the device, information identifying the one or more user devices and the plurality of users for display on an administrative device;

receiving, by the device and from the administrative device based on outputting the information identifying the one or more user devices and the plurality of users, information linking a first user, of the plurality of users, with a first set of user devices of the one or more user devices;

receiving, by the device and from the administrative device, information defining a first policy set for the first user and the first set of user devices;

receiving, by the device and from the administrative device based on outputting the information identifying the one or more user devices and plurality of users, information linking a second user, of the plurality of users, with a second set of user devices;

receiving, by the device and from the administrative device, information defining a second policy set for the second user and the second set of user devices;

outputting, by the one or more devices, the first policy set to the network device,

the outputting causing the network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the network device and destined for the first set of user devices, in accordance with the first policy set; and

outputting, by the one or more devices, the second policy set to the network device,

the outputting causing the network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the network device and destined for the second set of user devices, in accordance with the second policy set.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first or second policy set relates to a parental control setting.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the one or more user devices connected to the network device includes receiving a list of hardware identifiers of user devices connected to the network device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the network device is a first network device and wherein the local network is a first local network,

the method further comprising:

storing information linking the first policy set to a hardware identifier of a particular user device of the first set of user devices based on receiving the information linking the first user to the particular user device,

receive the hardware identifier from a second network device implementing a second local network,

determining the first policy set associated with the hardware identifier based on storing the information linking the first policy set to the hardware identifier; and

outputting the first policy set to the second network device,

the outputting causing the second network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the second network device and destined for the particular user device, in accordance with the first policy set.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the hardware identifier from the second network device includes receiving the hardware identifier when the second network device is not storing information linking the first policy set to the hardware identifier.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an update to the first or second policy set; and

outputting the update to the first or second policy set to the network device,

the outputting causing the network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the network device and destined for the first set of user devices in accordance with the updated first policy set,

the outputting causing the network device to filter traffic, transmitted via the network device and destined for the second set of user devices in accordance with the updated second policy set.