Enhanced Curfew and Protection Associated with a Device Group

• US 20170295258A1
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Tellado, Jose, Green, Jeffrey, Lavine, James, Carter, III, Russell Bertrand
• Granted Patent: US 9,954,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A first wireless end-user device is designated as subject to controls under a device group authorization from a master wireless end-user device. The first device receives a protection management profile from the master device, and compares settings in the profile to a device location change state (e.g., speed) and a device user I/O method state (e.g., touchscreen, hands-free, Bluetooth, voice-activated, etc.). According to the profile, at certain speeds and I/O methods, one or more device service and/or network activities are limited. The master device may send multiple such profiles to the first device, any of which if applicable can limit different service and/or network activities in different situations.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A first wireless end-user device comprising:

a wireless modem to communicate wireless data with a network for one or more device service activities; and

at least one processor implementing one or more agents to;

designate the first wireless end-user device as subject to controls under a device group authorization from an authorized master wireless end-user device,

receive via the wireless modem one or more protection management profiles from the master wireless end-user device,

evaluate the current status of a plurality of device states for the first wireless end-user device, including a device location change state and a device user input/output method state, against corresponding settings in a given one of the protection management profiles, to determine a value for a match status to the plurality of devices states,

for at least one determined value of the match status, perform one or more corresponding network activity management actions specified in the given one of the protection management profiles, the network activity management actions limiting at least a specified one of the device service activities, and

for at least one other determined value of the match status, do not perform the one or more activity management actions.

3. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein the one or more agents maintain an association of the first wireless end-user device to the device group, irrespective of a mobile operator or wireless service provider also associated with the first wireless end-user device.

4. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein the first wireless end-user device and the master wireless end-user device execute a common operating system type, the common operating system type managing the device group authorization.

5. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, the first wireless end-user device receiving a credential from the master wireless end-user device to authorize a distribution of the protection management profiles to the first wireless end-user device.

6. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein to receive the one or more protection management profiles from the master user device comprises to receive at least one of the protection management profiles via a connection to a network service controller.

7. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein the device location change state is a sensed device speed, and the corresponding setting is a speed threshold.

8. The first wireless end-user device of claim 7, wherein the speed threshold is set to allow for sensed device speeds indicative of walking and/or jogging to be less than the speed threshold.

9. The first wireless end-user device of claim 7, wherein the device user input/output method state current status includes at least one first status indicating user interaction with a touchscreen interface of the wireless end-user device, and at least one status indicating user interaction without use of the touchscreen interface.

10. The first wireless end-user device of claim 9, wherein a first match status from the at least one determined value of the match status indicates a sensed device speed above the speed threshold and user interaction with a touchscreen interface of the wireless end-user device.

11. The first wireless end-user device of claim 10, wherein for the first match status, the at least a specified one of the device service activities comprises a messaging application.

12. The first wireless end-user device of claim 10, wherein a second match status from the at least one other determined value of the match status indicates a sensed device speed above the speed threshold and user interaction without use of the touchscreen interface.

13. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, limiting at least a specified one of the device service activities comprises one or more of locking the device, pausing the device, power down the device, disabling a user interface of the device, terminating the specified one of the device service activities, and presenting a user notification regarding the specified one of the device service activities.

14. The first wireless end-user device of claim 13, wherein the at least a specified one of the device service activities is ongoing at a time that the match status changes to the at least one determined value of the match status from the at least one other determined value of the match status.

15. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein the one or more corresponding network activity management actions comprise a specified action as to whether the wireless modem is enabled or disabled.

16. The first wireless end-user device of claim 15, wherein the wireless modem is a first wireless modem, the device further comprising a second wireless modem, the given one of the protection management profiles comprising different actions for the first and second wireless modems.

17. The first wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein the one or more protection management profiles comprise at least two protection management profiles, and wherein to evaluate the current status of a plurality of device states against corresponding settings in a given one of the protection management profiles is evaluated to determine two corresponding match state values.