Method and parental control and monitoring of usage of devices connected to home network

• US 7,046,139 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Security Video Camera Systems Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morin, Philippe, Hanson, Brian, Kuhn, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/831,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.15, 340/573.1, 340/3.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.74
• US Class Current: 340/539.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network includes a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to one or more children. The permissions specify levels of access to devices connected to a home network and/or classifications of media content consumable via the devices. A control module grants a child access to the devices and/or media content via the devices based on the levels of access. A monitoring module monitors the child'"'"'s usage of the devices and/or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, stores a related usage history, and communicates the usage history to the parent.

Claims

1. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to devices connected to a home network;

a control module granting the child access to the devices based on the levels of access; and

a monitoring module monitoring the child'"'"'s usage of the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent,

wherein said permissions module is adapted to allow the parent to specify a level of access that completely denies the child access to one of the devices under specific conditions, and said control module is adapted to determine fulfillment status of the conditions and completely deny the child access to the device when the conditions are fulfilled.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module is adapted to identify a user based on an input user-specific code.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said control module is adapted to obtain the user-specific code recorded in a user-specific recording medium.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said control module is adapted to obtain a device-specific use credit recorded in a user-specific recording medium, and authorize a user with respect to the device based on the device-specific use credit.

5. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access;

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent; and

audio inputs distributed throughout a home implementing the home network, wherein the audio inputs define zones of the home.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a speech recognizer receiving and recognizing speech respective of zones of the home.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an alarming event detector comparing recognized speech to key phrases correlated with alarming events.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a media filter provided to said alarming event detector and filtering out recognized speech produced by audio media consumed via a device.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a media screening mechanism receiving recognized speech from a zone correlated with a device in use by the child to access audio media, and comparing the recognized speech to key phrases correlated with classifications of media content.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a media filter provided to said media screening mechanism and filtering out recognized speech not produced by audio media consumed via a device.

11. The system of claim 5, further comprising a speaker identifier receiving speech and recognizing speakers respective of zones of the home.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an alarming event detector comparing a recognized speaker to speakers correlated with alarming events.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a media filter provided to said alarming event detector and filtering out speech produced by audio media consumed via a device.

14. The system of claim 5, further comprising an alarming event detector applying an audio intensity threshold correlated with an alarming event to input audio.

15. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access;

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent; and

image capture devices distributed throughout a home implementing the home network, wherein the image capture devices define zones of the home.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising an image recognizer receiving and recognizing images respective of zones of the home.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising an alarming event detector comparing at least one feature of a recognized image to image features correlated with alarming events.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a media filter provided to said alarming event detector and filtering out images produced by visual media consumed via a device.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a face recognizer receiving images and recognizing faces respective of zones of the home.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a media screening mechanism receiving a recognized image from a zone correlated with a device in use by the child to access visual media, and comparing at least one feature of the recognized image to image features correlated with classifications of media content.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a media filter provided to said media screening mechanism and filtering out recognized images not produced by visual media consumed via a device.

22. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access; and

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent;

wherein said control module is adapted to identify a user by capturing a biometric of the user and comparing it to a reference biometric.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said control module is adapted to authorize a user by performing speaker authentication respective of a user speech input providing a speech biometric of the user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the user speech input contains information relating to control of a device, and said control module is adapted to recognize the information and control the device according to the information contingent on authentication of the user based on the speech biometric.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said control module is adapted to authorize the user based on a combination of fingerprint authentication respective of a user fingerprint biometric and speaker authentication.

26. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access; and

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent;

wherein said permissions module is adapted to store quotas respective of at least one of the child'"'"'s use of a device or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, and said monitoring module is adapted to communicate alerts to parents when quotas are exceeded.

27. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access;

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent; and

an alarming event detector adapted to detect alarming events based on at least one of received audio input or a captured image, wherein said monitoring module is adapted to communicate alerts to parents when alarming events are detected.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a media filter provided to said alarming event detector and filtering out at least one of audio or images produced by media consumed via a device.

29. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access;

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent; and

a media screening mechanism receiving at least one of audio or video input and comparing at least one of recognized audio or recognized video to at least one of key phrases or image features correlated with classifications of media content.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a media filter provided to said media screening mechanism and filtering out at least one of recognized sounds or recognized images not produced by audio media consumed via a device.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising a media screening mechanism receiving media and comparing closed captions to key phrases correlated with classifications of media content.

32. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access; and

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent;

wherein said control module is adapted to periodically prompt the child for an input sufficient to confirm the child'"'"'s continued use of a device.

33. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access; and

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent;

wherein said control module is adapted to honor a lowest level of access of all children identified in a zone of a house implementing the home network when granting access to at least one of devices or media content in that zone.

34. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access;

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent; and

a source of ratings information correlating classifications of media content with media content available via the devices, wherein said source of ratings information is at least one of continuously updated or periodically updated.

35. A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network, comprising:

a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to at least one child, wherein the permissions specify levels of access to at least one of devices connected to a home network or classifications of media content consumable via the devices;

a control module granting the child access to at least one of the devices or media content via the devices based on the levels of access;

a monitoring module monitoring at least one of the child'"'"'s usage of the devices or the child'"'"'s consumption of media content via the devices, storing a usage history respective thereto, and communicating the usage history to the parent; and

a source of selectable alarm conditions providing information about at least one of key phrases or image features and related causes for alarm, wherein said source of selectable alarm conditions is at least one of continuously updated or periodically updated.