Method and system for monitoring individual devices in networked environments

• US 7,421,491 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seer Insight Security Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Seer Insight Security Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ishida, Akira, Mukai, Toru, Tameda, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MINH CHAU
• Application Number:
  US10/271,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224, 713/170
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

According to the present invention, improved techniques for monitoring and managing access and activity at individual devices in a networked environment. Specific embodiments can provide individual and workplace productivity enhancement through self-regulation enforced by peer-group monitoring of network and application usage. In accordance with the specific embodiments of the present invention, techniques that reveal activity of individual users at any device, such as a computer telephone, or other device, within the network environment can be used to analyze flows of information within an enterprise, workplace productivity, network security and other applications in enterprises, including business entities, technical entities, and governmental entities. Specific embodiments provide systems, methods, computer programs and apparatus for monitoring activity at networked entities, such as individual devices, computers, other devices, or other networked computing entities. The information obtained from such monitoring can be used to populate databases, for example. Further, or in the alternative, specific embodiments include analyzing the information, and sharing the information with one or more networked computers and/or with other computational entities locally or remotely connectable with the network. Specific embodiments can have a broad range of functionality in a variety of business, technical and governmental applications.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

recognizing events at a computer;

interpreting the events to obtain synoptic information;

forwarding the synoptic information to at least one other computer for display;

determining if the synoptic information indicates an unauthorized access; and

optically imaging a computer located within a work area if an unauthorized access occurs.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from at least one other computer synoptic information for display.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

updating a Graphical User Interface (GUI) based upon the synoptic information received.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

updating the GUI provides a display of events taking place on each of a plurality of interconnected computers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the events comprise at least one of:

a user input, a system event, a keystroke, a mouse input, a selection made at a touch screen device, a trackball input, an incoming message from a communications interface, an internal system fault, or an external change in environment detected by any of a variety of sensing devices.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

forwarding the computer synoptic information to a database for storing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer and the at least one other computer are in a work area and further comprising:

notifying all computers in the work area of the unauthorized access such that peer pressure will prevent future unauthorized access.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the imaged area includes a person; and

determining if the imaged person is an authorized user of the computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the recognizing events includes recognizing absence of a user at the computer via imaging of a work area.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking the synoptic information to determine if one or more items have exceeded prescribed limits.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

means for recognizing events at a computer;

means for interpreting the events to obtain synoptic information;

means for forwarding the synoptic information to at least one other apparatus for display;

means for determining if the synoptic information indicates an unauthorized access; and

means for optically imaging a computer located within a work area if an unauthorized access occurs.

12. A computer program product for providing a user environment at a computer, comprising:

code that recognizes events at the computer;

code that interprets the events to obtain synoptic information;

code that forwards the synoptic information to at least one other computer for display;

code that determines if the synoptic information indicates an unauthorized access;

a computer readable storage medium for holding the codes; and

code that optically imaging a computer located within a work area if an unauthorized access occurs.