Parental controls for a media console

• US 7,836,192 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Caiafa, Daniel M. C., Johnson, Jerry Alan, Allen, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US11/182,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/225, 709/229, 725/28, 463/29, 348/156, 726/17, 726/21, 726/28, 713/185
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/75 Enforcing rules, e.g. detecting foul play or generating lists of cheating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5586 for enforcing rights or rules, e.g. to prevent foul play
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416

Abstract

Techniques to enable parental control for a media console are described. One such technique involves enabling user-specific security (or rights) settings. This technique includes first receiving a user identifier from a user interface of a media console. The technique includes next determining a first security profile for the media console based on the user identifier. In this technique, the first security profile defines a supervised operating configuration for the media console that is specific to the user identifier, and which is controlled by an authorized party, such as a parent. Finally, the technique includes enabling use of the first media console subject to the first security profile. In this technique, the first security profile thereby defines parental control choices regarding use of the first media console by the first user, e.g., a child.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling user-specific security settings for a media console to enable parental control, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of security profiles by displaying a main dialog screen and receiving input from the main dialog screen for managing security controls, the main dialog screen comprising options for console settings, parental controls, profiles, memory, network, USB devices, media connect, and system setup, each option enabling a user to navigate to at least one other dialog screen associated with the each option;

receiving a first user identifier from a user interface of a first media console;

determining a first security profile for the first media console based on the first user identifier, the first security profile defining a supervised operating configuration for the first media console that is specific to the first user identifier, the operating configuration comprising a permission level for online purchases, a time limit for media console use, and a control of online contact access; and

enabling use of the first media console subject to at least the first security profile, wherein the first security profile establishes a parental control on the use of the first media console by the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a first security profile based on the first user identifier comprises the steps of:

accessing a first user account record at a console service, the first user account record being associated with the first user identifier and including at least one security related entry; and

obtaining a first security privilege ticket from the console service, the first security privilege ticket being based on the first user account record and including a first plurality of console security privilege indicators, the privilege indicators corresponding to a plurality of binary flags, and the privilege ticket being embodied in a private key signed data structure which includes a user identifier, a console identifier, and a plurality of data records corresponding to a plurality of configuration settings.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether use of the media console by a second user is subject to a second security profile associated with a second user identifier corresponding to the second user, the second security profile having a second plurality of console security privilege indicators corresponding to the first plurality of console security privilege indicators;

(b) comparing each console security privilege indicator of the first security profile with each corresponding console security privilege indicator of the second security profile;

(c) generating an aggregate security profile based on the comparison of the first security profile and the second security profile wherein the more restrictive of each corresponding console security privilege indicator is selected from the first and second pluralities of the first and the second security profiles; and

(d) enabling use of the media console, subject to the aggregate security profile, wherein the aggregate security profile supersedes the security profiles associated with the first user identifier and the second user identifier.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a first user history associated with the first user identifier that enumerates each activity performed on the first console while the first media console is enabled subject to the first security profile;

(b) storing the first user history at the first media console; and

(c) providing the first user history to the console service when the first media console is enabled for online communication, wherein the first user history is associated with the first user account record.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

(a) determining if the second user identifier grants authorization to manage user-specific security settings for the first media console, for the first user identifier; and

if so,

(b) providing access to a security controls dialog screen for the second user identifier, to enable managing of the user-specific security settings for the first security profile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the security controls dialog screen provides a selection of user-specific security setting controls for offline media console use, including each of:

(a) a control for configuring permission to access media based on a media rating;

(b) a control for configuring an online service account;

(c) a control for configuring access to an online service; and

(d) a control for configuring access of legacy games.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the security controls dialog screen provides a plurality of security setting controls for use of the online media console, including each of:

(a) a control for configuring an authorized contact list;

(b) a control for configuring a personal information shield;

(c) a control for configuring permission for online purchases;

(d) a control for configuring a time limit for media console use;

(e) a control for configuring permission to access user created content;

(f) a control for configuring permission to access media based on a local media rating system; and

(g) a control for auditing a user history.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of enabling the second user identifier to access the security controls dialog screen over the Internet via a console service web page.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first security profile includes at least one predetermined default security privilege indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one predetermined default security indicator is automatically selected based on a user age indicator that is associated with the first user identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of masking the supervised operating configuration enabled by the first security profile, so that the first media console is visible online only to a person on an authorized online contacts list, and communications directed to the first media console that are not from a person on the authorized online contact list are refused for as long as use of the first media console is subject to the first security profile.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first security profile defines an access permission level for communication with online contacts and is set to permit one of:

(a) unrestricted online contact communication access;

(b) no online contact communication access; and

(c) restricted online contact communication access, based on a predefined authorized contacts list.

13. A system for enabling user-specific security setting management for a media console to facilitate parental control, the system having a console service configured for executing a plurality of security setting management functions, the console service being configured for securely communicating with a user console over a network and including:

a database in which are stored records employed for managing one or more user-specific security settings; and

a server computer in communication with the database, the server computer including a processor, and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

establishing a plurality of security profiles by displaying a main dialog screen and receiving input from the main dialog screen for managing security controls, the main dialog screen comprising options for console settings, parental controls, profiles, memory, network, USB devices, media connect, and system setup, each option enabling a user to navigate to at least one other dialog screen associated with the each option;

identifying a request for a per-session console security configuration received from a first console, the request including a first user identifier and a first console identifier;

in response to identifying the request, matching the first user identifier with a first user account record in the database, the first user account record including a primary console identifier associated with the first user identifier and at least one security related entry;

generating a security privileges ticket based on the user account record and the request, the security privileges ticket including a plurality of console security configuration permission indicators that identify desired parental control choices for the first user identifier, the plurality of console security configuration permission indicators comprising a permission level for online purchases, a time limit for media console use, and a control of online contact access; and

providing the security privileges ticket to the first console, to effect the desired parental control choices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the security related entry is one of:

(a) a personal identification number;

(b) a console control configuration setting;

(c) an age indicator

(d) a predefined authorized contacts list; and

(e) a primary console identifier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the console control configuration setting includes each of:

(a) an indicator that unrestricted online contact communication access is permitted;

(b) an indicator that no online contact communication access is permitted;

(c) an indicator that restricted online contact communication access is permitted based on the predefined authorized contacts list.

(d) an indicator that enables a personal information shield;

(e) an indicator that sets a permission level for online purchases;

(f) an indicator that sets a time limit for media console use;

(g) an indicator that restricts permission to access user-created content;

(h) an indicator that sets a permission level for accessing media based on a local media rating system; and

(i) an indicator that sets permission to audit a user history.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to execute a plurality of functions, including:

(a) identifying console security data received from the first user console, wherein the console security data includes user history and at least one console control configuration setting; and

(b) associating the received console configuration data with the first user account record.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to provide a web portal on the server computer within a web hosting application and to implement a plurality of functions, including:

(a) detecting a request for access to the first user account record from the web portal, the request including a second user account identifier associated with a second user, wherein the second user account identifier is an authenticated online service identifier; and

(b) determining if the second user identifier is authorized to manage the first console security configuration; and

if so,

(c) providing access to a console security configuration dialog screen to enable the second user to manage the first console security configuration by making the desired parental control choices.

18. A memory medium on which are stored machine instructions which, when executed upon one or more computer processors, carry out a plurality of steps that effect parental control over user rights, comprising:

establishing a plurality of security profiles by displaying a main dialog screen and receiving input from the main dialog screen for managing security controls, the main dialog screen comprising options for console settings, parental controls, profiles, memory, network, USB devices, media connect, and system setup, each option enabling a user to navigate to at least one other dialog screen associated with the each option;

identifying a personal identification number received from a user interface of a media console, the personal identification number corresponding to a corresponding user of the media console;

determining a user rights configuration for the media console based on the personal identification number that was identified, the user rights configuration defining a plurality of operational settings for the media console that are specific to the personal identification number, and thus, specific to the corresponding user and which define user rights in accord with parental control choices, the operational settings comprising a permission level for online purchases, a time limit for media console use, and a control of online contact access; and

applying the determined user rights configuration to the media console for as long as the corresponding user is using the media console, to facilitate parental control over the user of the media console.

19. The memory medium of claim 18, wherein the machine instructions, when executed, further carry out the steps of:

(a) requesting a user rights configuration ticket from a console service, a request for the user rights configuration ticket including the personal identification number and a media console identifier corresponding to the media console;

(b) accessing a user account record at the console service, the user account record being associated with the personal identification number and including at least one user rights related entry; and

(c) obtaining a user rights configuration ticket from the console service, the user rights configuration privilege ticket being based on the user account record and including a plurality of operational setting indicators.

20. The memory medium of claim 18, wherein the machine instructions are further executable for carrying out the steps of:

(a) determining if the personal identification number grants authorization to manage user rights settings for the media console based on the user identifier; and

if so,

(b) providing access to a user rights controls dialog screen to enable modification of operational settings for the user rights configuration.