Policy-based controls for wireless cameras

• US 7,869,790 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 192 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Singh, Mona, Singh, Munindar P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US10/949,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/418, 455/565, 455/419
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/673 the user being required to key in a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/053 remote terminal provisioning, e.g. of applets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment

Abstract

A system and method of the present invention provide parental and corporate control for a camera-phone. An administration authority web site is provided that enables an owner of a camera-phone to log into a server and establish a set of control policies that specify what actions on the phone are authorized for what user. The control policies that affect behavior of the camera-phone are downloaded to the camera-phone, and the camera-phone is then operated such that a user of the camera-phone is only able to perform actions authorized by the control policies. In a further embodiment, a control policy is provided that requires the camera-phone to upload captured images to the server for review by the camera-phone owner. In addition, the images may be quarantined until the camera-phone owner authorizes their release to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing policy-based control for wireless cameras, comprising:

storing a control policy for a wireless camera at a server, the control policy specifying that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server for review according to the control policy, that the wireless camera is required to upload a log of actions taken on the wireless camera, and that the server is to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera;

downloading the control policy to the wireless camera; and

receiving captured images at the server that are uploaded according to the control policy and the log of actions uploaded to the server according to the control policy.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the control policy specifies quarantining the uploaded images on the server until the wireless camera release of the images to a wireless camera user is authorized.

3. A computer-readable medium embodying computer program executable instructions for providing policy-based control for wireless cameras, the computer program executable instructions comprising:

storing a control policy for a wireless camera at a server, the control policy specifying that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server for review, that the wireless camera is required to upload a log of the actions taken on the wireless camera, and that the server is to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera;

downloading the control policy to the wireless camera; and

receiving captured images and the log of actions uploaded to the server according to the control policy.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the control policy specifies quarantining the uploaded images on the server until the wireless camera release of the images to a wireless camera user is authorized.

5. A system for providing policy-based control for wireless cameras, comprising:

means for storing a control policy for a wireless camera at a server, the control policy specifying that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server for review, that the wireless camera uploads a log of actions taken on the wireless camera, and that the server is to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera;

means for downloading the control policy to the wireless camera; and

means for receiving captured images at the server that are uploaded according to the control policy and receiving the log of actions at the server with the images captured by the wireless camera.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the control policy specifies quarantining the uploaded images on the server until the wireless camera release of the images to a wireless camera user is authorized.

7. A method for providing policy-based control for wireless cameras, comprising:

receiving a control policy for a wireless camera from a server, the control policy specifying that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server for review and that the wireless camera is required to upload a log of actions taken on the wireless camera to the server for review;

uploading images captured by the wireless camera the log of actions taken at the wireless camera to the server for review according to the control policy; and

receiving an acknowledge receipt of the log from the server as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera.