Mobile unit parental control

• US 8,046,839 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lo, Charles N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim; Krisna
• Application Number:
  US12/101,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 726/21, 726/22, 726/28, 726/26, 713/154, 713/155, 713/166, 713/156, 380/277, 380/229, 380/232
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

Parents can desire to limit content viewable upon a mobile device and a universal integrated circuit card can be programmed to limit viewing upon the mobile device. A user completes a service request form that includes an allowable view threshold for content upon the mobile device. The request can transfer to a service provider, sometimes via a base station. A subscription manager can forward the threshold back to the mobile device and the mobile device can program the threshold upon secure storage. When content is received, it can be compared against the threshold and a determination can be made on if the content is allowable to view in light of the threshold.

Claims

1. A method for managing content viewing upon a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a command set at the mobile device;

programming a secure storage of the mobile device with a threshold indicated by the command set, the secure storage being inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device;

comparing a rating of video content against the threshold retained upon the secure storage; and

formulating if the video content can be viewed, at the mobile device, based upon a result of the comparison between the content rating and the retained threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the video content at the mobile device from a service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising authenticating the video content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a form, from the mobile device to a subscription manager, that includes the threshold, wherein the command set for programming is based upon the threshold included upon the form.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising collecting the form at the mobile device from a service provider of the video content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein formulating if the video content can be viewed at the mobile device comprises:

allowing the video content to be viewed if the comparison is successful;

or

denying the video content from being viewed if the comparison is unsuccessful.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a successful comparison is that the content rating is equal to or lesser than the threshold or a successful comparison is that the content rating is lesser than the threshold.

8. An apparatus that operates in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a command set;

a programmer configured to program a secure storage of the apparatus with a threshold indicated by the command set, the secure storage being inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the apparatus;

at least one processor configured to;

compare a rating of video content against a threshold retained upon secure storage; and

formulate if the video content can be viewed, at the apparatus, based upon a result of the comparison between the content rating and the retained threshold; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a receiver configured to obtain the video content from a service provider.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to authenticate the video content.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a transmitter configured to wirelessly convey a form that includes the threshold to a provider of the video content.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a collector configured to gather the form.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an implementer configured to allow the video content to be viewed if the comparison is successful or deny the video content from being viewed if the comparison is unsuccessful.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a successful comparison is that the content rating is equal to or lesser than the threshold or a successful comparison is that the content rating is lesser than the threshold.

15. A wireless communications apparatus that facilitates viewing remote video content on a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a command set at the mobile device;

means for programming a secure storage of the mobile device with a threshold indicated by the command set, the secure storage being inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device;

means for comparing a rating of video content against the threshold retained upon the secure storage; and

means for formulating if the video content can be viewed based upon a result of the comparison between the content rating and the retained threshold.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for receiving the video content from a service provider.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for authenticating the content.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for transmitting a form, to a subscription manager, that includes the threshold.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for collecting the form.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for allowing the video content to be viewed if the comparison is successful;

or

means for denying the video content from being viewed if the comparison is unsuccessful.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a successful comparison is that the content rating is equal to or lesser than the threshold or a successful comparison is that the content rating is lesser than the threshold.

22. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for receiving a command set at the mobile device;

code for programming a secure storage of the mobile device with a threshold indicated by the command set, the secure storage being inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device;

code for comparing a rating of video content against the threshold retained upon the secure storage; and

code for formulating if the video content can be viewed based upon a result of the comparison between the content rating and the retained threshold.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for receiving the video content from a service provider.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for authenticating the video content.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for transmitting a form, to a subscription manager, that includes the threshold.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for collecting the form.

27. The computer program product of claim 22, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for:

allowing the video content to be viewed if the comparison is successful;

or

denying the video content from being viewed if the comparison is unsuccessful.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein a successful comparison is that the content rating is equal to or lesser than the threshold or a successful comparison is that the content rating is lesser than the threshold.

29. A method that facilitates programming upon secure storage of a mobile device a threshold to regulate video content viewing, the method comprising:

reading the threshold at a subscription manager from a communication provided by an auxiliary entity; and

generating a command set at the subscription manager for the secure storage to implement the threshold; and

sending the generated command set from the subscription manager to the mobile device to program the threshold upon the secure storage;

wherein the secure storage is inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the auxiliary entity is a video content service provider, and the secure storage is a universal integrated circuit card.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising obtaining the communication from the auxiliary entity.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining the mobile device that is to have the secure storage programmed.

33. An apparatus that operates in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

At least one processor configured to read a threshold from communication provided by an auxiliary entity, generate a command set for secure storage to implement the read threshold, and cause the generated command set to be sent to a mobile device to program the threshold upon the secure storage; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

wherein the secure storage is inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the auxiliary entity is a content service provider, and the secure storage is a universal integrated circuit card.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising an obtainer that is configured to collect the communication from the auxiliary entity.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a determiner that is configured to determine the mobile device that is to have the secure storage programmed.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a sender that is configured to send the command set to the determined mobile device.

38. A wireless communications apparatus that facilitates programming upon secure storage of a mobile device a threshold to regulate content viewing, comprising:

means for reading the threshold from communication provided by an auxiliary entity;

means for generating a command set for the secure storage to implement the read threshold; and

means for causing the generated command set to be sent to the mobile device to program the threshold upon the secure storage;

wherein the secure storage is inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the auxiliary entity is a content service provider, and the secure storage is a universal integrated circuit card.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising means for obtaining the communication from the auxiliary entity.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising means for determining the mobile device that is to have the secure storage programmed.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising means for sending the command set to the determined mobile device.

43. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for reading the threshold from communication provided by an auxiliary entity; and

code for generating a command set for the secure storage to implement the read threshold; and

code for causing the generated command set to be sent to a mobile wireless communication device to program the threshold upon the secure storage;

wherein the secure storage resides on the mobile device and is inaccessible for direct programming by a user of the mobile device.

44. The computer program product of claim 43, the auxiliary entity is a content service provider, and the secure storage is a universal integrated circuit card.

45. The computer program product of claim 43, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for obtaining the communication from the auxiliary entity.

46. The computer program product of claim 43, the computer-readable medium further comprising code for determining the mobile device that is to have the secure storage programmed.