Policy-based controls for wireless cameras

• US 8,238,879 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP-Link USA Corporation (TP-Link Technologies Co Limited)
• Original Assignee: Armstrong Quinton Co LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Singh, Munindar P., Singh, Mona
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US12/957,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 705/35, 709/220, 348/207
• 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 provide parental and corporate control for a wireless camera. An administration authority web site is provided that enables an owner of a wireless camera 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 are downloaded to the wireless camera, and the wireless camera is then operated such that a user of the wireless camera is only able to perform actions authorized by the control policies. In a further embodiment, a control policy is provided that requires the wireless camera to upload captured images to the server for review by the wireless camera owner. In addition, the images may be quarantined until the wireless camera 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 as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera;

providing the control policy to the wireless camera; and

receiving captured images at the server that are uploaded according to the control policy.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

providing a control policy that quarantines the upload images on the server until the wireless camera owner authorizes release of the images to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 further including:

providing a control policy that requires the wireless camera to upload a log of the actions taken on the wireless camera.

4. The method of claim 3 further including:

providing a control policy that requires the server to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions.

5. The method of claim 1 further including:

providing a control policy that restricts access to images captured by the wireless camera while the wireless camera is off-line.

6. The method of claim 1 further including:

providing a control policy that requires a user password to operate the wireless camera.

7. The method of claim 6 further including:

providing a control policy that requires different passwords to perform different actions on the wireless camera.

8. The method of claim 1 further including:

enabling the wireless camera owner to review the images uploaded to the server and to authorize or deny authorization for the user to access to the images from an administrative control web site.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program executable instructions for providing policy-based control for wireless cameras, the program 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 as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera;

providing the control policy to the wireless camera; and

receiving captured images at the server that are uploaded according to the control policy.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 further including program instructions for:

providing a control policy that quarantines the upload images on the server until the wireless camera owner authorizes a release of the images to the user.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 further including program instructions for:

providing a control policy that requires the wireless camera to upload a log of the actions taken on the wireless camera.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 further including program instructions for:

providing a control policy that requires the server to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 further including program instructions for:

providing a control policy that restricts access to images captured by the wireless camera while the wireless camera is off-line.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 further including program instructions for:

providing a control policy that requires a user password to operate the wireless camera.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further including program instructions for:

providing a control policy that requires different passwords to perform different actions on the wireless camera.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 further including program instructions for:

enabling the wireless camera owner to set the control policies by accessing the server on an administrative control web site.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 further including program instructions for:

enabling the wireless camera owner to review the images uploaded to the server and to authorize or deny authorization for the user to access to the images from the administrative control web site.

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

a transceiver configured to receive 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;

a controller module configured to upload images captured by the wireless camera to the server for review according to the control policy; and

the transceiver configured to receive an acknowledge receipt of the images from the server as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the control policy includes a control policy that requires the wireless camera to upload a log of the actions taken on the wireless camera.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the control policy includes a control policy that requires the server to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the control policy restricts access to images captured by the wireless camera while the wireless camera is off-line.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the control policy includes a control policy that requires a user password to operate the wireless camera.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the control policy includes a control policy that requires different passwords to perform different actions on the wireless camera.

24. 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;

uploading images captured by the wireless camera to the server for review according to the control policy; and

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

25. A device 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 as a prerequisite to performing further actions at the wireless camera;

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

means for receiving captured images at the server that are uploaded according to the control policy.

26. The device of claim 25 further including:

means for providing a control policy that quarantines the upload images on the server until the wireless camera owner authorizes release of the images to the user.

27. The device of claim 25 further including:

means for providing a control policy that requires the wireless camera to upload a log of the actions taken on the wireless camera.

28. The device of claim 27 further including:

means for providing a control policy that requires the server to acknowledge receipt of the log as a prerequisite to performing further actions.

29. The device of claim 25 further including:

means for providing a control policy that restricts access to images captured by the wireless camera while the wireless camera is off-line.

30. The device of claim 25 further including:

means for providing a control policy that requires a user password to operate the wireless camera.

31. The device of claim 30 further including:

means for providing a control policy that requires different passwords to perform different actions on the wireless camera.

32. The device of claim 25 further including:

means for enabling the wireless camera owner to review the images uploaded to the server and to authorize or deny authorization for the user to access to the images from an administrative control web site.