Group management and graphical user interface for associated electronic devices

• US 8,572,266 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Larocca, Scott Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US11/395,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,766 Days
• Field of Search: 709225-229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for managing a group of portable communication devices. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for managing a group of portable communication devices on an individual basis or an aggregate basis, the method comprising the steps of providing a list of the portable communication devices in the group, selecting a target portable communication device, determining the location of the target portable communication device, and presenting the location of the target portable communication device. The method may further comprise the step of determining whether the group has sufficient credit for acquiring the location of the portable communication devices in the group.

Claims

1. A method for managing portable communication devices in a group previously defined by an operator or a system and including a selecting device, the method comprising:

displaying, on the selecting device, a list of the portable communication devices in the group including the selecting device;

selecting, using the selecting device, a target portable communication device from the list;

retrieving a connectivity allowance of the target portable communication device, the connectivity allowance including a connectivity calendar, a connectivity whitelist, and a connectivity blacklist;

displaying, on the selecting device, the connectivity calendar, wherein the connectivity calendar includes a plurality of timeslots, each of the timeslots storing a connectivity flag indicating a connectivity restriction status of the target portable communication device during a time period specified by the timeslot;

displaying, on the selecting device, the connectivity whitelist; and

retrieving, on the selecting device, the connectivity blacklist, wherein the target portable communication device is permitted to establish communication with a whitelisted communication device identified in the connectivity whitelist independent of the connectivity restriction status; and

wherein the target portable communication device is not permitted to establish communication with a blacklisted communication device identified in the connectivity blacklist independent of the connectivity restriction status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectivity flag corresponds to one of a weekday, a weekend day, and a holiday.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating, by the selecting device, the connectivity whitelist, wherein the connectivity whitelist includes a name of the whitelisted communication device and a communication identification of the whitelisted communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating, by the selecting device, the connectivity blacklist, wherein the connectivity blacklist includes a name of the blacklisted communication device and a communication identification of the blacklisted communication device.

5. A system for managing portable communication devices in a group previously defined by an operator or a system and including a selecting device, comprising:

a display for displaying, on the selecting device, a list of the portable communication devices in the group including the selecting device;

a selection module for selecting a target portable communication device from the list based on input received at the selecting device;

a retrieval module for retrieving a connectivity allowance of the target portable communication device, the connectivity allowance including a connectivity calendar, a connectivity whitelist, and a connectivity blacklist;

a calendar module for presenting the connectivity calendar, wherein the connectivity calendar includes a plurality of timeslots, each of the timeslots storing a connectivity flag indicating a connectivity restriction status of the target portable communication device during a time period specified by the timeslot;

a whitelist module for presenting the connectivity whitelist on the display;

a blacklist module for presenting the connectivity blacklist on the display; and

a processor operable with one or more of the listing module, the selection module, the retrieval module, the calendar module, the whitelist module, or the blacklist module,

wherein the target portable communication device is permitted to establish communication with a whitelisted communication device identified in the connectivity whitelist independent of the connectivity restriction status; and

wherein the target portable communication device is not permitted to establish communication with a blacklisted communication device identified in the connectivity blacklist independent of the connectivity restriction status.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the connectivity flag corresponds to one of a weekday, a weekend day, and a holiday.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the whitelist module further comprises:

a whitelist module for updating the connectivity whitelist, wherein the connectivity whitelist includes a name of the whitelisted communication device and a communication identification of the whitelisted communication device.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the blacklist module further comprises:

a blacklist module for updating the connectivity blacklist, wherein the connectivity blacklist includes a name of the blacklisted communication device and a communication identification of the blacklisted communication device.

9. An apparatus for managing portable communication devices in a group previously defined by an operator or a system, comprising:

a display for displaying a list of the portable communication devices in the group;

a connectivity retrieval module for accessing a connectivity allowance of a primary portable communication device of the portable communication devices, the connectivity allowance, including one or more of a connectivity calendar, a connectivity whitelist, and a connectivity blacklist;

a presentation module for presenting the connectivity allowance on the display,

a timeslot selection module for selecting a timeslot of the connectivity calendar;

a status presentation module for presenting a connectivity flag of the selected timeslot, wherein the connectivity flag indicates a connectivity restriction status;

an updating module for updating the connectivity flag based on user input; and

a processor operable with one or more of the connectivity retrieval module, the presentation module, the timeslot selection module, the status presentation module, or the updating module,

wherein the primary portable communication device is permitted to establish communication with a whitelisted communication device identified in the connectivity whitelist; and

wherein the primary portable communication device is not permitted to establish communication with a blacklisted communication device identified in the connectivity blacklist.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the connectivity calendar stores a plurality of connectivity flags, the connectivity flags corresponding to one of a weekday, a weekend day, and a holiday.

11. A method for managing portable communication devices in a group previously defined by an operator or a system and including a selecting device, the method comprising:

displaying, on the selecting device, the group of the portable communication devices;

selecting, using the selecting device, a target portable communication device from the list;

accessing a connectivity allowance of the target portable communication device, the connectivity allowance, including one or more of a connectivity calendar, a connectivity whitelist, and a connectivity blacklist;

presenting the connectivity allowance on the selecting device;

selecting a time slot of the connectivity calendar;

presenting a connectivity flag of the selected timeslot, wherein the connectivity flag indicates a connectivity restriction status; and

updating the connectivity flag based on user input,

wherein the target portable communication device is permitted to establish communication with a whitelisted communication device identified in the connectivity whitelist; and

wherein the target portable communication device is not permitted to establish communication with a blacklisted communication device identified in the connectivity blacklist.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the connectivity calendar stores a plurality of connectivity flags, the connectivity flags corresponding to one of a weekday, a weekend day, and a holiday.