Method and apparatus for examining computer user activity to assess user psychology

• US 8,589,328 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharma, Piyush
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUSS, BENJAMIN J
• Application Number:
  US12/415,633
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 706/46, 706/48, 434/236
• US Class Current: 706/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

A method and apparatus for examining computer user activity to assess user psychology is provided. In one embodiment, a method for examining computer user activity to assess user psychology comprises monitoring the computer user activity in memory to generate, using at least one processor, pattern data associated with internet activity and comparing the pattern data in the memory with human behavior information using the at least one processor to identify personality indicia in the memory that reflects at least one psychological trait.

Claims

1. A method for examining computer user activity to assess user psychology, comprising:

monitoring internet activity of a computer user using at least one computer processor;

generating pattern data based on the internet activity, the pattern data indicating a frequency of a particular internet activity;

comparing the pattern data with human behavior information using the at least one computer processor to determine whether the pattern data matches the human behavior information, wherein comparing the pattern data with human behavior information comprises comparing the frequency of the particular internet activity in the pattern data with pre-populated keyword patterns based upon human behavioral research science to determine whether the frequency exceeds a threshold corresponding to the pre-populated keyword patterns;

identifying personality indicia that reflects at least one psychological trait of the computer user when it is determined that the pattern data matches the human behavior information; and

generating a report regarding the at least one psychology trait when it is determined that the pattern data matches the human behavior information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the computer user activity comprises examining the computer user activity to identify keywords used in search engine searches.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the human behavior information is based on at least one of a plurality of personality tests, a plurality of behavior surveys, and behavior expert analysis and categories for human behavior information comprise at least one of creative, expressive, constructive, destructive, self-destructive, creative but destructive, or creative but self-destructive.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pattern data comprises frequencies of at least one of domain names, search engine keywords or files names, wherein the pattern data is generated at predetermined intervals, and wherein the pattern data is based on the internet activity stored in one of a cookie file, a log file, and a browser history file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

not identifying the personality indicia and not generating the report regarding the at least one psychology trait when it is determined that the pattern data does not match the human behavior information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating parental control software prior to monitoring the computer user activity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the human behavior information, computer user activity, personality indicia, and pattern data is stored in memory associated with the at least one computer processor.

8. An apparatus for examining computer user activity to assess user psychology, comprising:

at least one computer processor; and

a monitor that examines internet activity of a computer user using the at least one computer processor, generates pattern data based on the internet activity, the pattern data indicating a frequency of a particular internet activity, and compares the frequency of the particular internet activity in the pattern data with human behavior information using the at least one computer processor to determine whether the pattern data matches the human behavior information, wherein comparing the pattern data with human behavior information comprises comparing the frequency of the particular internet activity in the pattern data with pre-populated keyword patterns based upon human behavioral research science to determine whether the frequency exceeds a threshold corresponding to the pre-populated keyword patterns to identify personality indicia that reflects at least one psychological trait of the computer user when it is determined that the pattern data matches the human behavior information and generate a report regarding the at least one psychology trait when it is determined that the pattern data matches the human behavior information.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the monitor examines the computer user activity to identify keywords associated with internet activity used in search engine searches.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the human behavior information is based on at least one of a plurality of personality tests, a plurality of behavior surveys, and behavior expert analysis and categories for the human behavior information comprise patterns associated with at least one of creative, expressive, constructive, destructive, self-destructive, creative but destructive, or creative but self-destructive.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pattern data comprises frequencies of at least one of domain names, search engine keywords or files names, wherein the pattern data is generated at predetermined intervals, and wherein the pattern data is based on the internet activity stored in one of a cookie file, a log file, and a browser history file.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

parental control software that is initiated prior to monitoring the computer user activity.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of the human behavior information, computer user activity, personality indicia, and pattern data is stored in memory associated with the at least one computer processor.

14. A computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one computer processor, causes the at least one computer processor to:

examine internet activity of a computer user;

generate pattern data based on the internet activity, the pattern data indicating a frequency of a particular internet activity;

compare the frequency of the particular internet activity in the pattern data with human behavior information to determine whether the pattern data matches the human behavior information, wherein comparing the frequency of the particular internet activity in the pattern data with human behavior information comprises comparing the pattern data with pre-populated keyword patterns based upon human behavioral research science to determine whether the frequency exceeds a threshold corresponding to the pre-populated keyword patterns;

identify personality indicia that reflects at least one psychological trait of the computer user when it is determined that the pattern data matches the human behavior information; and

generate a report regarding the at least one psychology trait when it is determined that the pattern data matches the human behavior information.

15. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, causes the at least one computer processor to;

identify keywords associated searching the Internet.

16. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 14, wherein the human behavior information is based on at least one of a plurality of personality tests, a plurality of behavior surveys, and behavior expert analysis and the at least one psychological trait comprises at least one of creative, expressive, constructive, destructive, self-destructive, creative but destructive, or creative but self-destructive.

17. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 14, wherein the pattern data comprises frequencies of at least one of domain names, search engine keywords or files names, wherein the pattern data is generated at predetermined intervals, and wherein the pattern data is based on the internet activity stored in one of a cookie file, a log file, and a browser history file.

18. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, causes the at least one computer processor to;

not identify the personality indicia and not generate the report regarding the at least one psychology trait when it is determined that the pattern data does not match the human behavior information.

19. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer processor, cause the at least one computer processor to;

initiate parental control software prior to monitoring the computer user activity.

20. The computer-readable-storage medium of claim 14, wherein at least one of the human behavior information, computer user activity, personality indicia, and pattern data is stored in memory associated with the at least one computer processor.