System and method for monitoring usage of a user device

• US 8,640,207 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2013
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zubas, Michael, Causey, Mark, Luu, Adrianne
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Luu
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLMES, ANGELA R
• Application Number:
  US13/746,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726 4- 5, 726/7, 726/31, 709/221, 709/224, 709/229, 455/405
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A server includes a limitation database, a monitor module, and a notification module. The limitations database is configured to store control limits for a user device. The monitor module is in communication with the limitations database. The monitor module is configured to monitor usage of the user device and to determine that one of the control limits for the user device has been exceeded. The notification module is in communication with the monitor module. The notification module is configured to notify a master device that the one of the control limits for the user device has been exceeded, to receive a request to disable the user device, and to disable the user device in response to the request.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

monitoring usage of a user device;

determining that one of a plurality of control limits for the user device has been exceeded;

notifying a master device that the one of the plurality of control limits for the user device has been exceeded;

receiving a first request to disable the user device;

directing a software application operating in the user device to disable certain functions of the user device except for functions of the software application;

determining whether the user device is approved to complete a power-up sequence and to re-enable the disabled functions of the user device responsive to receiving a second request from the user device;

transmitting to the user device an approval message to enable the user device to complete the power-up sequence and to re-enable the disabled functions responsive to determining that a reset signal from the master device has been received;

receiving a restore password from the master device, wherein disabling comprises locking a screen of the device; and

transmitting to the user device a rejection message to cause the user device to power down and to maintain the disabled functions responsive to determining that the reset signal from the master device has not been received.

2. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

restoring settings of the user device in response to the restore password and a confirmation that the restore password was received from the master device by directing the software application operating in the user device according to the settings.

3. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a password for the user device has been entered incorrectly.

4. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining that a password for the user device has been entered.

5. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein disabling further comprises powering down the device, locking specific functions of the user device, or combinations thereof.

6. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 1 where in the user device is selected from one of a cellular telephone, a computer, or a video game console, and wherein the master device is an end user device.

7. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the control limits comprise a password to block certain content, time of day for operation, use of specific functions, or combinations thereof.

8. A method, comprising:

setting, by a server comprising a processor, control limits for a user device;

monitoring, by the server, usage of the user device, wherein the monitoring includes analyzing event logs for the user device;

determining, by the server, that a password for the user device has been entered incorrectly;

notifying, by the server, a master device that the password for the user device has been entered incorrectly;

receiving, by the server, a first request from the master device to disable the user device;

disabling, by the server, the user device in response to the first request by directing a software application operating in the user device to disable certain functions of the user device except for functions of the software application;

determining, by the server, whether the user device is approved to complete a power-up sequence and to re-enable the disabled functions of the user device responsive to the server receiving a second request from the user device;

transmitting, by the server, to the user device an approval message to enable the user device to complete the power-up sequence and to re-enable the disabled functions responsive to determining that the server has received a reset signal from the master device;

transmitting, by the server, to the user device a rejection message to cause the user device to power down and to maintain the disabled functions responsive determining that the server has not received the reset signal from the master device; and

receiving, by the server, a restore password from the master device, wherein disabling comprises locking a screen of the device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising restoring settings of the user device in response to the restore password and a confirmation that the restore password was received from the master device by directing the software application operating in the user device according to the settings.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein disabling further comprises powering down the device, locking specific functions of the user device, or combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the user device is selected from one of a cellular telephone, a computer, or a video game console.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the control limits comprise one of a password to block certain content, time of day for operation, use of specific functions, or combinations thereof.

13. A server, comprising:

a memory to store computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the computer instructions, the processor perform operations, comprising;

monitoring usage of a user device;

determining that one of a plurality of control limits for the user device has been exceeded;

notifying a master device that the one of the plurality of control limits for the user device has been exceeded;

receiving a first request to disable the user device;

directing a software application operating in the user device to disable certain functions of the user device except for functions of the software application;

determining whether the user device is approved to complete a power-up sequence and to re-enable the disabled functions of the user device responsive to the server receiving a second request from the user device;

transmitting to the user device an approval message to enable the user device to complete the power-up sequence and to re-enable the disabled functions responsive to determining that the server has received a reset signal from the master device;

receiving a restore password from the master device, wherein disabling comprises locking a screen of the device; and

transmitting to the user device a rejection message to cause the user device to power down and to maintain the disabled functions responsive to determining that the server has not received the reset signal from the master device.

14. The server of claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise restoring settings of the user device in response to the restore password and a confirmation that the restore password was received from the master device by directing the software application operating in the user device according to the settings.

15. The server of claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise determining that a password for the user device has been entered incorrectly.

16. The server of claim 13 wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that a password for the user device has been entered; and

detecting that the user device is accessing content not included in the control limits.

17. The server of claim 13 wherein monitoring further comprises analyzing event logs for the user device.

18. The server of claim 13 wherein disabling further comprises powering down the device, locking specific functions of the user device, or combinations thereof, and wherein monitoring includes analyzing event logs for the user device.

19. The server of claim 13 wherein the user device is selected from one of a cellular telephone, a computer, or a video game console.

20. The server of claim 13 wherein the plurality of control limits comprise one of a password to block certain content, time of day for operation, or use of specific functions.