Policy based controls for wireless cameras

• US 8,660,534 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP-Link USA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Armstrong Quinton Co LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Singh, Munindar P., Singh, Mona
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US13/540,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 as a prerequisite to performing at least some 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, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to viewing the captured images on the camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to (a) encrypt captured images and (b) upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to decrypting the captured images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to the camera sharing the captured images with picture viewing devices other than the server.

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

at least one processor; and

memory including instructions that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to;

store 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 as a prerequisite to performing at least some further actions at the wireless camera;

provide the control policy to the wireless camera; and

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

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to viewing the captured images on the camera.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to (a) encrypt captured images and (b) upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to decrypting the captured images.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to the camera sharing the captured images with picture viewing devices other than the server.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions executed by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to:

store 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 as a prerequisite to performing at least some further actions at the wireless camera;

provide the control policy to the wireless camera; and

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

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to viewing the captured images on the camera.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to (a) encrypt captured images and (b) upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to decrypting the captured images.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to the camera sharing the captured images with picture viewing devices other than the server.

13. A system 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 as a prerequisite to performing at least some 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.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to viewing the captured images on the camera.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to (a) encrypt captured images and (b) upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to decrypting the captured images.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the control policy specifies that the wireless camera is required to upload captured images to the server as a prerequisite to the camera sharing the captured images with picture viewing devices other than the server.