Prohibiting electronic device usage based on geographical location

• US 8,787,941 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fadhel M Ghannouchi, Longsand Limited (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Longsand Limited (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Kushtagi, Harsha Raghavendra, Subramanya, Manjunath Bharadwaj, Chauhan, Neeraj Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B
• Application Number:
  US13/563,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20140038577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/456.4, 455/456.1, 455/26.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method for prohibiting electronic device usage based on geographical location are provided herein. In examples, a geographical location of the electronic device is determined. Any policies associated with the geographical location of the electronic device are determined, and the policy may be obtained from a remote location. The functions of the electronic device are disabled based on the policy.

Claims

1. A method for prohibiting electronic device usage based on geographical location, comprising:

determining a geographical location of the electronic device;

determining if there is a policy associated with the geographical location of the electronic device;

obtaining the policy from a remote location;

disabling functions of the electronic device based on the policy, without executing the functions of the electronic device;

indicating if the disabled functions were overridden;

overriding the disabled functions; and

issuing a report including the overridden functions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a user created policy is included in a database on the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy is included on a remote server and pushed to the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy is obtained from the remote location through data supplied by one of a third party, governmental agency, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the functions of the electronic device include telephone, internet access, music player, video player, camera, and gaming.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising overriding the disabling functions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an internet protocol address is used to determine the geographical location of the electronic device.

8. A system for prohibiting electronic device usage based on geographical location, comprising:

a processor that is adapted to execute stored instructions; and

a storage device that stores instructions, the storage device comprising processor executable code that, when executed by the processor, is adapted to;

determine a geographical location of the electronic device;

transmit the geographical location of the electronic device to a remote server;

determine if there is a policy associated with the geographical location of the electronic device present on the remote server;

transmit the policy from the remote server to the electronic device;

disable functions of the electronic device based on the policy without executing the functions of the electronic device;

indicate if the disabled functions were overridden

overriding the disabled functions of the electronic device; and

issuing a report including the overridden functions.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the policy includes prohibited uses of the electronic device that are obtained from one of a third party, governmental agency, or any combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the functions of the electronic device include telephone, internet access, music player, video player, camera, and gaming.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the disabled functions of the electronic device are overridden.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein an internet protocol address is used to determine the geographical location of the electronic device.

13. The system of claim 8, comprising a global positioning system receiver, wherein the global positioning system receiver is used to determine a geographical location of the electronic device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein triangulation is used to determine a geographical location of the electronic device.

15. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising code to direct a processor to:

determine a geographical location of an electronic device;

determine if there is a policy associated with the geographical location of the electronic device;

obtain the policy from a remote location;

disable functions of the electronic device based on the policy without executing the functions of the electronic device;

indicating if the disabled functions were overridden

overriding the disabled functions of the electronic device; and

issuing a report including the overridden functions.

16. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein a user created policy is included in a database on the electronic device.

17. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the policy is included on a remote server and pushed to the electronic device.

18. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the policy is obtained from the remote location through data supplied by one of a third party, or governmental agency, or any combination thereof.