Systems and methods for regulating the receipt of data transmitted from a messaging device

• US 8,856,029 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NortonLifeLock Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Khan, Kaiser W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US12/861,363
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.58
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for regulating the receipt of data transmitted from a messaging device is described. A security application that includes a blocking application is initialized. At least one setting for the blocking application is initialized. Incoming data transmitted from the messaging device are detected. At least a portion of the incoming data is blocked based on the initialized at least one setting for the blocking application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for regulating the receipt of data transmitted from a messaging device, comprising:

initializing a security application that includes a blocking application;

automatically configuring user settings for the blocking application, the automatically configured user settings being based at least in part on a statistical report indicating one or more settings of a plurality of users, wherein the automatically configured user settings include any combination of keyword, time, and location settings, the keyword, time, and location settings being based on settings of a majority of the plurality of users from the statistical report;

detecting incoming data transmitted from the messaging device, the incoming data comprising advertisement data, wherein the messaging device is a short-range broadcasting device; and

blocking the incoming data from being displayed on the messaging device, the incoming data being blocked based on at least the automatically configured user settings for the blocking application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging device is a Bluetooth broadcasting device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data are transmitted from the messaging device via a Bluetooth protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a general setting for the blocking application to block each portion of incoming data transmitted from the messaging device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the location setting via a Global Positioning System (GPS).

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least one setting for the plurality of users in a database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the statistical report indicates a percentage of the plurality of users using a particular setting of the one or more settings.

8. A computing device configured to regulate the receipt of data transmitted from a proximity messaging device, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

automatically configure user settings for the blocking application, the automatically configured user settings being based at least in part on a statistical report indicating one or more settings of a plurality of users, wherein the automatically configured user settings include any combination of keyword, time, and location settings, the keyword, time, and location settings being based on settings of a majority of the plurality of users from the statistical report;

detect incoming data transmitted from the proximity messaging device, the incoming data comprising advertisement data, wherein the messaging device is a short-range broadcasting device; and

block the incoming data from being displayed on the messaging device, the incoming data being blocked based on at least the automatically configured user settings for the blocking application.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the proximity messaging device is a Bluetooth broadcasting device.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the data are transmitted from the proximity messaging device via a Bluetooth protocol.

11. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

set a general setting to block each portion of incoming data transmitted from the proximity messaging device.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

set the location setting via a Global Positioning System (GPS).

13. A computer-program product for regulating the receipt of data transmitted from a messaging device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

initialize a security application that includes a blocking application;

automatically configure user settings for the blocking application, the automatically configured user settings being based at least in part on a statistical report indicating one or more settings of a plurality of users, wherein the automatically configured user settings include any combination of keyword, time, and location settings, the keyword, time, and location settings being based on settings of a majority of the plurality of users from the statistical report;

detect incoming data transmitted from the messaging device, the incoming data comprising advertisement data, wherein the messaging device is a short-range broadcasting device; and

block the incoming data from being displayed on the messaging device, the incoming data being blocked based on at least the automatically configured user settings for the blocking application.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the messaging device is a Bluetooth broadcasting device.