Supervisory portal systems and methods of operation of same

• US 8,856,322 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: OpenPeak Inc.
• Inventors: Gittleman, Daniel, Krzyzanowski, Paul, Kacherov, Vadim, Dare, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US13/179,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,186 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A managed services platform and method of operation of same are described herein. The platform can include a device management service (DMS) server in which the DMS server can act as a gateway for communications with one or more computing devices, and the computing devices are associated with a first entity. The platform can also include an application service (AS) server in which the AS server is communicatively coupled with the DMS server. When a first computing device contacts the DMS server, the DMS server is operable to provide a bundle to the first computing device. As an example, the bundle contains content that at least includes one or more configuration messages and an application set that contains one or more predefined applications. The content of the bundle can be determined at least in part by the first entity.

Claims

1. A supervisory portal comprising:

an interface configured to receive a request from a child user for permission to take an action using a computing device of the child user, the action being prohibited by a policy established by a supervisory user;

a display, wherein the display is configured to present the request to the supervisory user; and

a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to;

receive an input from a supervisory user selectively approving or denying the request;

responsive to receiving an input from the supervisory user selectively approving or denying the request, allowing or disallowing the action in the request to be taken by the child user as provided in the input received from the supervisory user; and

cause the presentation of one or more bundles to the computing device of the child user, wherein the bundles include configuration settings and applications and at least some of the applications are default applications and the processing unit is further operable to enable an application to be designated as a default application for a bundle;

wherein at least some of the default applications are selected by the supervisory user from an application repository that is associated with and under the control of the supervisory user, wherein the child user is related to the supervisory user,

wherein the supervisory user controls the application repository by at least determining which default applications are to be published in the application repository;

wherein the action is downloading content;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to;

receive an input from a supervisory user selectively enabling or disabling content that was downloaded by a child user based on the supervisor'"'"'s approval of the request of a child user; and

responsive to receiving the input from the supervisory user selectively enabling or disabling content that was downloaded by a child user based on the supervisor'"'"'s approval of the request of a child user, enabling or disabling the content as provided in the input received from the supervisory user.

2. The portal of claim 1, wherein the interface is further configured to send a notification to the child user of the supervisory user'"'"'s approving or denying of the request.

3. The portal of claim 1, wherein the action is accessing an application repository.

4. The portal of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to receive a plurality of requests from one or more child users for permission to take an action using a computing device of the respective child user,

wherein the display is configured to present the plurality of requests to the supervisory user, and

wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive an input from a supervisory user selectively approving or denying at one or more of the plurality of requests; and

responsive to receiving an input from the supervisory user selectively approving or denying one or more of the plurality of requests, allowing or disallowing the action in the one or more of the plurality of requests to be taken by the respective child user as provided in the input received from the supervisory user.

5. The portal of claim 4, wherein the display is configured to present information related to one or more of the plurality of requests to the supervisory user.

6. The portal of claim 1, wherein the supervisory user and the child user share a computing device such that the supervisory computing device and the computing device of the child user are the same device.

7. A computing device of a child user under supervisory control by a supervisory user, comprising:

a display that is configured to present one or more user interface elements to the child user to notify the child user of an action that is prohibited by a policy established by the supervisory user and to enable the child user to request permission to take the action;

a transceiver that is configured to communicate with a managed services platform; and

a processing unit that is communicatively coupled to both the display and the transceiver, wherein the processing unit is operable to switch between a first account associated with a first child user and a second account associated with a second child user, wherein the processing unit is configured to;

responsive to receiving an input from the first or second child user requesting permission to take an action, cause the request to be presented to the supervisory user for selective approval or denial;

receive from the managed services platform a first bundle that is assigned to the first account that is associated with the first child user, wherein the first bundle includes predefined applications, wherein the content of the first bundle is determined at least in part by the supervisory user; and

receive from the managed services platform a second bundle that is assigned to the second account that is associated with the second child user, wherein the second bundle includes predefined applications, wherein the content of the second bundle is determined at least in part by the supervisory user;

wherein the action is downloading content;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to;

receive through the managed services platform an input from a supervisory user selectively enabling or disabling content that was downloaded by a child user based on the supervisor'"'"'s approval of the request of a child user; and

responsive to receiving through the managed services platform the input from the supervisory user selectively enabling or disabling content that was downloaded by a child user based on the supervisor'"'"'s approval of the request of a child user, enable or disable the content as provided in the input received from the supervisory user.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the action is accessing an application repository.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the child user to be notified of the supervisory user'"'"'s approval or denial of the request.

10. A method of managing computing devices in a supervisory system for a plurality of computing devices, the computing devices being operatively connected by a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a child user for permission to take an action using at least one of the computing devices of the system, the action being prohibited by a policy established by a supervisory user;

presenting the request to the supervisory user;

receiving an input from the supervisory user selectively approving or denying the request;

responsive to receiving an input from the supervisory user selectively approving or denying the request, allowing or disallowing the action in the request to be taken by the child user as provided in the input received from the supervisory user; and

cause the presentation of one or more bundles to one of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the bundles include configuration settings and applications and at least some of the applications are default applications;

wherein at least some of the default applications are selected by the supervisory user from an application repository that is associated with and under the control of the supervisory user, wherein the child user is related to the supervisory user,

wherein the supervisory user controls the application repository by at least determining which default applications are to be published in the application repository;

wherein the action is downloading content;

receiving an input from a supervisory user selectively enabling or disabling content that was downloaded by a child user based on the supervisor'"'"'s approval of the request of a child user; and

responsive to receiving the input from the supervisory user selectively enabling or disabling content that was downloaded by a child user based on the supervisor'"'"'s approval of the request of a child user, enabling or disabling the content as provided in the input received from the supervisory user.

11. The method of claim 10, further including sending a notification to the child user of the supervisory user'"'"'s approval or denial of the request.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the action is accessing an application repository.

13. The method of claim 10, further including:

receiving a plurality of requests from one or more child users for permission to take an action using at least one of the computing devices of the system, the action being prohibited by a policy established by the supervisory user;

presenting the plurality of requests to the supervisory user;

receiving an input from a supervisory user selectively approving or denying one or more of the plurality of requests; and

responsive to receiving an input from the supervisory user selectively approving or denying one or more of the plurality of requests, allowing or disallowing the action in the one or more of the plurality of requests to be taken by the respective child user as provided in the input received from the supervisory user.

14. The method of claim 13, further including presenting information related to one or more of the plurality of requests to the supervisory user.

15. The method of claim 13, further including:

receiving an input from the supervisory user setting an allowance limit with respect to the selectively approved requests for one or more child users; and

responsive to receiving an input from the supervisory user setting an allowance limit with respect to the selectively approved requests for one or more child users, limiting the action taken by the one or more child users with respect to the selectively approved requests as provided in the input received from the supervisory user.