Remote dynamic indication of supervisory control and monitoring

• US 9,106,845 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Behavior Matrix LLC
• Original Assignee: Predictive Edge Technologies LLC (Dropbox, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Charles Frederick Lee III, Thompson, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): THIAW, CATHERINE B
• Application Number:
  US13/155,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20110299724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 726 3- 7, 726 22- 28, 709204-206, 709224-229, 715/706.708, 715/710, 715741-747
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark

Abstract

A system and method for assigning unique and immutable attributes to user profiles and associated image(s) to facilitate the dynamic indication of supervisory control and monitoring through iconic representation, steganographic processing and/or encryption processing.

Claims

1. In the use of digital social media on the Internet, a method using a computer connected to the Internet comprising a microprocessor coupled to a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) linking an image to a supervised user account of a social network on the Internet, the supervised user account having a profile page, the supervised user account having a control parameter to enable dynamic indication of remote dynamic supervisory control and monitoring;

(b) preparing an immutable image indicator for combination with said image, the immutable image indicator showing that a supervisory or parent account monitors the supervised user account;

(c) combining the immutable image indicator with said image;

(d) displaying, on a display in communication with said microprocessor and said memory, to a user visiting the profile page, the combined immutable image indicator and image on the profile page of the supervised user account.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein such immutable image indicator comprises a visible icon.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein such immutable image indicator comprises immutable steganographically generated data.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein such immutable image indicator further comprises an encryption key.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein such immutable image indicator comprises an encryption key.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said image is a user selected digital photograph.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said image is a stock digital photograph.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to step (b), setting a parameter in a supervisory account for governing access to said supervised user account and for establishing access for supervisory preference for said user account.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to step (a), setting the control parameter to enable dynamic indication of remote dynamic supervisory control and monitoring of the supervised user account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of combining the immutable image indicator with said image, the immutable image indicator is combined with the image on the profile page.

11. A system comprising:

means for linking an image to a supervised user account of a social network on the Internet, the supervised user account having a profile page, the supervised user account having a control parameter to enable dynamic indication of remote dynamic supervisory control and monitoring;

means for preparing an immutable image indicator for combination with said image, the immutable image indicator showing that a supervisory or parent account monitors the supervised user account;

means for combining such immutable image indicator with said image; and

,

a display displaying to a user visiting the profile page, the combined immutable image indicator and image on the profile page of the supervised user account.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein such immutable image indicator comprises a visible icon.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein such immutable image indicator comprises immutable steganographically generated data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein such immutable image indicator further comprises an encryption key.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein such immutable image indicator comprises an encryption key.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein said image is a user selected digital photograph.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein said image is a stock digital photograph.

18. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for setting a parameter in a supervisory account for governing access to said supervised user account and for establishing access for supervised preference for such supervised user account.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for identifying said supervised user account as a monitored account.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the image has an outer boundary, and wherein the display displaying the combined immutable image indicator displays the immutable image indicator within the outer boundary of the image.