System and method for disabling and enabling mobile device functional components

• US 9,154,901 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Location Labs (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Hernandez, Sarah, Fleischman, Choongil, Talbot, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US13/362,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/418, 455/419, 455/404.1, 709/203, 709/220, 709/224, 709/248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for controlling activity of a mobile device corresponding to a first user is provided. The method includes enabling an application to receive an indication of permitted usage from a second user. An indication of permitted usage of the mobile device is received via the application from the second user. Instructions are transmitted to the mobile communication device to disable or enable at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the indication of permitted usage. Further provided is a computing system including at least one memory configured to perform a procedure for controlling activity of a mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling activity of a mobile device corresponding to a first user, the mobile device comprising a user interface, the method comprising:

enabling an application to receive an indication of permitted usage from a second user;

receiving via the application from the second user an indication of permitted usage of the mobile device;

transmitting instructions to the mobile device to disable or enable at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the indication of permitted usage;

receiving via the user interface of the mobile device a command from the first user to override the instructions transmitted to the mobile communication device;

enabling the at least one functional component in direct response to the override command from the first user; and

transmitting notification to the second user indicating that the at least one functional component has been enabled by the command from the first user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the indication of permitted usage with an indication to substantially instantaneously enable or disable the at least one functional component.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the indication of permitted usage with an indication of a schedule during which the at least one functional component is enabled or disabled.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the second user with at least one preset schedule during which the at least one functional component is enabled or disabled;

receiving the indication of permitted usage from the second user with a selection of the at least one preset schedule; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to disable or enable the at least one functional component of the mobile device pursuant to the selected at least one preset schedule.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the at least one preset schedule corresponds to at least one of late night hours and school hours.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the indication of permitted usage with an indication of which of a plurality of functional components of the mobile device are enabled or disabled.; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to enable or disable the at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the indication of which of the plurality of functional components of the mobile device are enabled or disabled.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing the second user with a listing of the plurality of functional components;

receiving the indication of permitted usage with a selection of the at least one functional component from the listing of the plurality of functional components; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to enable or disable the at least one functional component as selected from the listing.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the indication of permitted usage with an indication of at least one contact; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to enable or disable the at least one functional component of the mobile device with respect to the at least one contact responsive to receiving the indication of permitted usage.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a message screen on the mobile device indicating that the at least one functional component is disabled.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a message screen on the mobile device indicating a period of time for which the at least one functional component is disabled.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving via the application an indication of at least one application usable when the at least one functional component is disabled; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to not disable the at least one application when the at least one functional component is disabled.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving via the application an indication of at least one contact which is contactable when the at least one functional component is disabled; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to permit communications with the at least one contact when the at least one functional component is disabled.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting instructions to the mobile device to redirect incoming communications when the at least one functional component is disabled.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting instructions to the mobile device to redirect incoming telephone calls to voicemail when the at least one functional component is disabled.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting instructions to the mobile device to permit communications with an emergency service provider when the at least one functional component is disabled.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting instructions to the mobile device to permit location determination functionality on the mobile device when the at least one functional component is disabled.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the second user via the application an indication of at least one of a contact which is contactable and an application which is usable when the at least one functional component is disabled; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to permit communications with the contact and permit usage of the application when the at least one functional component is disabled.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling via the application an interface accessible to the second user;

receiving a one-touch action via. the interface from the second user; and

disabling the at least one functional component responsive to the one-touch action from the second user.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving another one-touch action via the interface from the second user; and

enabling the at least one functional component responsive to the another one-touch action from the second user.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the indication of permitted usage from the second user with an indication of a schedule during which the at least one functional component is enabled or disabled; and

enabling the second user to edit the schedule via the application.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to disable the at least one functional component of the mobile device for a predetermined period of time responsive to the indication of permitted usage.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the mobile device to provide an indication of a time when the mobile communication device will be re-enabled via the user interface of the mobile communication device.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the indication of permitted usage from the second user with an indication of at least one of a daily schedule, weekly schedule and monthly schedule during which the at least one functional component is enabled or disabled; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to disable or enable the at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the at least one of the daily schedule, the weekly schedule and the monthly schedule.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional component enables at least one of electronic messages, telephone communications and application execution.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a contact list via the mobile communication device;

providing the contact list to the second user;

receiving the indication of permitted usage from the second user with a selection of at least one contact from the contact list; and

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to disable communication with the at least one contact.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the second user an indication of a contact communicated with using the mobile communication device after the at least one functional component is enabled.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the second user an indication of an application used with the mobile communication device after the at least one functional component is enabled.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising enabling the user interface on the mobile device to indicate that the at least one functional component is disabled and to provide an override button, wherein the override command from the first user is generated responsive to the first user actuating the override button.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user interface on the mobile device indicating that the at least one functional component is disabled and providing a non-emergency override button and an emergency override button, wherein:

the override command from the first user is generated responsive to the first user actuating at least one of the override buttons; and

the notification transmitted to the second user indicates whether the override command corresponds to an emergency or a non-emergency based on whether the non-emergency button or the emergency button is actuated.

28. A computing system including at least one memory comprising instructions operable to enable the computing system to perform a procedure for controlling activity of a mobile device corresponding to a first user, the mobile device corn user interface, the procedure comprising:

enabling an application to receive an indication of permitted usage from a second user;

receiving via, the application from the second user an indication of permitted usage of the mobile device;

transmitting instructions to the mobile device to disable or enable at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the indication of permitted usage;

enabling a message screen on the user interface of the mobile device indicating a period of time for which the at least one functional component is disabled;

receiving via the user interface of the mobile device a command from the first user to override the instructions transmitted to the mobile communication device;

enabling the at least one functional component in direct response to the override command from the first user; and

transmitting notification to the second user indicating that the at least one functional corn one t has been enabled by the command from the first user.

29. Non-transitory computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for controlling activity of a mobile device corresponding to a first user, the mobile device comprising a user interface, the method comprising:

enabling an application to receive an indication of permitted usage from a second user;

enabling via the application an interface accessible to the second user;

receiving a one-touch action via the interface from the second user;

receiving via the application from the second user an indication of permitted usage of the mobile device in the form of a one-touch action via, the interface from the second user;

transmitting instructions to the mobile communication device to disable or enable at least one functional component of the mobile device responsive to the one-touch action from the second user;

receiving via the user interface of the mobile device a command from the first user to override the instructions transmitted to the mobile communication device;

enabling the at least one functional component in direct response to the override command from the first user; and

transmitting notification to the second user indicating that the at east one functional component has been enabled by the command from the first user.