Method and apparatus for providing access controls for a resource

• US 9,474,011 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Khalil, Manah M., Pandey, Siddharth
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US14/341,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An approach is provided for enabling a subscriber to establish rules for controlling user interaction with a resource based on the activity of the user. A reactive control platform monitors a current activity of a user of a device, one or more services, or a combination thereof associated with a subscriber during access by the user to a network of a subscriber. The status of the user is determined based on the monitoring, profile information associated with the user, or a combination thereof. A request for input from the subscriber for specifying one or more rules to be enforced for affecting a use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof by the user is then generated based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a current activity of a user of a device, one or more services, or a combination thereof associated with a subscriber during access by the user to a network of the subscriber;

determining a status of the user based on the monitoring, profile information associated with the user, or a combination thereof, the status indicating whether the user is a new or existing user of the device, the one or more services, or a combination thereof;

generating, based on the determination of the status of the user, a request for input from the subscriber that specifies one or more rules;

enforcing the one or more rules to affect a use, by the user, of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof;

determining context information associated with the user, the device of the user, or a combination thereof; and

determining whether the user (a) is associated with existing profile information, (b) was previously associated with the one or more rules, (c) has a previous history of activity, or (d) a combination thereof,

wherein the status of the user for performing a current activity is based on the determination of (a), (b), (c), or (d), the context information, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the request to a user device of the subscriber,

wherein the request specifies the user, the current activity of the user, the status of the user, or a combination thereof and the user device of the subscriber is a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the input from the subscriber; and

storing the one or more rules in association with the user,

wherein the one or more rules includes one or more instructions for restricting, denying, allowing, or a combination thereof of the use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the restriction corresponds to (a) a limited use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof, a (b) conditional use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof, or (c) a combination thereof based on channel information, content information, a content type, a time-frame, network address information, location information, activity type information, device information, user information, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating the profile information based on the status of the user, the input from the subscriber, or a combination thereof,

wherein the storing of the one or more rules in association with the user is based on the generation of the profile information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an enforcement message based on the status of the user; and

initiating a presentment of the enforcement message to the device, another device associated with the user, or a combination thereof,

wherein the enforcement of the one or more rules includes the presenting of the enforcement message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the one or more rules automatically based on the status of the user, the monitoring of the current activity of the user, a history of activity of the user over a period of time, a history of the one or more rules enforced over time, or a combination thereof,

wherein the current activity of the user includes a request for access to a channel, content, a network address, a location, a device, user information, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a set-top box, a router, a computer, a mobile device, a gaming system, a communication system, or a combination thereof and the one or more services include a content delivery service, a network service, a security service, an information retrieval service, a gaming service, a social networking service, a communication service, or a combination thereof.

9. An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:

monitor a current activity of a user of a device, one or more services, or a combination thereof associated with a subscriber during access by the user to a network of the subscriber;

determine a status of the user based on the monitoring, profile information associated with the user, or a combination thereof, the status indicating whether the user is a new or existing user of the device, the one or more services, or a combination thereof;

generate, based on the determination of the status of the user, a request for input from the subscriber that specifies one or more rules;

enforce the one or more rules to affect a use, by the user, of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof;

determine context information associated with the user, the device of the user, or a combination thereof; and

determine whether the user (a) is associated with existing profile information, (b) was previously associated with the one or more rules, (c) has a previous history of activity, or (d) a combination thereof,

wherein the status of the user for performing a current activity is based on the determination of (a), (b), (c), or (d), the context information, or a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit the request to a user device of the subscriber,

wherein the request specifies the user, the current activity of the user, the status of the user, or a combination thereof and the user device of the subscriber is a mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the process is further configured to:

receive the input from the subscriber; and

store the one or more rules in association with the user,

wherein the one or more rules includes one or more instructions for restricting, denying, allowing, or a combination thereof of the use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the restriction corresponds to (a) a limited use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof, a (b) conditional use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof, or (c) a combination thereof based on channel information, content information, a content type, a time-frame, network address information, location information, activity type information, device information, user information, or a combination thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the process is further configured to:

generate the profile information based on the status of the user, the input from the subscriber, or a combination thereof,

wherein the storing of the one or more rules in association with the user is based on the generation of the profile information.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

initiate enforcement of the one or more rules based on the input, the profile information associated with the user, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generating an enforcement message based on the status of the user; and

initiating a presentment of the enforcement message to the device, another device associated with the user, or a combination thereof,

wherein the enforcement of the one or more rules includes the presenting of the enforcement message.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate the one or more rules automatically based on the status of the user, the monitoring of the current activity of the user, a history of activity of the user over a period of time, a history of the one or more rules enforced over time, or a combination thereof,

wherein the current activity of the user includes a request for access to a channel, content, a network address, a location, a device, user information, or a combination thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device is a set-top box, a router, a computer, a mobile device, a gaming system, a communication system, or a combination thereof and the one or more services include a content delivery service, a network service, a security service, an information retrieval service, a gaming service, a social networking service, a communication service, or a combination thereof.

18. A system comprising:

a platform configured to;

monitor a current activity of a user of a device, one or more services, or a combination thereof associated with a subscriber during access by the user to a network of the subscriber;

determine a status of the user based on the monitoring, profile information associated with the user, or a combination thereof, the status indicating whether the user is a new or existing user of the device, the one or more services, or a combination thereof;

generate, based on the determination of the status of the user, a request for input from the subscriber that specifies one or more rules;

enforce the one or more rules to affect a use, by the user, of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof;

determine context information associated with the user, the device of the user, or a combination thereof; and

determine whether the user (a) is associated with existing profile information, (b) was previously associated with the one or more rules, (c) has a previous history of activity, or (d) a combination thereof,

wherein the status of the user for performing a current activity is based on the determination of (a), (b), (c), or (d), the context information, or a combination thereof.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the platform is further configured to:

transmit the request to a user device of the subscriber, and

wherein the request specifies the user, the current activity of the user, the status of the user, or a combination thereof and the user device of the subscriber is a mobile device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the platform is further configured to:

receive the input from the subscriber, and

store the one or more rules in association with the user; and

wherein the one or more rules includes one or more instructions for restricting, denying, allowing, or a combination thereof of the use of the device, the one or more services, the network of the subscriber, or a combination thereof.