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Devices and methods configured to control network access time

  • US 9,935,956 B1
  • Filed: 12/17/2012
  • Issued: 04/03/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method of limiting access time to a wide area computer network from a home network for a plurality of controlled client computing devices, comprising:

  • disposing, on the home network, an access controlling device comprising at least one of a network gateway and a router between the wide area computer network and the plurality of controlled client computing devices, wherein;

    the plurality of controlled client computing devices can access the wide area computer network only through the access controlling device while within an area of coverage thereof; and

    the plurality of controlled client computing devices operates without client-side parental-control software for controlling access to the wide area computer network;

    storing, on the access controlling device, a unique identifier for each of the plurality of controlled client computing devices whose access to the wide area computer network is to be limited;

    associating and storing, on the access controlling device, a selectable allowable cumulative network access time period, received from an administrator computing device on the home network, for at least some of the plurality of controlled client computing devices whose access to the wide area computer network is to be limited;

    using at least the unique identifiers, tracking a cumulative network usage time for each of the plurality of controlled client computing devices whose access to the wide area computer network is to be limited;

    providing, through a user interface accessible on at least one of the plurality of controlled client computing devices, a mechanism configured to enable a user of the at least one of the plurality of controlled client computing devices whose cumulative network usage time is tracked to send a request for additional network usage time to the access controlling device;

    receiving, in the access controlling device, the sent request for additional network usage time;

    selectively granting or denying, by the access controlling device, the received request for additional network usage time; and

    preventing, by the access controlling device, further access to the wide area computer network by the controlled client computing devices whose tracked cumulative network usage time meets or exceeds the selectable allowable cumulative network access time period while allowing access to the wide area computer network to those controlled client computing devices whose tracked cumulative network usage time does not exceed the selectable allowable cumulative network access time period.

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