Method and system for monitoring and restricting use of mobile devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-implemented method for preventing tampering of a managed mobile device, comprising the steps of:
- receiving, by at least one of a server device, a master device and the managed mobile device, a first administrator credential for identifying an administrator and a restriction policy for restricting usage of the managed mobile device;
storing in a database the first administrator credential and the restriction policy;
monitoring a user event at the managed mobile device by a user events controller in the managed mobile device, wherein the user event is one of termination or change of settings of a software application at the managed mobile device, modification of operational parameters of the managed mobile device, power on/off, and screen on/off of the managed mobile device;
enforcing the restriction policy by an execution module at the at least one of the managed mobile device, the server device, and the master device by blocking or preventing the managed mobile device from installation or deletion or launching of a software application and/or accessing at least one of web browser, a camera, a phone dialer for making calls, a messaging application for communicating messages, an app store, and contents including music, video, and apps based on ratings of these contents;
determining by the execution module whether the user event is a tampering user event that tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy by (i) deleting configuration and/or policy data from the managed mobile device;
(ii) changing the operational parameters of the managed mobile device;
(iii) stopping one or more system software processes of the managed mobile device that are required for the enforcement of the restriction policy;
(iv) placing mobile device into an inactive state;
or (v) launching an application that can terminate or circumvent the enforcement of the restriction policy; and
disrupting by the user events controller the tampering user event if the tampering user event tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy, and allowing the tampering user event to continue if the tampering user event does not tamper with enforcement of the restriction policy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for promoting safe usage of a mobile device. The system allows one or more administrators (or patents) to transparently and automatically implement preconfigured use restriction policies (e.g., restricted time periods, restricted features of the device, restricted vehicle speed) on multiple managed devices. The restriction policies may be stored locally at a managed mobile device and/or remotely at a remote server and database. The mobile device can be controlled locally by a client application or remotely by the remote server based on the restriction policies.
25 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for preventing tampering of a managed mobile device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving, by at least one of a server device, a master device and the managed mobile device, a first administrator credential for identifying an administrator and a restriction policy for restricting usage of the managed mobile device; storing in a database the first administrator credential and the restriction policy; monitoring a user event at the managed mobile device by a user events controller in the managed mobile device, wherein the user event is one of termination or change of settings of a software application at the managed mobile device, modification of operational parameters of the managed mobile device, power on/off, and screen on/off of the managed mobile device; enforcing the restriction policy by an execution module at the at least one of the managed mobile device, the server device, and the master device by blocking or preventing the managed mobile device from installation or deletion or launching of a software application and/or accessing at least one of web browser, a camera, a phone dialer for making calls, a messaging application for communicating messages, an app store, and contents including music, video, and apps based on ratings of these contents; determining by the execution module whether the user event is a tampering user event that tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy by (i) deleting configuration and/or policy data from the managed mobile device;
(ii) changing the operational parameters of the managed mobile device;
(iii) stopping one or more system software processes of the managed mobile device that are required for the enforcement of the restriction policy;
(iv) placing mobile device into an inactive state;
or (v) launching an application that can terminate or circumvent the enforcement of the restriction policy; anddisrupting by the user events controller the tampering user event if the tampering user event tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy, and allowing the tampering user event to continue if the tampering user event does not tamper with enforcement of the restriction policy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-implemented method for preventing tampering of a managed mobile device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving, by a server device a first administrator credential for identifying an administrator and a restriction policy for restricting usage of the managed mobile device; storing in a database the first administrator credential and the restriction policy; monitoring a user event at the managed mobile device by a user events controller in the managed mobile device, wherein the user event is one of termination or change of settings of a software application at the managed mobile device, modification of operational parameters of the managed mobile device, power on/off, and screen on/off of the managed mobile device; receiving by the server device a communication relating to the user event from the managed mobile device; interpreting the user event and enforcing the restriction policy by an execution module at the server device in response to the communication from the managed mobile device by transmitting to the managed mobile device a command in accordance with the restriction policy, wherein the restriction policy is enforced by blocking or preventing a user from installation or deletion or launching of a software application and/or accessing at least one of web browser, a camera, a phone dialer for making calls, a messaging application for communicating messages, an app store, and contents including music, video, and apps based on ratings of these contents; executing by the user events controller the command from the server device; determining by the execution module whether the user event is a tampering user event that tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy by (i) deleting configuration and/or policy data from the managed mobile device;
(ii) changing the operational parameters of the managed mobile device;
(iii) stopping one or more system software processes of the managed mobile device that is required for the enforcement of the restriction policy;
(iv) placing mobile device into an inactive state;
or (v) launching an application that can terminate or circumvent the enforcement of the restriction policy; anddisrupting by the user events controller the tampering user event if the tampering user event tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy, and allowing the tampering user event to continue if the tampering user event does not tamper with enforcement of the restriction policy. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A managed mobile device having an anti-tampering mechanism, comprising:
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an interface for receiving a first administrator credential for identifying an administrator and a restriction policy for restricting usage of the managed mobile device; a database for storing the first administrator credential and the restriction policy; and a central processing unit configured to include (1) a user events controller for monitoring and identifying a user event at the managed mobile device, wherein the user event is one of termination or change of settings of a software application at the managed mobile device, modification of operational parameters of the managed mobile device, power on/off, and screen on/off of the managed mobile device, (2) an execution module for (a) enforcing the restriction policy by blocking or preventing a user from installation or deletion or launching of a software application and/or accessing at least one of web browser, a camera, a phone dialer for making calls, a messaging application for communicating messages, an app store, and contents including music, video, and apps based on ratings of these contents, (b) determining whether the user event is a tampering user event that tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy by (i) deleting configuration and/or policy data from the managed mobile device;
(ii) changing the operational parameters of the managed mobile device;
(iii) stopping one or more system software processes of the managed mobile device that is required for the enforcement of the restriction policy;
(iv) placing mobile device into an inactive state;
or (v) launching an application that can terminate or circumvent the enforcement of the restriction policy, (c) causing the user events controller to disrupt the user event if the tampering user event tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy, and (d) allowing the tampering user event to continue if the tampering user event does not tamper with enforcement of the restriction policy. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A system for preventing tampering of a managed mobile device, comprising:
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at least one of a server device, a master device and the managed mobile device for receiving a first administrator credential and for identifying an administrator and a restriction policy for restricting usage of the managed mobile device; a database for storing the first administrator credential and the restriction policy; the managed mobile device having a central processing unit configured to include a user events controller for monitoring and acting on a user event at the managed mobile device, wherein the user event is one of termination or change of settings of a software application at the managed mobile device, modification of operational parameters of the managed mobile device, power on/off, and screen on/off of the managed mobile device; and the at least one of the managed mobile device, the server device, and the master device having a central processing unit configured to include an execution module for enforcing the restriction policy by blocking or preventing the managed mobile device from installation or deletion or launching of a software application and/or accessing at least one of web browser, a camera, a phone dialer for making calls, a messaging application for communicating messages, an app store, and contents including music, video, and apps based on ratings of these contents, (1) determining whether the user event is a tampering user event that tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy by (i) deleting configuration and/or policy data from the managed mobile device;
(ii) changing the operational parameters of the managed mobile device;
(iii) stopping one or more system software processes of the managed mobile device that is required for the enforcement of the restriction policy;
(iv) placing mobile device into an inactive state;
or (v) launching an application that can terminate or circumvent the enforcement of the restriction policy, (2) causing the user events controller to disrupt the tampering user event if the tampering user event tampers with enforcement of the restriction policy, and (3) allowing the tampering user event to continue if the tampering user event does not tamper with enforcement of the restriction policy. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification