Information throttle that enforces policies for workplace use of electronic devices

• US 10,834,249 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2018
• Issued: 11/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eturi Corp.
• Original Assignee: Eturi Corp.
• Inventors: Nicholls, Jonathan, Hunter, Edward, Moussavian, Negeen, Moussavian, Amir, Lewis, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad, Abdullahi E
• Application Number:
  US16/134,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20190089829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/885 limit per application
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/888 severing connection after predetermined time or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Information throttle that modifies a device'"'"'s access to applications, features, or information to enforce workplace use policies. May be used with “bring your own devices” that belong to a user but are also used at work. For example, the system may disable games, media players, or social media when it determines that a device is used at work. A usage context monitor determines the context in which the device is currently used. The monitor may determine that a device is used for work when the time matches working hours, the device location matches a work site location, or the network connected to a device matches a workplace network. In addition to blocking access to inappropriate features, the information throttle may allow access to sensitive information only when the device is at work. Access may also depend on factors such as user credentials and the identity and configuration of the device.

Claims

1. A schedule and location responsive agreement compliance controlled information throttle comprising:

an agreement database stored in a memory of a computer wherein said agreement database comprises

an agreement stored in said memory comprising an agreement creator and an agreement performer wherein said agreement comprises

a first unique identifier associated with said agreement performer;

a second unique identifier associated with said agreement creator;

a condition comprising

an activity associated with work to be performed by said agreement performer and

an action to be performed based on compliance with said condition;

wherein said agreement database comprises a first condition having a first activity that is

independent of input into at least one electronic device by said agreement performer;

an activity database comprising at least one of

activity status associated with said activity of said condition to be satisfied by said agreement performer wherein said activity status comprises a completion status and

a schedule associated with said agreement performer;

an agreement monitor coupled with said agreement database and said activity

database and configured to

check if said condition has been satisfied based on said activity status to determine said compliance and

an information monitor configured to determine monitored information associated with said at least one electronic device that is associated with said agreement performer;

an information throttle coupled at least intermittently with said agreement monitor and optionally at least intermittently with said information monitor and configured to perform said action, to at least partially increase or at least partially decrease information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device;

wherein said action is based on said activity,

and at least one of

a location associated with said at least one electronic device, the schedule associated with said agreement performer,

the location of said at least one electronic device and the schedule associated with said agreement performer;

wherein said action is configured to direct said information throttle to at least partially increase or decrease a performance of said at least one electronic device

through at least one of an insertion of at least one time delay between at least one of

a transfer of said information to or from said at least one electronic device, such that based on if said condition has been satisfied and during use of said at least one electronic device by said agreement performer and

at least one of

an acceptance of an input of said information, a display of said information;

a change in a performance setting of said at least one electronic device comprising at least one of

a decrease or increase of a display resolution of a display, a decrease or increase of a brightness level of the display, a change in a color space of the display,

a decrease or increase of a sound quality,

a decrease or increase in an allowed volume on said electronic device,

a decrease in available functionality of said at least one electronic device;

a change in an access setting to said information to enable access to said information allowed at the location,

allowed by the schedule associated with said agreement performer, allowed by the location and the schedule associated with said agreement performer.

2. The system of claim 1

wherein said condition further comprises

an event associated with an environmental event comprising data related to any combination of weather, temperature, allergy, pollen or smog alert;

wherein said agreement monitor is further configured to check if said condition has been satisfied based on said event associated with said environmental event comprising said data related to any combination of said weather, temperature, allergy, pollen or smog alert;

wherein said action is further based on said event.

3. The system of claim 1

wherein said first activity is independent of an amount of data transferred to said at least one electronic device.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said information throttle is configured to perform at least one of

if said activity comprising said completion status is equal to or above a predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said event comprising said weather, temperature, allergy, high pollen count or smog alert event is detected then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said activity comprising said completion status is below said predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance;

if said event comprising said weather, temperature, allergy, high pollen count or smog alert event is not detected then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic device comprises a plurality of electronic devices, and said action is performed across said plurality of

electronic devices associated with said agreement performer, comprising a

telephone, a computer, a music player, a game or a television or a remote control or an appliance or any combination thereof and

wherein said agreement monitor is configured to sum said monitored information from each respective information monitor into a combined monitored information total;

and,

wherein said information throttle is configured to limit said monitored information on each of said plurality of electronic devices based on said combined monitored information total.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a usage context monitor that monitors a context in which an electronic device is used by a user, said context comprising one or more of

a time of use;

a location of use; and

a network identity of a network to which said electronic device is connected;

a workplace use policy that defines one or more rules for use of said electronic device based on said context;

said information throttle coupled with said electronic device and with said usage context monitor, and configured to perform one or more actions to enforce said workplace use policy based on said context, wherein said one or more actions comprise one or more of

a modification of access to an application or a service on said electronic device;

a modification of access to a feature on said electronic device;

a modification of access to a source of information or an item of information from said electronic device;

a modification of access to a website from said electronic device; and

, a modification of data that resides on said electronic device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said usage context monitor is configured to determine when said electronic device is used at work.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said determine when said electronic device is used at work comprises one or more of

determine when said time of use matches a scheduled working time;

determine when said location of use matches a work site location; and

,

determine when said network identity of a network to which said electronic device is connected matches a network identity of a workplace network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said information throttle is further configured to remove sensitive data from said electronic device when said usage context monitor determines

that a work session when said electronic device is used at work has terminated.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said information throttle is further configured to restore said sensitive data onto said electronic device when said usage context monitor

determines that a new work session when said electronic device is used at work has begun.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said information throttle is further configured to

block access to a source of sensitive information or an item of sensitive information when said usage context monitor determines that said electronic device is not being used at work.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said information throttle is further configured to block access to a social media website or a social media service or a game when said usage

context monitor determines that said electronic device is being used at work.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said information throttle is further configured to disable one or both of a camera and a microphone on said electronic device when said usage

context monitor determines that said electronic device is being used at work.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises a user identity of said user.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said usage context monitor is configured to obtain credentials from said user to confirm said user identity.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises a device identity of said electronic device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises

a classification of said electronic device based on whether said electronic device was provided to said user by a workplace organization or was provided by said user.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises

a configuration of said electronic device, comprising hardware or software modules present in said electronic device, and a version level for said hardware or software modules present in said electronic device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said context comprises said time of use;

said location of use;

said network identity of a network to which said electronic device is connected;

a user identity of said user;

a device identity of said electronic device; and

,

a configuration of said electronic device, comprising hardware or software modules present in said electronic device, and a version level for said hardware or software modules present in said electronic device.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises a performance rating of said user.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises a job classification of said user.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises occurrence of a special event or of an emergency event.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said context further comprises

receipt of or a decision on a request from said user for a modification of or an exception to said one or more rules.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein

said context further comprises a user identity of said user;

said one or more rules for use of said electronic device comprise a list of identities of users authorized to access said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information;

said information throttle is further configured to block said access to said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information when said user identity is not in said list of identities of users authorized to access said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein

said context further comprises

a device identity of said electronic device;

a configuration of said electronic device, comprising hardware or software modules present in said electronic device, and a version level for said hardware or software modules present in said electronic device;

said one or more rules for use of said electronic device further comprise

a list of identities of devices authorized to access said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information;

system configuration requirements to access said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information;

said information throttle is further configured to block said access to said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information when

said device identity is not in said list of identities of devices authorized to access said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information, or

said configuration of said electronic device is not in compliance with said system configuration requirements to access said source of sensitive information or said item of sensitive information.