Synchronizing automatic updating of client

• US 20050060412A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Timothy A., McMenamin, Marie Louise, Patrawala, Zakir S., Virani, Samira S., Chebolu, Anil Kumar
• Application Number:
  US10/740,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for automatically controlling updating of computer access settings. Briefly described in architecture, some embodiments of such a system provide computer access settings for a user. One version of a user'"'"'s computer access settings is stored in a remote database, and another version is stored in the user'"'"'s computer. Further, a control unit is provided to to communicate with a server and to automatically update the versions of the computer access settings in the computer and the server to coincide with each other responsive to at least one computer event. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for automatically updating of computer access settings, comprising:

at least one computer access setting for a respective user of a computer, one version of the at least one computer access setting being stored in a remote database and another version of the at least one computer access setting being stored in the computer;

a server to communicate with the remote database; and

a control unit to communicate with the server and to automatically update the versions of the at least one computer access settings in the computer and the server to coincide with each other responsive to at least one computer event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-in on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-out on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer event includes the start up of the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one version of the computer access settings being stored in the remote database maintains the current authorization settings and the another version of the computer access settings being stored in the computer maintains the latest reporting information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer access settings contain an allow list of information that the respective user is authorized to access.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer access settings contain a block list of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer access settings specify if the respective user is authorized to access a particular computer application.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer access settings specify if the respective user is authorized to access a particular web site.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer access settings specify if the respective user is authorized to access a category of information that includes computer applications and web sites.

11. A system to automatically update computer access information, comprising:

means for creating computer access settings for a respective user of a computer;

means for storing a first version of the computer access settings in a remote location;

means for locally storing a second version of the computer access settings;

means for modifying the first version of the computer access settings; and

means for retrieving the first version of the computer access settings and updating the second version of the computer settings to coincide with the first version of the computer settings upon at least one computer event.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second version of the computer settings contain a history of user computer activity, the system further comprising:

means for transferring the second version of the computer settings to the remote location so that the first version at the remote location is updated to include the history of user computer activity contained in the second version upon the at least one computer event.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-in on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-out on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer event includes the start up of the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the one version of the computer access settings being stored in the remote database maintains the current authorization settings and the another version of the computer access settings being stored in the computer maintains the latest reporting information.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for prompting an administrator of the computer to specify an allow list of information that the respective user is authorized to access.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for prompting an administrator of the computer to specify a block list of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least one particular computer application that the respective user is not authorized to access.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least one particular web site that the user respective user is not authorized to access.

21. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least on particular category of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.

22. A method to automatically update computer access information, comprising the steps of:

creating computer access settings for a respective user of a computer;

storing a first version of the computer access settings in a remote location;

locally storing a second version of the computer access settings;

modifying the first version of the computer access settings; and

upon at least one computer event, retrieving the first version of the computer access settings and updating the second version of the computer settings to coincide with the first version of the computer settings.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second version of the computer settings contain a history of user computer activity, the method further comprising the step of:

upon the at least one computer event, transferring the second version of the computer settings to the remote location so that the first version at the remote location is updated to include the history of user computer activity contained in the second version.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-in on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-out on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one computer event includes the start up of the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the one version of the computer access settings being stored in the remote database maintains the current authorization settings and the another version of the computer access settings being stored in the computer maintains the latest reporting information.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify an allow list of information that the respective user is authorized to access.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify a block list of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least one particular computer application that the respective user is not authorized to access.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least one particular web site that the user respective user is not authorized to access.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least on particular category of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.

33. A computer-readable medium for storing a program that controls computer access to Internet content, the program comprising the steps of:

creating computer access settings for a respective user of a computer;

storing a first version of the computer access settings in a remote location;

locally storing a second version of the computer access settings;

modifying the first version of the computer access settings; and

upon at least one computer event, retrieving the first version of the computer access settings and updating the second version of the computer settings to coincide with the first version of the computer settings.

34. The medium of claim 33, wherein the second version of the computer settings contain a history of user computer activity, the method further comprising the step of:

upon the at least one computer event, transferring the second version of the computer settings to the remote location so that the first version at the remote location is updated to include the history of user computer activity contained in the second version.

35. The medium of claim 33, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-in on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

36. The medium of claim 34, wherein the at least one computer event includes user log-out on the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

37. The medium of claim 33, wherein the at least one computer event includes the start up of the computer and the computer being connected to the Internet.

38. The medium of claim 33, wherein the one version of the computer access settings being stored in the remote database maintains the current authorization settings and the another version of the computer access settings being stored in the computer maintains the latest reporting information.

39. The medium of claim 33, the program further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify an allow list of information that the respective user is authorized to access.

40. The medium of claim 33, the program further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify a block list of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.

41. The medium of claim 33, the program further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least one particular computer application that the respective user is not authorized to access.

42. The medium of claim 33, the program further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least one particular web site that the user respective user is not authorized to access.

43. The medium of claim 34, the program further comprising the step of:

prompting an administrator of the computer to specify at least on particular category of information that the respective user is not authorized to access.