Method for automatically configuring an interactive device based on orientation of a user relative to the device

• US 20100281058A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ratliff, Emily Jane, Anglin, Howard Neil, Silvia, Elizabeth, Young, Yvonne Marie, Chaitanya, Kandagatla
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles

Abstract

A system for controlling access to global computer network comprises a gateway computing device and one or more remote computer devices that are connected to the gateway computing device. The remote computer devices will gain access to the global computer network system via the gateway computing device. In one application, the remote computer devices can communicate directly with the gateway computing device to control access to the global computer network system. The gateway computing device has the capability to store information about each remote computer device in the system. The gateway computer device can communicate with the remote computer device through local area or wide area networks.

Claims

1. A method for controlling communication network access for remote computer devices comprising:

determining a number of remote computer devices in a system, the number of remote computer devices including one or more remote computer devices;

creating a remote computer device profile for each remote computer device, the profile defining control limitations for each remote computer device;

detecting at a gateway computing device an attempt by a remote computer device to access a target website through the gateway computing device;

identifying the specific remote computer device making the access attempt;

identifying a website category type for the target website of the access attempt; and

determining whether the remote computer device making the access attempt is allowed to access websites in the identified category the target website of the access attempt.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said creating a remote computer profile for each remote computer device further comprises creating a record containing identities of categories of websites permissible that are for a particular remote computer device and storing the record of permissible website categories in a database.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said determining whether a website is accessible by a particular remote computer device further comprises comparing the identified website category of the target website for which access is attempted with the permissible website categories in profile of the remote computer device to determine whether the identified website category is in the remote computer profile and determining whether to grant access to the website to the particular remote computer device based on the comparisons of the identified website category and the website categories in the secondary remote computer profile.

4. The method as described in claim 3 further comprising after said creating a remote computer device profile for each remote computer device, storing the created remote computer profiles in the gateway computing device.

5. The method as described in claim 4 wherein said detecting an attempt by a remote computer device to access a website through a gateway computing device further comprises determining whether a remote computer device making the access attempt is part of the same local network as the gateway computing device detecting the access attempt.

6. The method as described in claim 5 further comprising, when the determination is that the remote computer device making the access attempt and the gateway computing device detecting the access attempt are not on the same local network, identifying the local network of the remote computer device making the access attempt by accessing the profile of the remote computing device.

7. The method as described in claim 4 wherein said detecting an attempt by a remote computer device to access a website through a gateway computing device further comprises determining whether a remote computer device making the access attempt is part of the same local network as the gateway computing device detecting the access attempt.

8. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising after said determining whether to grant access granting access to the website that is the target of the access attempt by removing website blockers to the target website.

9. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said detecting step further comprises detecting at the gateway computing device a request by a remote computer device to a website knowingly not in the profile of the remote computer device making the access request.

10. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising after said determining whether to allow access:

when access to the requested website is allowed, determining whether the term of the access to the requested website is a one-time 1 access; and

when the determination is that the access request is for an extended time period, updating the profile for the remote computer device to include the accessed website.

11. A system for controlling communication network access for remote computer devices comprising:

a gateway computing device capable of accessing global communications networks and connecting remote computer devices to the communication networks;

one or more remote computing devices capable of communicating with the gateway device and with the other remote computer devices; and

a software module in the gateway computing device for allowing the gateway computer device to control access capabilities of the remote computer devices to websites on the communication network; and

a software module capable of determining a category for websites.

12. The system as described in claim 11 wherein said software module further comprises a routine for creating a remote computer device profile for each remote computer device that is in a local network, the remote computer device profile comprising a record with various fields that contain information about the remote computer device, the information including a remote computer identification and a list of websites for which the remote computer device has permissible access.

16. A computer program product in a computer readable storage medium for controlling communication network access for remote computer devices comprising:

instructions determining a number of remote computer devices in a system, the number of remote computer devices including one or more remote computer devices;

instructions creating a remote computer device profile for each remote computer device, the profile defining control limitations for each remote computer device;

instructions detecting at a gateway computing device an attempt by a remote computer device to access a target website through the gateway computing device;

instructions identifying the specific remote computer device making the access attempt;

instructions identifying a website category type for the target website of the access attempt; and

instructions determining whether the remote computer, device making the access attempt is allowed to access websites in the identified category the target website of the access attempt.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 16 wherein said instructions determining whether a website is accessible by a particular remote computer device further comprises:

instructions comparing the identified website category of the target website for which access is attempted with the permissible website categories in profile of the remote computer device to determine whether the identified website category is in the remote computer profile; and

determining whether to grant access to the website to the particular remote computer device based on the comparisons of the identified website category and the website categories in the secondary remote computer profile.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 16 further comprising after said instructions creating a remote computer device profile for each remote computer device and storing the created remote computer profiles in the gateway computing device.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 16 wherein said detecting instructions further comprise instructions detecting at the gateway computing device a request by a remote computer device to a website knowingly not in the profile of the remote computer device making the access request.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 19 further comprising after said instructions determining whether to allow access:

when access to the requested website is allowed, instructions determining whether the term of the access to the requested website is a one-time 1 access; and

when the determination is that the access request is for an extended time period, instructions updating the profile for the remote computer device to include the accessed website.