MOBILE DEVICE PARENTAL CONTROL

• US 20130225151A1
• Filed: 12/22/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: King, Joseph Spencer, Matthews, Joseph H. III, Schrader, Joseph A., Chen, Ted Tai-Yu
• Application Number:
  US13/726,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20130225151A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

In implementations of mobile device parental control, a controlling device includes a communication interface for control communication with one or more associated devices of the controlling device, and the associated devices correspond to members of a group. An integrated display device displays a parental control user interface. A parental control service is implemented to receive an input of a device control via the parental control user interface, where the device control is initiated for one or more of the associated devices that are controllable by the controlling device. The parental control service can then initiate communication of the device control to the associated devices that are controlled by the controlling device.

Claims

1. A controlling device, comprising:

a communication interface configured for control communication with one or more associated devices of the controlling device, the one or more associated devices corresponding to one or more members of a group;

an integrated display device configured to display a parental control user interface;

a processing system to implement computer instructions as a parental control service that is configured to;

receive an input of a device control via the parental control user interface, the device control for one or more of the associated devices that are controllable by the controlling device; and

initiate communication of the device control to the one or more associated devices.

2. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device control is initiated to control one of a function, a setting, access, or a restriction of the one or more associated devices.

3. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the controlling device and the associated devices are mobile phones or mobile computing devices configured for wireless communication; and

the one or more members of the group are one of family members of a family or business members of a business.

4. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the parental control service is configured to control communication of group information to the one or more associated devices for the one or more members of the group.

5. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the parental control service is configured to:

receive feature use reports from the one or more associated devices, a feature use report indicating use of a device feature by a user of an associated device;

generate a device use summary of device features for each of the one or more associated devices; and

initiate a display of the device use summaries for one or more of the associated devices.

6. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the parental control service is configured to receive a feature use report from an associated device, the feature use report including at least one of text message content, email content, or identification of a new contact.

7. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the parental control service is configured to receive a feature use report from an associated device, the feature use report indicating at least one of:

Internet use and including Internet sites visited;

or

a content download indication of at least one of a video, a game, a music file, or a purchase.

8. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the parental control service is configured to receive a feature use report from an associated device, the feature use report including telephone call details associated with a telephone call to or from the associated device.

9. A controlling device as recited in claim 1, wherein the parental control user interface includes an indication of setting changes to the parental control service.

10. A method, comprising:

displaying a parental control user interface from which a user can control one or more associated devices from a controlling device;

receiving an input of a device control via the parental control user interface, the device control for one or more of the associated devices that are controllable by the controlling device; and

communicating the device control to the one or more associated devices.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising initiating the device control to control one of a function, a setting, access, or a restriction of the one or more associated devices.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising controlling communication of group information to the one or more associated devices for one or more members of a group.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving feature use reports from the one or more associated devices, a feature use report indicating use of a device feature by a user of an associated device;

generating a device use summary of device features for each of the one or more associated devices; and

displaying the device use summaries for one or more of the associated devices.

14. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising receiving a feature use report from an associated device, the feature use report including at least one of text message content, email content, or identification of a new contact.

15. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising receiving a feature use report from an associated device, the feature use report indicating at least one of:

Internet use and including Internet sites visited;

or

a content download indication of at least one of a video, a game, a music file, or a purchase.

16. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising receiving a feature use report from an associated device, the feature use report including telephone call details associated with a telephone call to or from the associated device.

17. A parental control system, comprising:

a network service device to execute computer instructions as a parental control service that is configured to;

receive a device control from a controlling device when the device control is initiated by a user of the controlling device, the device control initiated for one or more associated devices that correspond to one or more members of a group;

determine the one or more associated devices that are controllable by the controlling device based on identifiers of the controlling device and the one or more associated devices; and

communicate the device control received from the controlling device to the one or more associated devices.

18. A parental control system as recited in claim 17, wherein the device control is initiated at the controlling device to control one of a function, a setting, access, or a restriction of the one or more associated devices.

19. A parental control system as recited in claim 17, wherein the parental control service is configured to:

receive feature use reports from the one or more associated devices, a feature use report indicating use of a device feature by a user of an associated device;

generate a device use summary of device features for each of the one or more associated devices; and

communicate the device use summaries for one or more of the associated devices to the controlling device for display.

20. A parental control system as recited in claim 17, wherein the parental control service is configured to control communication of group information to the one or more associated devices for the one or more members of the group.