System to control content and prohibit certain interactive attempts by a person using a personal computer

• US 5,835,722 A
• Filed: 06/27/1996
• Issued: 11/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trustwave Holdings Incorporated (Singapore Telecommunications Limited)
• Original Assignee: Logon Data Corporation
• Inventors: Bradshaw, Michael S., Shih, George Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Richard L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice L.
• Application Number:
  US08/672,105
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 395/186, 395/187.01, 395/188.01, 395/200.11, 395/200.06, 395/200.09, 395/200.47, 395/200.33, 395/200.54, 395/200.55, 395/673, 707/9, 707/10, 707/202, 380/25
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00

Abstract

A computer terminal and a method for blocking the use and transmission of vulgar and pornographic material in a responsive and interactive manner that comprehensively monitors computer operations for creation or transmission of vulgar and pornographic material. Data created by the keyboard, data passing through the clipboard, data selected by the mouse pointer, and data passing through the Internet interface are monitored for content and further operation of the computer terminal is blocked. The computer terminal may only be unblocked by a supervisory intervention, such as by entering of a password, or by restarting or resetting the terminal. Key word searches, such as those in Internet search engines, are also monitored, but the terminal adapts to monitor not only for words of a profane and vulgar nature, but also for words that are behaviorally tested to produce lists containing vulgar and profane items, e.g., Internet sites. The computer terminal and method can be modified to block other forms of communication or computer operation, such as blocking transmission of secret business data, blocking execution or opening of certain programs or files, and the like.

Claims

1. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data creations comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, a volatile memory with at least a part thereof being used as a clipboard, a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

at least one database of preselected data strings stored in the non-volatile memory;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string with the preselected data strings when the typed data string is generated on the keyboard;

a mouse monitor comprising a comparator for comparing mouse data strings with the preselected data strings when the mouse data strings are selected by the mouse pointer;

a clipboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing clipboard data strings in the form of contents of the clipboard with the preselected data strings when the contents of the clipboard are changed;

network monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a network data string of data passing through the network interface with the preselected data strings;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data strings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking screen based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating the blocking screen when one of the keyboard, mouse, clipboard and network monitors identifies a match between the data string it is comparing and one of the preselected data strings in the at least one database.

2. A computer terminal as in claim 1 wherein the volatile memory comprises a RAM and the non-volatile memory comprises a hard drive.

3. A computer terminal as in claim 1, wherein the at least one database comprises one or more databases selected from a database of network sites to which access is to be blocked, a database of E-mail address to which E-mail transmissions are to be blocked, and a database of words of which creation or transmission are to be blocked.

4. A computer terminal as in claim 1, wherein the keyboard monitor comprises a keyboard queue separate from application keyboard queues and a processor for processing the keyboard queue to generate a data string in the form in the form of a single word for comparison with the preselected data strings.

5. A computer terminal as in claim 1, wherein the mouse monitor comprises a comparator for comparing the mouse data strings selected from a common box and for comparing text selected from a text editing window.

6. A computer terminal as in claim 1, wherein the clipboard monitor compares clipboard data strings with the preselected data strings whenever data is copied from or copied to the clipboard.

7. A computer terminal as in claim 1, wherein the network interface comprises an information transfer protocol interface and the network monitor comprises a filter for filtering an IP address from a request and an IP address from a response.

8. A computer terminal as in claim 1 wherein the network interface comprises an information transfer interface and the at least one database contains Internet addresses.

9. A computer terminal as in claim 1, wherein the preselected condition for the disabler of the blocker comprises the entry of a password by a supervisor and the blocker comprises a prohibitor for preventing further entry of any data from the keyboard, the mouse, or network interface, except the password from the supervisor, through the keyboard.

10. A computer terminal as in claim 9, wherein the display comprises an image replacer for replacing a major portion of the image on the display monitor with the blocking screen, and a display for displaying a text entry of the password on the blocking screen.

11. A computer terminal as in claim 1, additionally comprising a subtractor and adder for deleting data strings from and for adding data strings to the at least one database.

12. A computer terminal as in claim 11, wherein the subtractor and adder comprises a blocker to block access to the addition or deletion of data strings unless a predetermined condition is met.

13. A computer terminal as in claim 12 wherein the predetermined condition comprises the entry of a password upon initialization of the adder and subtractor.

14. A computer terminal as in claim 1, additionally comprising a copier to copy the at least one database from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory and at least one of the comparators comprise a reader for reading the database in the volatile memory for comparison with the preselected data strings.

15. A computer terminal as in claim 1 wherein the at least one database comprises data strings related to pornography and foul language.

16. A computer terminal as in claim 1 wherein the at least one database comprises data strings related to confidential files.

17. A computer terminal as in claim 1 wherein the at least one database comprises data strings related to game programs.

18. A computer terminal as in claim 1 wherein the at least one database comprises data strings related to confidential information to be prevented from leaving the computer terminal.

19. A computer terminal as in claim 1, additionally comprising a list of keyword data strings in the non-volatile memory for adding said keyword data strings to the at least one database, the keyword data strings comprising words to be blocked in a key word search environment.

20. A computer terminal as in claim 19, additionally comprising a list of network search engine sites, an additional reader for reading said database, a comparator for comparing the list of network search engine sites with an IP address passing through the network interface and an additional activator for adding the keyword data strings to the at least one database when a match between an and the IP address occurs.

21. A computer terminal as in claim 1, additionally comprising a writer for writing to a log file on the non-volatile memory a copy of in-coming E-mail passing through the network interface and accessing the log file only after a predetermined condition is met.

22. A terminal as in claim 21 wherein the log file is accessible only after a password is entered at the keyboard.

23. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data creations comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, volatile memory with at least a part thereof being used as a clipboard, a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string with the preselected data strings when the typed data string is generated on the keyboard;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data strings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking screen based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating the blocking screen when the keyboard monitor identifies a match between the typed data string and one of the preselected data strings in the at least one database.

24. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data creations, comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, volatile memory with at least a part thereof being used as a clipboard, a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

at least one database of preselected data strings stored in the non-volatile memory;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string with the preselected data strings when the typed data string is typed;

a mouse monitor comprising a comparator for comparing mouse data strings with the preselected data strings when the time the mouse data strings are selected by the mouse pointer;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data strings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking screen based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating a blocking screen when either of the keyboard and mouse monitors identifies a match between the data string it is comparing and one of the preselected data strings in the at least one database.

25. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data creations comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, volatile memory with at least a part thereof being used as a clipboard, a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

at least one database of preselected data strings stored in the non-volatile memory;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string with the preselected data strings when the typed data string is typed into the keyboard;

a mouse monitor comprising a comparator for comparing mouse data strings with the preselected data strings when the mouse data strings are selected by the mouse pointer;

a network monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a network data string in the form of an IP address of data passing through the network interface with the preselected data strings;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data strings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking screen based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating the blocking screen when one of the keyboard, mouse and network monitors identifies a match between the data string it is comparing and one of the preselected data strings in the at least one database.

26. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data creations comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, a volatile memory a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

at least one database of preselected data strings stored in the non-volatile memory;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string typed into the keyboard with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the typed data string through the network interface;

a network monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a network data string in the form of an IP address of data passing through the network interface with the preselected data strings;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data stings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking screen based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating the blocking screen when one of the keyboard and network monitors identifies a match between the data string it is comparing and one of the preselected datastrings in the at least one database.

27. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data, creations comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, a volatile memory with at least a part thereof being used as a clipboard, a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

at least one database of preselected data strings stored in the non-volatile memory;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string typed into the keyboard with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the typed data string through the network interface;

a mouse monitor comprising a comparator for comparing mouse data strings selected by the mouse pointer with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the mouse data string through the network interface;

a clipboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a clipboard data string in the form of contents of the clipboard with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the clipboard data string through the network interface;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data strings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking means based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating the blocking screen when one of the keyboard, mouse and clipboard monitors identifies a match between the data string it is comparing and one of the preselected data strings in the at least one database.

28. A computer terminal for blocking selected data transmissions and data creations, comprising:

a central processing unit in communication with a keyboard, a mouse pointer, a volatile memory with at least a part thereof being used as a clipboard, a network interface, a display monitor, and a non-volatile memory;

at least one database of preselected data strings stored in the non-volatile memory;

a plurality of monitors selected from the list consisting of;

a keyboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a typed data string typed into the keyboard with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the typed data string through the network interface;

a mouse monitor comprising a comparator for comparing mouse data strings selected by the mouse pointer with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the mouse data string through the network interface;

a clipboard monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a clipboard data string in the form of contents of the clipboard with the preselected data strings, wherein the comparing is performed independently of transmission of the typed clipboard data string through the network interface;

a network monitor comprising a comparator for comparing a network data string in the form of an IP address of data passing through the network interface with the preselected data strings;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler for preventing transmission or creation of data strings, a display for displaying on the display monitor a blocking screen, and a disabler for disabling the blocking screen based upon a preselected condition; and

an activator for activating the blocking screen when any of the monitors identifies a match between the data string it is comparing and one of the preselected data strings in the at least one database.

29. A computer running under a multi-tasking environment, comprising a blocker that selectively blocks data transmissions within the computer when at least one condition established by a predetermined criteria is met, the selective blocker comprising:

at least one file comprising data strings which are directly related to the criteria;

a plurality of comparators which compare data generated by I/O devices resident in the terminal against the data strings at the time the data is generated by the I/O devices;

a blocker comprising a transmission disabler to disable transmissions upon a match of the data from the I/O devices and the data strings by any of the comparators; and

a supervision control comprising an adaptor for changing the content of the at least one file to change the criteria.

30. The computer of claim 29 wherein the blocker comprises a report compiling routine and the supervision control comprises a display/printer for displaying and printing the report.

31. The computer of claim 29, wherein the blocker comprises a master disabler for preventing operation of the computer except for entering a predetermined password or resetting the computer.

32. The computer of claim 29 wherein the blocker comprises a conditional continuation disabler which blocks transmission, but permits continued operation of the computer for a predetermined number of times before halting operation of the computer.

33. A method for preventing a computer in a multi-tasking environment from generating preselected text in a topmost active application and from transmitting preselected text to or from a topmost active application:

in the background of at least one active application, conducting a plurality of functions from the list consisting of;

(1) monitoring a keyboard queue of the topmost application to build a new queue of each word as the word is typed in and comparing each word as the word is generated in the queue with a list of text strings in at least one database;

(2) monitoring a mouse and comparing each data string as the data string is selected by the mouse with the list of text strings in the at least one database;

(3) monitoring a clipboard and comparing the contents of the clipboard when data is copied into or out of the clipboard with the list of text strings in the at least one database;

(4) monitoring network interface and comparing a destination address of data traveling through the interface with the list of text strings in the at least one database; and

at least temporarily disabling further operation of the computer when a match is found from any of the comparisons.

34. A method as in claim 33, wherein the at least one database is stored in a non-volatile memory and is read from the non-volatile memory to a volatile memory.

35. A method as in claim 33, wherein at least one database is stored in a RAM and is read from a hard drive.

36. A method as in claim 33, wherein the the list of text strings comprises network sites to which access is to be blocked, E-mail addresses to which E-mail transmissions are to be blocked, and words of which creation or transmission are to be blocked with the preselected text.

37. A method as in claim 33, wherein monitoring the keyboard queue step comprises processing the keyboard queue to generate a data string in form of a single word for comparison with the list of text strings in the at least one database.

38. A method as in claim 33, wherein the mouse monitoring step comprises comparing data strings selected from a common box and comparing text selected from a text editing window.

39. A method as in claim 33, wherein the clipboard monitoring step comprises comparing a data string in the form of text in the clipboard whenever data is copied from or copied to the clipboard.

40. A method as in claim 33, wherein the network interface monitoring step comprises monitoring an information transfer protocol interface so as to filter an IP address passing through the interface.

41. A method as in claim 33, wherein the disabling step comprises displaying an image on a blocking screen and disabling the computer when a preselected condition is met.

42. A method as in claim 41, wherein the disabling step prevents further entry of any data from the keyboard, the mouse or network interface, except entering a password.

43. A method as in claim 42, wherein displaying an image on a blocking screen comprises replacing a major portion of the image on a blocking screen, and displaying on the blocking screen a text entry box for entry of the password.

44. A method as in claim 33, additionally comprising the steps of deleting data strings from and adding data strings to the at least one database.

45. A method as in claim 44, wherein deleting and adding data strings is blocked unless a predetermined condition is met.

46. A method as in claim 44, further comprising the step of entering a password prior to deleting and adding data strings.

47. A method as in claim 33, additionally comprising the step of copying the at least one database from a non-volatile memory to a volatile memory.

48. A method as in claim 33, the list of text strings is related to pornography and foul language.

49. A method as in claim 33, further comprising the step of blocking further operation of the computer when the preselected text is related to confidential files and the at least one database comprises data strings related to confidential files.

50. A method as in claim 33, wherein the list of text strings is related to game programs.

51. A method as in claim 33, wherein the list of text strings is related to confidential information that should not leave the computer terminal.

52. A method as in claim 33, further comprising the step of reading additional data strings from a second database in a non-volatile memory and adding said additional data strings to the at least one database, the additional data strings comprising words to be blocked in a key word search environment.

53. A method as in claim 52, additionally comprising reading a list of network search engine sites and matching a search engine site with an IP address prior to adding the additional data strings to the at least one database.

54. A method as in claim 33, additionally comprising of writing to a log file on a non-volatile memory a copy of in-coming E-mail passing through the network interface and accessing the log file after a predetermined condition is met.

55. A method as in claim 54, wherein the predetermined condition is entry of a password.