Method for monitoring activities of a first user on any of a plurality of platforms

• US 7,917,580 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Sim, Wong Hoo, Lim, Seh Eing
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Khanh Q
• Application Number:
  US12/479,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20100312876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/220, 709/227, 709/228, 707/710
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• 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: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

There is provided a method for monitoring activities of a first user on any of a plurality of platforms, with the first user having access to a first computing device for use by the first user. The method may include two modes which allows a master user to monitor activities of the first user even when the master user is not connected to the world wide web (offline).

Claims

1. A method for monitoring activities of a first user on any of a plurality of platforms, the first user having access to a first computing device for use by the first user, the method including:

either detecting power consumption of the first computing device above a pre-determined level or detecting at least one of predetermined words, predetermined URLs entered by the first user on the first computing device;

capturing screenshots of a display of the first computing device at pre-determined intervals;

storing the screenshots in a storage device;

capturing text input into the first computing device by the first user;

storing the text input in the storage device;

capturing audio input at the first location by the first user;

storing the audio input in the storage device;

capturing URLs of internet pages visited by the first user using the first computing device;

storing the URLs in the storage device;

capturing video of the first user at the first location; and

storing the video in the storage device;

wherein a master user at any location is able to monitor the activities of the first user in a first mode when a master computing device at any location is offline, and in a second mode when the master computing device at any location is online.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the second mode, the method further including:

alerting the master user with the master computing device of the detection of either power consumption of the first computing device above the pre-determined level or at least one of predetermined words, predetermined URLs entered by the first user on the first computing device;

replicating the screenshots in sequential order on a screen of the master computing device;

parsing the stored text input by the first user, seeking either pre-determined words or pre-determined combinations of alphanumeric characters;

converting the either pre-determined words or pre-determined combinations of alphanumeric characters into an audio form; and

either

playing back the audio form of the either pre-determined words or pre-determined combinations of alphanumeric characters on the master computing device;

or

playing back the audio input by the first user on the master computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, further including playing back the video of the first user at a location of the first user on the master computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the master user is alerted by a notification generated by the second computing device selected from a group comprising:

visual, aural, vibrational, and any combination of the aforementioned.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification is transmitted using channels selected from a group comprising:

email, SMS, and RSS updates.

6. The method of claim 2, further including using the master computing device to either partially or fully disable the first computing device.

7. The method of claim 2, further including the master user using the master computing device to enable communication with the first user.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the parsing of the stored text input is done with reference to an updatable list of either the pre-determined words or the pre-determined combinations of alphanumeric characters.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the screenshots are in a form which renders the content to be visually inoffensive to all parties viewing the video, the form being selected from a group comprising:

reverse colour, negative monochrome, and colour filtered.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein in the first mode, the method further includes:

consolidating page captures of the URLs of internet pages visited by the first user using the first computing device;

storing the consolidated page captures at the storage device; and

when the master computing device is online,

either presenting the URLs of internet pages visited by the first user using the first computing device when the master computing device is online, or presenting a video of the consolidated page captures of the URLs of internet pages visited by the first user using the first computing device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein either the video of the consolidated page captures or the URLs of internet pages visited by the first user using the first computing device indicates a duration spent viewing each URL, with the duration spent viewing each URL being the time that the URL is in an active browser window.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the page captures are scaled down to fit a single video frame, with an actual content of each page capture being less important than a topical emphasis of the page capture.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the video is played back at an accelerated frame rate to minimize a time which the master user needs to view the video.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the video is in a form which renders the content to be visually inoffensive to all parties viewing the video, the form being selected from a group comprising:

reverse colour, negative monochrome, and colour filtered.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined level is a power level for a stand-by mode of the first computing device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined time intervals are durations selected from a group comprising:

quarter minute, half a minute, one minute, three minutes, five minutes, and ten minutes.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing text input includes counting keystrokes of the first user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is functionally connected to the first computing device either via a wired connection or via a wireless connection.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the storage device functionally connected to the first computing device via the wireless connection is an online service/storage facility.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the online service/storage facility consolidates all captured activities of the first user across the plurality of first computing devices to enable review by the master user at a subsequent juncture.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the URLs of internet pages visited by the first user using the first computing device includes information relating to a duration spent viewing each URL, with the duration spent viewing each URL being the time that the URL is in an active browser window.

22. The method of claim 2, further including the master user referring to the first user'"'"'s scheduler to ascertain a validity of the activities by the first user.

23. The method of claim 10, further including the master user referring to the first user'"'"'s scheduler to ascertain a validity of the activities by the first user.

24. The method of claim 1 being disabled when either the power consumption of the first computing device is below the pre-determined level or processor usage of the first computing device is below a pre-determined percentage of a full capability of the processor.