Agreement compliance controlled electronic device throttle

• US 8,966,064 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eturi Corp.
• Original Assignee: Parentsware, Inc.
• Inventors: Moussavian, Negeen, Moussavian, Amir, Badiee, Ben, Lewis, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad, Abdullahi
• Application Number:
  US13/568,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

Controls electronic devices and/or throttles electronic devices and/or information for electronic devices based on agreements or events or any combination thereof. An agreement includes one or more conditions to satisfy the agreement, such as one or more tasks or activities to be performed by an agreement performer or events that may be detected, and actions performed to enforce or assert the agreement such as controlling the electronic device and/or enabling or disabling or otherwise limiting, reducing or increasing the amount or type of information allowed with respect to any or all electronic devices associated with the agreement performer. For example, the system controls the electronic device and/or enables, disables or limits the amount or type of information on an electronic device, e.g., telephone, computer, game, television, vehicle based on whether the child has finished assigned homework, chores or extracurricular activities as specified as conditions of the agreement.

Claims

1. An agreement compliance controlled information throttle comprising:

an agreement database stored in a memory of a computer wherein said agreement database comprises

an agreement stored in said memory of said agreement database comprising an agreement creator and an agreement performer wherein said agreement comprises

a first unique identifier associated with said agreement performer;

a second unique identifier associated with said agreement creator;

a condition comprising at least one of

an activity associated with homework or a test to be performed by said agreement performer;

an event associated with an environmental event comprising information related to any combination of weather, temperature, allergy, pollen or smog alert;

an action to be performed based on

compliance with said condition;

wherein said agreement database comprises a first condition having a first activity that is independent of input into at least one electronic device by said agreement performer;

an activity database comprising activity status associated with said activity of said condition to be satisfied by said agreement performer wherein said activity status comprises a homework completion status associated with said homework or a grade value associated with said test;

an agreement monitor coupled with said agreement database and said activity database and configured to at least one of

check if said condition has been satisfied based on said activity status to determine said compliance;

check if said condition has been satisfied based on said event associated with said environmental event comprising said information related to any combination of said weather, temperature, allergy, pollen or smog alert;

an information monitor configured to determine monitored information associated with said at least one electronic device that is associated with said agreement performer;

an information throttle coupled at least intermittently with said agreement monitor and optionally at least intermittently with said information monitor and configured to perform said action, to at least partially increase or at least partially decrease information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device;

wherein said action is based on at least one of

said activity;

said event;

wherein said action is configured to direct said information throttle to

at least partially increase or decrease a performance of said at least one electronic device through an insertion of at least one time delay between at least one of

an acceptance of an input of said information;

a display of said information;

a transfer of said information to or from said at least one electronic device, such that based on if said condition has been satisfied and during use of said at least one electronic device by said agreement performer;

maintain functionality of said at least one electronic device, and

at least one of

at least partially increase or decrease a speed of functionality of said at least one electronic device and

at least partially increase or decrease a speed of responsiveness of said at least one electronic device;

wherein said information throttle is configured to perform at least one of

if said activity comprising said test grade or said homework completion status is equal to or above a predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said event comprising said weather, temperature, allergy, high pollen count or smog alert event is detected then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said activity comprising said test grade or said homework completion status is below said predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance;

if said event comprising said weather, temperature, allergy, high pollen count or smog alert event is not detected then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance; and

,

wherein said at least one electronic device comprises a plurality of electronic devices, and said action is performed across said plurality of electronic devices associated with said agreement performer, comprising a telephone, a computer, a music player, a game or a television or a remote control or an appliance or any combination thereof and

wherein said agreement monitor is configured to sum said monitored information from each respective information monitor into a combined monitored information total; and

,

wherein said information throttle is configured to limit said monitored information on each of said plurality of electronic devices based on said combined monitored information total.

2. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said information throttle is further configured to perform said action to at least partially increase or at least partially decrease information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device even if no network connection is available between said information throttle and said agreement monitor, such that said information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device is monitored locally and said at least one electronic device is throttled locally without requiring a data transfer to or from said at least one electronic device.

3. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said action comprises one or more of

a time limit that limits an amount of time that said monitored information may be displayed on said at least one electronic device,

a numerical limit that limits a number of data entries associated with said monitored information,

a web limit that limits access to a website associated with said monitored information,

an application limit that limits access to an application associated with said monitored information,

a game limit that limits game parameters associated with said monitored information,

a television limit that limits a television program or channel associated with said monitored information,

a monetary transfer.

4. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said activity database comprises activities related to compliance with a requirement or corporate compliance or any combination thereof.

5. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 further comprising a server computer wherein said agreement monitor is configured to execute on said server computer and wherein said server computer is configured to be remotely accessed over a computer network.

6. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said information monitor and said information throttle are configured to execute on said at least one electronic device, or a router, or a cable set top box or any combination thereof.

7. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said information monitor is configured to interface with a proxy server or web filtering software.

8. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said monitored information comprises any combination of a telephone time usage, a number of telephone calls, a telephone number, a number of text messages, a website address, a computer application, a game, a television channel, an image captured from said at least one electronic device, an image captured from a camera coupled with said at least one electronic device and which results in said action performed by said information throttle to at least partially increase or at least partially decrease said information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device.

9. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said action is further configured to direct said information throttle to dim or brighten a display, lower or raise a volume on said at least one electronic device or any combination thereof.

10. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said information throttle is further configured to notify said agreement creator based on said compliance.

11. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said agreement monitor is configured to display information to said agreement creator related to an attempt to bypass said action by said agreement performer.

12. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said monitored information comprises at least a value associated with a speed, an orientation, a distance, an acceleration, or a location of said at least one electronic device and which results in said action performed by said information throttle to at least partially increase or at least partially decrease said information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device.

13. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein said monitored information comprises a location of a second device in communication with said at least one electronic device wherein said location of said second device is correlated against a sex offender map which results in said action that comprises a notification to said agreement creator.

14. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein

if said agreement performer is grounded and a location of said at least one electronic device is outside a grounded area then said information throttle performs said partially decrease in said performance;

and,

if said agreement performer is grounded and a location of said at least one electronic device is within the grounded area then said information throttle performs said partially increase in said performance.

15. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein

wherein said information monitor is configured to send a message to at least the agreement performer that indicates that the agreement performer is grounded if the agreement performer is travelling faster than a predefined speed or outside of said grounded area.

16. The agreement compliance controlled information throttle of claim 1 wherein

wherein said information monitor is configured to send a message to at least the agreement creator that indicates that a friend of the agreement performer is grounded.

17. An agreement compliance controlled information throttle comprising:

an agreement database stored in a memory of a computer wherein said agreement database comprises

an agreement stored in said memory of said agreement database comprising an agreement creator and an agreement performer wherein said agreement comprises

a first unique identifier associated with said agreement performer;

a second unique identifier associated with said agreement creator;

a condition comprising at least one of

an activity associated with homework or a test to be performed by said agreement performer;

an extracurricular activity or chore to be performed by said agreement performer;

an event associated with an environmental event comprising information related to any combination of weather, temperature, allergy, pollen or smog alert;

an action to be performed based on

compliance with said condition;

wherein said agreement database comprises a first condition having a first activity that is independent of input into at least one electronic device by said agreement performer;

an activity database comprising activity status associated with said activity of said condition to be satisfied by said agreement performer wherein said activity status comprises a homework completion status associated with said homework or a grade value associated with said test;

a second activity database comprising extracurricular or chore activity status associated with said activity of said condition to be satisfied by said agreement performer;

an agreement monitor coupled with said agreement database and said activity database and configured to at least one of

check if said condition has been satisfied based on said activity status to determine said compliance;

check if said condition has been satisfied based on said extracurricular or chore activity status to determine said compliance;

check if said condition has been satisfied based on said event associated with said environmental event comprising said information related to any combination of said weather, temperature, allergy, pollen or smog alert;

an information monitor configured to determine monitored information associated with said at least one electronic device that is associated with said agreement performer;

an information throttle coupled at least intermittently with said agreement monitor and optionally at least intermittently with said information monitor and configured to perform said action, to at least partially increase or at least partially decrease information input, output, used on or exchanged with said at least one electronic device;

wherein said action is based on at least one of

said activity;

said extracurricular activity or chore;

said event;

wherein said action is configured to direct said information throttle to

at least partially increase or decrease a performance of said at least one electronic device through an insertion of at least one time delay between at least one of

an acceptance of an input of said information;

a display of said information;

a transfer of said information to or from said at least one electronic device, such that based on if said condition has been satisfied and during use of said at least one electronic device by said agreement performer,

maintain functionality of said at least one electronic device, and

at least one of

at least partially increase or decrease a speed of functionality of said at least one electronic device and

at least partially increase or decrease a speed of responsiveness of said at least one electronic device;

wherein said information throttle is configured to perform at least one of

if said activity comprising said test grade or said homework completion status is equal to or above a predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said activity comprising said extracurricular or chore activity status is equal to or above a predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said event comprising said weather, temperature, allergy, high pollen count or smog alert event is detected then said information throttle performs said at least partially increase in said performance;

if said activity comprising said test grade or said homework completion status is below said predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance;

if said activity comprising said extracurricular or chore activity status is below said predefined value then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance;

if said event comprising said weather, temperature, allergy, high pollen count or smog alert event is not detected then said information throttle performs said at least partially decrease in said performance; and

,

wherein said at least one electronic device comprises a plurality of electronic devices, and said action is performed across said plurality of electronic devices associated with said agreement performer, comprising a telephone, a computer, a music player, a game or a television or a remote control or an appliance or any combination thereof and

wherein said agreement monitor is configured to sum said monitored information from each respective information monitor into a combined monitored information total; and

,

wherein said information throttle is configured to limit said monitored information on each of said plurality of electronic devices based on said combined monitored information total.