Time control of internet usage

• US 9,117,216 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hong T, Silver, Edward M, Roberts, Linda A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Akintola, Olabode
• Application Number:
  US10/164,546
• Time in Patent Office: 4,827 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time

Abstract

An Internet use profile is created by a parent or guardian of an Internet user via a client-side software application at the user'"'"'s computer. The use profile is submitted via the Internet to an intelligent network component. The use profile sets the duration for Internet use in general and sets the duration for access to particular Internet sites such as chat rooms, shopping sites, etc. The use profile is stored locally on the user'"'"'s computer and remotely at the intelligent network component. When the user attempts to log on to the Internet via her Internet service provider, the client-side application verifies that the user computer has not already exceeded allowed Internet connection time in a previous Internet connection. If not, the connection to the Internet is allowed. After the connection is established, an Internet usage monitoring and controlling application at the intelligent network component monitors the time of connection between the user computer and the Internet. Once the allowed time of connection expires, the monitoring and controlling application instructs the client-side application to disconnect the user computer from the Internet service provider. Prior to disconnection from the Internet service provider, the client-side computer requests a password from the user. If the password equals a password included in the Internet use profile, then the user is allowed to continue the Internet connection. Also, the user is allowed to modify the use profile with the entry of a correct password to include adding additional access time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a user computing device via a client-side software application resident on the user computing device, an internet usage profile setting an allowed time for accessing an internet and including a password;

saving, by the user computing device, the internet usage profile at the user computing device;

submitting, by the user computing device, the internet usage profile to an internet usage monitoring and controlling application resident at a server remotely located from the user computing device;

allowing, by the user computing device, the user computing device to establish a connection with the internet;

monitoring, by the server, an actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet;

comparing, by the server, the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet with the allowed time for accessing the internet;

determining, by the server, that the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet equals the allowed time for accessing the internet indicating that the allowed time for accessing the internet has expired;

after determining that the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet equals the allowed time, providing, by the server, instructions to the client-side software application to disconnect the connection between the user computing device and the internet;

before proceeding with disconnecting the connection between the user computing device and the internet, requesting, by the user computing device, a user password from a user of the user computing device;

upon receipt of the user password, determining, by the server, whether the user password matches the password of the internet usage profile;

in response to determining that the user password matches the password of the internet usage profile, then;

requesting, by the server, an updated allowed time for accessing the internet,

allowing, by the user computing device, the user computing device to remain connected to the internet,

continuing to monitor, by the server, the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet, and

comparing, by the server, the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet with the updated allowed time for accessing the internet;

in response to determining that the user password does not match the password of the internet usage profile, then disconnecting the connection between the user computing device and the internet;

prior to allowing the user computing device to establish the connection with the internet, determining that at least a portion of the allowed time for accessing the internet, as set in the internet usage profile saved at the user computing device, is remaining;

after allowing the user computing device to establish the connection with the internet, sending a request to the server to check the internet usage profile at the server to determine whether at least a portion of the allowed time for accessing the internet, as set in the internet usage profile at the server, is remaining; and

in response to the internet usage profile at the server indicating at least a portion of the allowed time for accessing the internet is remaining, allowing the connection with the internet to continue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the internet usage profile further includes:

receiving an identification of specific internet sites; and

receiving an amount of time allowed for accessing the specific internet sites.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specific internet sites are each identified by a uniform resource locator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the internet usage profile further includes receiving a keyword associated with a type of internet site such that an amount of time for accessing the type of internet site associated with the keyword is monitored and controlled.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the internet usage profile is created and submitted to the server via an internet-based web site.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the internet usage profile is submitted to the server via the internet.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the user to modify the internet usage profile to add additional allowed time for accessing the internet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request at the user computing device to modify the internet usage profile to add additional allowed time for accessing the internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the user computing device to establish the connection with the internet comprises causing the client-side software application resident on the user computing device to establish the connection via an internet service provider.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising after the user computing device is connected to the internet via the internet service provider, causing the client-side software application to request that the internet usage monitoring and controlling application monitor the connection between the user computing device and the internet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the connection between the user computing device and the internet includes monitoring the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet at the internet usage monitoring and controlling application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user password matches the password of the internet usage profile includes determining at the internet usage monitoring and controlling application whether the user password matches the password of the internet usage profile.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to determining that the user password does not match the password of the internet usage profile, then:

providing another request for the user password from the user of the user computing device, and

in response to determining that a number of attempts at providing the user password exceeds a prescribed number of password entry attempts, then terminating the connection between the user computing device and the internet.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, at a user computing device via a client-side software application resident on the user computing device, an internet usage profile setting an allowed time for accessing an internet and including a password;

saving, by the user computing device, the internet usage profile at the user computing device;

submitting, by the user computing device, the internet usage profile to an internet usage monitoring and controlling application resident at a server remotely located from the user computing device;

allowing, by the user computing device, the user computing device to establish a connection with the internet;

monitoring, by the server, an actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet;

comparing, by the server, the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet with the allowed time for accessing the internet;

determining, by the server, that the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet equals the allowed time for accessing the internet indicating that the allowed time for accessing the internet has expired;

after determining that the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet equals the allowed time, providing, by the server, instructions to the client-side software application to disconnect the connection between the user computing device and the internet;

before proceeding with disconnecting the connection between the user computing device and the internet, requesting, by the user computing device, a user password from a user of the user computing device;

upon receipt of the user password, determining, by the server, whether the user password matches the password of the internet usage profile;

in response to determining that the user password matches the password of the internet usage profile, then;

requesting, by the server, an updated allowed time for accessing the internet,

allowing, by the user computing device, the user computing device to remain connected to the internet,

continuing to monitor, by the server, the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet, and

comparing, by the server, the actual time of the connection between the user computing device and the internet with the updated allowed time for accessing the internet;

maintaining, at the user computing device, a first elapsed time of access to the internet associated with the user computing device;

maintaining, at the server, a second elapsed time of access to the internet associated with the user computing device; and

disconnecting the connection between the user computing device and the internet when the first elapsed time of access to the internet associated with the user computing device differs from the second elapsed time of access to the internet associated with the user computing device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the internet usage profile further includes:

receiving an identification of specific internet sites; and

receiving an amount of time allowed for accessing the specific internet sites.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the specific internet sites are each identified by a uniform resource locator.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the internet usage profile further includes receiving a keyword associated with a type of internet site such that an amount of time for accessing the type of internet site associated with the keyword is monitored and controlled.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the internet usage profile is created and submitted to the server via an internet-based web site.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising in response to determining that the user password does not match the password of the internet usage profile, then proceeding with disconnecting the connection between the user computing device and the internet.