Systems and methods to regulate use of consumer devices and services
OwnerMarcus Tai-Tong Aiu, Samir Tiongson Saxenainventors
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Abstract
The described systems and arrangements regulate use of consumer devices and services. In one implementation, a control allowances data file is automatically downloaded from a networked server. The control allowances data file specifies one or more criteria against which use of a device or a service hosted by the device should be restricted with respect to a particular user. The criteria are periodically evaluated against device or service use to determine whether user access to a device and/or service hosted by an application executing on the device should be restricted based on at least a portion of the criteria.
Claims32
A method to regulate use of consumer devices and services, the method comprising:
- automatically downloading a control allowances data file from a networked server, the control allowances data file specifying criteria against which use of a device or a service hosted by the device should be restricted with respect to a particular user;
- and
- periodically evaluating the criteria against device or service use to determine whether user access to a device and/or service hosted by an application executing on the device should be restricted based on at least a portion of the criteria.
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-program instructions executable by a processor to regulate use of consumer devices and services, the computer-program instructions comprising instructions for:
- specifying criteria to regulate use of a device or a service hosted by an application executing at the device;
- configuring the device to download the criteria from a network server responsive to predetermined actions;
- and
- configuring the device to evaluate the criteria after successful download to regulate use of the device or the application.
A computing device to provide control allowances for consumer technology, the computing device comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-executable instructions, the processor being configured to fetch and execute the computer executable instructions for:
- requesting download of control allowances from a networked server;
- responsive to receiving the control allowances, evaluating the control allowances to determine whether the device should restrict access to functionality hosted by the device;
- and
- responsive to not receiving the control allowances from the networked server, evaluating a default set of control allowances to determine whether the device should restrict access to functionality hosted by the device.
A computing device to regulate use of consumer devices and services, the computing device comprising:
- means for automatically downloading a control allowances data file from a networked server, the control allowances data file specifying criteria against which use of a device or a service hosted by the device should be restricted with respect to a particular user;
- and
- means for periodically evaluating the criteria against device or service use to determine whether user access to a device and/or service hosted by an application executing on the device should be restricted based on at least a portion of the criteria.
A data structure to regulate use of a device or service hosted by an application executing on the device, the data structure comprising:
- a first data field indicating a user;
- a second data field indicating a generic device or service;
- a third data field corresponding to a specific instance of the generic device or service;
- and
- a fourth data field indicating one or more scopes of allowance within which access to the a specific instance by the user is to be restricted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.