# US 2016/0366147 A1 · System and method of supervisory control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0366147 A1 - Document ID: US20160366147A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/179,237 - Filed: 2016-06-10 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-11 - Assignees: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. - Inventors: Quoc Dat Nguyen; Robert Christopher Starkey; Simon Alexis Fleming - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160366147A1 ## CPC - H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles} - G06F 21/6218: {to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database} - G06F 21/629: {to features or functions of an application} - H04N 21/4532: {involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/4781: {Games} - H04N 21/6543: for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording {(remote booting in general G06F9/4416)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method of supervisory control is provided according to aspects of the technology. The method includes setting, at a remote device, at least a first usage control parameter for at least a first account associated with access to content on a class of entertainment devices. The method also includes monitoring, at an entertainment device of that class, which account or accounts are active on the entertainment device and obtaining, at the entertainment device, the at least first usage control parameter set for the at least first account. The method further includes restricting usage of content on the entertainment device responsive to the at least first usage control parameter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of supervisory control, comprising the steps of: setting, at a remote device, at least a first usage control parameter for at least a first account associated with access to content on a class of entertainment devices; monitoring, at an entertainment device of the class of entertainment devices, which account or accounts are active on the entertainment device; detecting, by one or more processors, a number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device; obtaining, at the entertainment device, the at least first usage control parameter set for the at least first account; and restricting, by one or more processors, usage of content on the entertainment device responsive to the at least first usage control parameter; wherein at least one of the at least a first usage control parameter for at least the first account relates to the restriction of usage of content responsive to the number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of supervisory control according to claim 1, in which two or more accounts are active on the entertainment device, wherein: restricting the usage of content on the entertainment device is responsive to a most restrictive version of a usage control parameter respectively associated with the two or more accounts. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method of supervisory control according to claim 1, in which two or more accounts are active on the entertainment device, and a given usage control parameter for each account relates to usage of content for a respective predetermined period of time; wherein: restricting the usage of content on the entertainment device is done for a period of time corresponding to an overlap between the respective predetermined periods of time for each account. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method of supervisory control according to claim 1, comprising the step of: at the remote device: selecting the restriction of a first function; and at the entertainment device: notifying a user that the first function will be restricted following a predetermined notification period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of supervisory control according to claim 1, in which the at least the first usage control parameter relates to one or more selected from the list consisting of: i. restricting running of applications according to age ratings or parental control flags; ii. restricting use of a web browser; iii. restricting use of chat or messaging functions; iv. setting a cap on spending for a particular account; v. locking a user out from access to their account; vi. setting a maximum duration for play; vii. setting scheduled periods for play; viii. restricting specific titles from being launched; and ix. restricting access to an application feature listed in a configurable application feature message. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method of supervisory control according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: at the entertainment device: reporting an activity to a push server; and at the remote device: receiving a report on the activity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method of supervisory control according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: at the remote device: composing a message, and transmitting the message to a push server; and at the entertainment device: displaying the message. ### Claim 8 A tangible recording medium comprising a computer program product that when executed on a computer implements the steps of: setting, at a remote device, at least a first usage control parameter for at least a first account associated with access to content on a class of entertainment devices; monitoring, at an entertainment device of the class of entertainment devices, which account or accounts are active on the entertainment device; detecting a number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device; obtaining, at the entertainment device, the at least first usage control parameter set for the at least first account; and restricting usage of content on the entertainment device responsive to the at least first usage control parameter; wherein at least one of the at least a first usage control parameter for at least the first account relates to the restriction of usage of content responsive to the number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device. ### Claim 9 An entertainment device, comprising: a log-in processing unit adapted to allow plural accounts to log in on the entertainment device; a monitoring processing unit adapted to monitor which account or accounts are active on the entertainment device; a detecting processing unit adapted to detect a number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device; a transmitter adapted to transmit notification of which account or accounts are active on the entertainment device to a push server; a receiver adapted to receive at least a first usage control parameter of at least one account active on the entertainment device from the push server; and a restriction processing unit adapted to restrict usage of content on the entertainment device responsive to the at least first usage control parameter; wherein at least one of the at least a first usage control parameter for at least the first account relates to the restriction of usage of content responsive to the number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device. ### Claim 10 A push server, comprising an account database adapted to hold data for a plurality of accounts associated with respective access to content on a class of entertainment devices; a receiver adapted to receive, from a remote device, at least a first usage control parameter set for at least a first account; an association processing unit adapted to associate the at least the first usage control parameter with the at least the first account in the plurality of accounts held by the push server; a receiver adapted to receive notification from an entertainment device that the first account is active on the entertainment device; and a transmitter adapted to transmit to the entertainment device the at least the first usage control parameter set for the at least the first account; wherein at least one of the at least a first usage control parameter for at least the first account relates to the restriction of usage of content responsive to the number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to the entertainment device. ### Claim 11 A remote device, comprising an account selection processing unit adapted to select at least a first account associated with access to content on a class of entertainment devices; a setting processing unit adapted to set at least a first usage control parameter for the at least a first account; and a transmitter adapted to transmit an indication of each selected account and the respective at least the first usage control parameter for each selected account to a push server; wherein at least one of the at least the first usage control parameter for at least the first account relates to restriction of usage of content responsive to a number or type of input peripherals operably coupled to a given entertainment device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9, 10) A system of supervisory control, comprising: the entertainment device of claim 9; and the server of claim 10. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11, 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising: the remote device of claim 11.