System and methods for controlled device access

A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon executable by a computer processor to manage media access in a controlled media system, comprising:

• computer readable code to produce a usage report at a local control unit, the usage report based on usage information from local usage records associated with one or more user devices controlled by the local control unit, wherein each user device includes a plurality of operating modes including an entertainment mode and a study mode, and wherein the local control unit is configured to maintain separate user accounts associated with each operating mode;
• computer readable code to communicate the usage report to a system control unit from the local control unit for updating global usage records;
• computer readable code to detect the reception of updated global usage records from the system control unit, the updated global usage records associating device usage user accounts;
• computer readable code to update the separate user accounts at the local control unit based on whether the user device is operating in an entertainment mode or a study mode;
• and
• computer readable code to update the local usage records responsive to receipt of the updated global usage records, and cause the local control unit to selectively enable and disable each user device based on the updated local usage records, and, when updated global usage records are not received the local control unit to selectively enable and disable each user device based on the local usage records.

A controlled media system, comprising:

• a system control unit;
• at least one local control unit in selective communication with the system control unit;
• at least one user device controlled by, and in selective communication with, each local control unit;
• at least one processor within the system control unit;
• and
• at least one computer readable memory device within the system control unit which is readable by the processor, the computer readable memory device including a series of computer executable steps configured to cause the processor to:
• communicate a usage report to the system control unit from each local control unit, each usage report based on usage information from a local usage record associated with each user device controlled by each local control unit;
• update a global usage record based on each usage report, the global usage record associating user device usage with one or more user accounts;
• and
• transmit the updated global usage record to each local control unit;
• wherein each local usage record is updated responsive to receipt of the updated global usage record at each the local control unit, the associated local control unit selectively enabling and disabling the at least one user device associated with the local control unit based on the associated updated local usage record;
• wherein each associated local control unit is configured to selectively enable and disable the associated at least one user device based on the local usage record when the updated global usage record is not received;
• and
• wherein each user device includes a plurality of operating modes including an entertainment mode and a study mode, and wherein the local control units are configured to maintain separate user accounts associated with each operating mode.

A controlled media system, comprising:

• a system control unit, the system control unit tracking global usage of user devices by global user account;
• at least one local control unit in selective communication with the system control unit, each local control unit tracking usage information including local use of user devices by local user account and communicating usage reports based on the usage information to the system control unit;
• and
• at least one user device controlled by, and in selective communication with each local control unit;
• wherein each local control unit is configured to selectively enable and disable associated user devices based on the local control unit monitoring of one or more local user accounts;
• and
• wherein the system control unit provides updated global user accounts to the local control unit based on the global usage of user devices, each local control unit updating the local user accounts with the updated global user accounts;
• and
• wherein each user device includes a plurality of operating modes including an entertainment mode and a study mode, and wherein the local control units are configured to maintain separate user accounts associated with each operating mode.