Activity-Based Child Device Configuration via Parent Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telecommunications devices lack flexible and adaptive solutions to limit access to inappropriate content and communications while still enabling educational and interactive experiences for children, as existing configuration options are inflexible and primarily exclusionary, failing to facilitate close parent-child interactions.
Innovation Solution
A telecommunications system that designates a parent device to remotely configure and customize the functionality of a child device, allowing selective access to activities, contacts, applications, and content, enabling parents to limit exposure while introducing new experiences and enhancing interaction through a multi-user subscription plan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If configuration options are made exclusionary to limit access to inappropriate content and communications, then child safety is improved, but parent-child interaction and educational opportunities are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms static exclusionary configurations into dynamic activity-based configurations. Parents can dynamically create, modify, and update activity lists that define what children can access. The child device continuously receives and applies updated activity lists from the parent device, enabling flexible adjustment of access permissions without requiring complex parental intervention for each change.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an activity list as an intermediary layer between the child device and the broader telecommunication system. This activity list acts as a mediator that translates parental intentions into specific access permissions, allowing parents to control content and communications indirectly through predefined activity categories rather than directly managing each individual restriction.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If comprehensive access control is implemented to protect children, then safety is improved, but flexibility and ease of configuration are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary action by pre-defining activities and organizing them into activity lists before the child needs access to restricted content. Parents can prepare multiple activity lists in advance (e.g., for different times of day, days of the week, or occasions) and the child device automatically receives and applies the appropriate list without requiring real-time parental intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from individual content/communication permissions to activity-based permissions. Instead of configuring each specific website, application, or contact separately, parents control access at the activity level, which fundamentally simplifies the configuration process while maintaining comprehensive control capabilities.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If detailed configuration controls are provided to limit communications capabilities, then child protection is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The activity list structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it controls content access, communication permissions, and application usage all through a single unified mechanism. One activity list can comprehensively define what a child can do on the device, eliminating the need for separate configuration systems for each type of restriction.
Data Source
AI summary
A telecommunications network offers a subscription plan or feature for parent and activity-based child devices. Configuration choices are made at the parent device and communicated to the activity-based child device. The child device creates a graphical menu showing activities as specified by the configuration information received from the parent device.