Gateway Server for Supervised Online Identity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing parental control mechanisms are limited in controlling access to online services across multiple devices and locations, especially for minors, as they often require device-specific updates and lack granularity in managing online behavior and access times.
Innovation Solution
A supervised identity gateway server manages online identities by maintaining access information and enforcing access policies across devices, monitoring online activities, and notifying parents of potential misuse or exposure to inappropriate content, while keeping sensitive information confidential from the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device-specific parental control software is installed on each protected computing device, then parental control capability is provided, but device complexity and installation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway server as an intermediary that centralizes parental control functionality. Instead of installing software on each child's device, the gateway server mediates between parents and multiple child devices, providing control capabilities through a single installation point while reducing device complexity and installation burden
2Ease of operation
If home-based or cloud-based parental control mechanisms are used, then centralized control is achieved, but control effectiveness outside home or cloud environment is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway server is designed with multi-functionality to operate effectively in multiple environments. It can function as a home-based system when devices are at home, transition to a cloud-based system when devices are remotely connected via internet, and provide offline capabilities through local network operations, thereby achieving universal parental control across different locations and network conditions
3Reliability
If comprehensive monitoring of online activities is implemented, then parental oversight is enhanced, but loss of user privacy and information security increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements differentiated monitoring with local quality by distinguishing between types of information. The gateway server performs comprehensive monitoring of online activities for parental oversight, while simultaneously protecting sensitive personal information such as passwords and private messages by not transmitting or storing them. This selective approach ensures parental control effectiveness while preserving user privacy for non-sensitive matters
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies to facilitate supervision of an online identify include a gateway server to facilitate and monitor access to an online service by a user of a “child” client computer device. The gateway server may include an identity manager to receive a request for access to the online service from the client computing device, retrieve access information to the online service, and facilitate access to the online service for the client computing device using the access information. The access information is kept confidential from the user. The gateway server may also include an activity monitor module to control activity between the client computing device and the online service based on the set of policy rules of a policy database. The gateway server may transmit notifications of such activity to a “parental” client computing device for review and/or approval, which also may be used to update the policy database.