Parental Control Policy Generation via Demographic Repository

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Solution Overview

Problem

Configuring parental control software to effectively restrict access to inappropriate digital content is time-consuming and often ineffective due to the complexity of parameters and lack of user experience, leading to either failure in blocking objectionable content or restricting access to non-objectable content.

Innovation Solution

A system that generates and maintains parental control policies using a global repository of access control information, allowing for the creation of customized policies based on user demographics and effectiveness data, which includes existing policies, user feedback, and classification of web content, to efficiently configure and update restrictions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If parental control software is manually configured by users, then the software can be customized to specific needs, but the configuration process becomes time-consuming and frustrating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of parental control policiesVSAvoidtime required for configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures parental control policies based on user demographic information (age, gender, location) before the user needs them. By analyzing effectiveness data from other users with similar demographics, the system generates ready-to-use policies that users can immediately deploy without manual configuration, thus resolving the contradiction between customization and time consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically generates and updates parental control policies using effectiveness data collected from the community of users. The policies are self-adjusting based on real-world performance feedback, eliminating the need for users to manually tune complex parameters while maintaining high adaptability to different family needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If parental control software is manually configured without experience, then setup is simpler, but the control becomes ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of setupVSAvoideffectiveness of content restriction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system collects effectiveness data from users about whether their parental control policies are working as intended. This feedback is analyzed to improve future policy recommendations, ensuring that even inexperienced users receive reliable, proven-effective configurations without needing manual tuning expertise

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates universally applicable policy templates based on demographic categories that work effectively across multiple users with similar characteristics. These pre-tested templates provide reliable content restriction for any user within a demographic group while maintaining ease of deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If strict parental control policies are applied, then inappropriate content is blocked, but access to non-objectionable content is also restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblocking of inappropriate contentVSAvoidaccess to appropriate content

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system tailors parental control policies to specific local conditions including user demographics, child's age, and family preferences. By analyzing effectiveness data from similar families, the system adjusts restrictions to block only inappropriate content while maintaining access to age-appropriate and non-objectionable material, resolving the contradiction between strict blocking and appropriate access

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If comprehensive parental control policies are created, then all inappropriate content is covered, but the complexity of configuration increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of content coverageVSAvoidcomplexity of policy parameters

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates comprehensive parental control policies by copying and adapting proven-effective configurations from other users with similar demographics. Instead of requiring users to manually configure complex parameters, the system replicates successful policies and customizes them based on specific family needs, maintaining completeness while reducing configuration complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS8640190B1Parental control policy generation

Publication Date: 2014.01.28 GEN DIGITAL INC

AI summary

Various systems and methods generate access control policies. For example, one method can receive attribute information regarding a computer user. The method can compare the attribute information with access control information and select a value of an access restriction based on a result of the comparing. The access restriction indicates whether a computer resource can be accessed or not. The method then generates an access control policy that includes the value of the access restriction.