Remote Supervisory Control for Multi-Account Entertainment Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for supervisory control of children's mobile devices are inadequate for managing complex entertainment devices like the PlayStation 4, which support multiple accounts and varying usage scenarios, lacking comprehensive parental control over content access and usage across different devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allows parents to set usage control parameters for entertainment devices via a remote device, monitoring active accounts, and restricting content access based on these parameters, even when multiple accounts are active, considering factors like age ratings, play duration, peripherals, and interaction modes, ensuring consistent supervision across devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If control software is installed on mobile devices to restrict application access, then parental control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the parent's device and the entertainment device. The server handles the complex control logic, account management, and parameter processing, while the parent only needs to interact with a simple control panel on their mobile device. This mediates the complexity by offloading it to a centralized service rather than embedding it in multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The entertainment device automatically monitors which accounts are active and applies the appropriate usage control parameters without requiring manual intervention from the parent. The system self-manages the complex tasks of tracking multiple accounts, detecting active users, and enforcing restrictions based on pre-configured parameters, reducing the operational burden on parents.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple accounts are supported on entertainment devices for different users, then user versatility is improved, but supervisory control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The entertainment device continuously provides feedback to the server about which accounts are currently active. This real-time information flow enables the server to dynamically adjust control parameters based on the actual usage state. The feedback mechanism automates the detection of active users and triggers appropriate restriction enforcement without requiring manual monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex logic for managing multiple accounts and determining appropriate restrictions is extracted from the entertainment device and centralized on the server. The entertainment device only needs to report active accounts, while the server handles the sophisticated decision-making about which usage parameters to apply, separating the complexity of multi-account management from the execution layer.
3Measurement precision
If usage control parameters are set for specific devices, then control precision is improved, but adaptability across different devices decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal control system where usage parameters are defined in a device-agnostic manner on the server. The same set of parameters (time limits, age ratings, content restrictions) can be applied across different entertainment devices and account types. The system universally handles various device types, account configurations, and usage scenarios through a unified control framework that adapts to different contexts while maintaining consistent parental oversight.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of supervisory control, comprises 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 that class, which account or accounts are active on 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.