Feature management of an electronic device
A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device. Modern communication devices are capable of many things, including making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. Depending on who is using the communication device, such as a child or an employee, there may be a need or desire to regulate how that communication device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device.
1. A system for managing an electronic device, comprising:
a policy decider storing a list of policies that control one or more functions associated with the electronic device, the policy decider deciding to accept or deny a request sent to or from the electronic device to perform the one or more functions and providing a decision to accept or deny the request based on the list of policies; and
a policy enforcer enforcing the decision by the policy decider as to whether the request has been accepted or denied by taking one or more actions consistent with the decision.
2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy for managing at least one type of content.
3. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a total prohibition on at least one type of content.
4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a quantity limit on at least one type of content in a given period of time.
5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a limit on how many units of value can be spent by the user on at least one type of content in a given period of time.
6. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a geographic locator that provides a geographic location of the electronic device.
7. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that permits or prohibits at least one type of content based on the geographic location of the electronic device.
8. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a quantity limit on at least one type of content based on the geographic location of the electronic device.
9. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a limit on how many units of value can be spent by the user on at least one type of content based on the geographic location of the electronic device.
10. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the policy enforcer sends an alert to one or more recipients when one or more conditions associated with a type of content have been met.
11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the policy enforcer sends a second alert to the one or more recipients when one or more function conditions associated with the one or more functions have been met.
12. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the one or more recipients include one or more of an administrator managing the policy decider, the user, and a third party.
13. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a limit on at least one type of content, wherein the limit is determined by a filter that reviews the at least one type of content.
14. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the filter is managed by an administrator of the policy decider.
15. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the filter is managed by a third party.
16. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a policy that establishes a time frame during which at least one type of content is blocked or allowed.
17. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the list of policies includes a user established list of policies and an administrator established list of policies, and wherein the administrator established list of policies take precedence over the user established list of policies.
18. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein the list of policies further includes a third party established list of policies, and wherein the third party established list of policies take precedence over at least one of the user established list of policies and the administrator established list of policies.
19. The system as recited in claim 18 , further comprising a location feature associated with the electronic device, wherein the third party established list of policies take precedence over the user established list of policies when a location of the electronic device is within proximity of a location specified by the third party.
20. The system as recited in claim 18 , further comprising a location feature associated with the electronic device, wherein the third party established list of policies take precedence over the administrator established list of policies when a location of the electronic device is within proximity of a location specified by the third party.
21. The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein an institution attended by the user manages the third party established list of policies.
22. The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein an employer of the user manages the third party established list of policies.
23. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a first policy among the list of policies overrides at least a second policy among the list of policies.
24. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is managed by an administrator, and wherein the administrator can establish an administrator policy, wherein the user can establish a user policy, and wherein the administrator policy overrides the user policy.
25. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is managed by an administrator, wherein a charge of a unit of value applies to the request, and wherein the one or more actions consistent with the accepted request include making at least one of the user and the administrator pay the charge.
26. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is managed by an administrator, wherein a charge of a unit of value applies to the request, and wherein the one or more actions consistent with the accepted request include applying the charge to one or more of a user wallet, an administrator wallet, and a dynamic wallet.
27. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions consistent with the denied request include terminating the request, redirecting the request, and degrading the request.
28. The system as recited in claim 27 , wherein the one or more actions consistent with the denied request further include notifying at least one of the administrator and the user.
29. The system as recited in claim 27 , wherein the one or more actions consistent with the denied request further include notifying a third party.
30. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions consistent with the accepted request include one or more of decrementing a charge of units of value from an account associated with the electronic device, determining a balance of units of value in the account, determining a status of the account, and implementing the request.
31. A system for managing an electronic device used, comprising:
a policy decider storing a list of policies that control one or more functions associated with the electronic device, the policy decider deciding to accept or deny a request sent to or from the electronic device to perform the functions and providing a decision to accept or deny the request based on one or more policies from the list of policies; and
a policy enforcer enforcing the decision by taking one or more actions consistent with the decision.
32. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a rule for managing a content associated with the electronic device, and wherein the rule is a total prohibition on the content.
33. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a rule for managing a content associated with the electronic device, and wherein the rule establishes a quantity limit on the content in a given period of time.
34. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a rule for managing a content associated with the electronic device, and wherein the rule establishes a limit on how many units of value can be spent by the user on the content in a given period of time.
35. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the policy enforcer sends an alert to one or more recipients when one or more conditions associated with a rule from the list of policies are met.
36. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a rule for managing a content associated with the electronic device, and wherein the rule establishes a limit on a type of the content.
37. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a rule for managing a content associated with the electronic device, and wherein the rule establishes a time frame during which the content is allowed.
38. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a user established list of policies, an administrator established list of policies, and/or a third party established list of policies, wherein the administrator established list of policies can take precedence over the user established list of policies, and wherein the third party established list of policies can take precedence over the user established list of policies and the administrator established list of policies.
39. The system as recited in claim 38 , wherein an institution attended by the user or an employer of the user manages the third party established list of policies.
40. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes a rule for managing a content associated with the electronic device, wherein the electronic device can be geographically located with a location feature, and wherein the rule establishes a geographic location within which the content is allowed.
41. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the list of policies includes one or more rules for managing a content associated with the electronic device, and wherein a first rule among the one or more rules overrides at least a second rule among the one or more rules.
42. The system as recited in claim 31 , wherein the electronic device is managed by an administrator, and wherein the list of policies includes one or more rules for managing a content associated with the electronic device, wherein the administrator can establish an administrator rule, wherein the user can establish a user rule, and wherein the administrator rule overrides the user rule.