Apparatus and method for restricting the execution of a program
View Patent ↗An attribute detector detects the attributes of a user of a program. A determining unit determines, based on the detected attribute of a user, whether the user is a superior user for whom usage restriction is not necessary or a subordinate user for whom the usage restriction is necessary, for a program of a first type. The program of the first type is a program appealing to the taste of the user and that is frequently run by the user for many hours. When the user is verified to be the subordinate user and also when the user has executed a program of a second type for a predetermined number of recommended executions, a permission/rejection determining unit permits the execution of the program of the first type.
1. A program execution restriction apparatus connecting to a plurality of clients via a communication means, the apparatus comprising:
an attribute detector operating to acquire a user attribute from a user requesting access to a program in any of the plurality of clients via the communication means;
a user information storage unit operating to store user attributes associated with a restriction flag;
a determining unit operating to determine, by referencing the user information storage unit based on the acquired user attribute, whether the user is a superior user or a subordinate user and to determine whether a restriction is placed if the determination is made that the acquired user attribute has an associated restriction flag;
a permission/rejection determining unit operating to place a restriction mode on a user when the user is determined to be a subordinate user, whereby access to a program of an entertainment type is restricted and access to a program of a learning type is permitted,
wherein the permission/rejection determining unit receives a progress status from a subordinate user of completion of a program of a learning type, and when the progress status meets a certain threshold, suspends the restriction mode on the subordinate user so that access to a program of an entertainment type is permitted; and
a status conveying unit operating to convey to the superior user, via the communication means, a relative result of the subordinate user in a plurality of users registered in the program execution restriction apparatus, the relative result being defined in a general population set according to an instruction of the superior user.
2. A program execution restriction apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a restriction severity setting unit operating to set, according to an instruction from the subordinate user, as to a level of execution of the leaning program by the user at which the execution of the entertainment is permitted.
3. A program execution restriction apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a first promotion unit operating to present a learning program to the user in such a manner that the learning program is selectable from among a plurality of learning programs.
4. A program execution restriction apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a progress control unit operating to perform an operation such that when the subordinate user has completed one entertainment program, another program of entertainment program is offered to the subordinate user.
5. A program execution restriction apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second promotion unit operating to present an entertainment program to the user in such a manner that the entertainment program is selectable from among a plurality of entertainment programs.
6. A method, for restricting the execution of a program, executable by a processor, the method comprising:
acquiring a user attribute from a user requesting access to a program in any of a plurality of clients connected via a communication means;
storing user attributes associated with a restriction flag;
determining, by referencing an acquired user attribute, whether the user is a superior user or a subordinate user and determining whether a restriction is placed if a determination is made that the acquired user attribute has an associated restriction flag;
placing a restriction mode on a user when the user is determined to be a subordinate user, whereby access to a program of an entertainment type is restricted and access to a program of a learning type is permitted;
receiving a progress status from a subordinate user of completion of a program of a learning type, and, when the progress status meets a certain threshold, suspending the restriction mode on the subordinate user so that access to a program of an entertainment type is permitted; and
conveying to the superior user, via the communication means, a relative result of the subordinate user in a plurality of users using the plurality of clients, the relative result being defined in a general population set according to an instruction of the superior user.
7. A program embedded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program comprising:
an acquiring module operative to acquire a user attribute from a user requesting access to a program in any of a plurality of clients connected via a communication means;
a user information storage module operative to store user attributes associated with a restriction flag;
a determining module operative to determine, based on an acquired user attribute, whether the user is a superior user or a subordinate user and to determine whether a restriction is placed if the determination is made that the acquired user attribute has an associated restriction flag;
a permitting module operative to place a restriction mode on a user when the user is determined to be a subordinate user, whereby access to a program of an entertainment type is restricted and access to a program of a learning type is permitted,
wherein the permitting module receives a progress status from a subordinate user of completion of a program of a learning type, and when the progress status meets a certain threshold, suspends the restriction mode on the subordinate user so that access to a program of an entertainment type is permitted; and
a conveying module operative to convey to the superior user, via the communication means, a relative result of the subordinate user in a plurality of users using the plurality of clients, the relative result being defined in a general population set according to an instruction of the superior user.
8. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:
the general population for calculating the relative result of the subordinate user can be freely set by the superior user, and
the restriction severity setting unit operates to set, according to an instruction provided from the superior user using a device different from the client controlled by the subordinate user, as to a level of execution of the leaning program by the subordinate user at which the execution of the entertainment is permitted.