WO2002054200A2

WO2002054200A2 - Method and system for parental internet control

Info

Publication number: WO2002054200A2
Application number: PCT/IL2001/001212
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Katzir
Original assignee: David Katzir
Priority date: 2000-12-28
Filing date: 2001-12-27
Publication date: 2002-07-11
Also published as: WO2002054200A3; EP1374008A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for carrying out Parental Control when browsing the Internet by means of a computer, which comprises: (a) Providing a Parental Control application; (b) Providing in said parental control application several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages; (c) Providing at least two mouse components, each mouse component having its unique ID; (d) Associating with each mouse component one or more of said setups; (e) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet, activating said Parental Control application; (f) Retrieving by said application the ID of the mouse component connected; and (g) Activating by said application the setup associated with the ID of said mouse component, thereby activating its corresponding Internet access restrictions. In one embodiment of the invention, the mouse component is the computer mouse. In another embodiment of the invention, the mouse component is a User ID Module.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PARENTAL INTERNET CONTROL

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method and system for providing parental

control over use of the Internet. More particularly, the invention relates

to a method and system for parental control in which the mouse of the

computer assumes an important role in restricting access to selected

sites.

Background of the Invention

The rapid expansion of the Internet has created a problem for parents

who wish to restrict access of their computer to certain types of Internet

sites.

The Internet has, on the one hand, increased the freedom of expression

by enabling Internet sites to offer material that essentially cannot be

controlled or censored, but on the other hand, it has created a problem in

that it is essentially impossible to control or limit access to specific types

of materials that are offered by Internet sites, particularly sites catering

to adults only. The term "Parental control" refers to the ability to control the Internet

content accessible via a specific computer. For example, there exist

programs for preventing sites that meet specific criteria from being

accessed by a specific computer. These programs are useful for those

who cannot supervise their computer all the time. Such programs could

be used for censorship, but also as tools to be used at the user's

discretion.

Some browsers, such as the Internet Explorer 5, provide a parental

control software. It helps the user to control the types of content that his

computer can access on the Internet. The user can adjust the types of

content other people can view, with or without his permission. He also

can override content settings on a case-by-case basis. Moreover, the user

can set up a list of Web sites that other people can never view,

regardless of how the sites' contents are rated, and set up a list of Web

sites always accessible, again regardless of content rating.

Cyber Patrol (www.cyberpatrol.com) is another Parental Control

program. Cyber Patrol controls access from any computer to the

Internet. Using this program, the access to the Internet can be restricted

at the client level. It is an Internet access management utility that also

manages application usage from a PC. It allows parents or teachers to manage computer use in their own household or classroom. Cyber Patrol

loads during start-up and runs in the background to control access to

applications or Internet sites.

In the above-mentioned examples, the Parental Control is subject to the

user's profile. Two or more levels are determined - the "parent" level,

and the "child" level (s). The parent can set up and alter the Internet

access to restricted sites. Although the default setup may be the "child"

level, the parent still has to be careful not to leave the computer

unattended in the "parent" level, and hence, operating according to this

Parent Control scheme is both inconvenient and inefficient. Some

Parental Control requires entering a password in order to operate in the

"parental mode", and this has its drawbacks, such as the need to

remember it, which is inconvenient. Furthermore, the password is

entered only once, and the checking as to the user's identity is not ,

continuous.

Another drawback is that sometimes the parent does not remember at

what level he left the computer unattended, and when passing nearby,

when his child uses the computer or even when the computer is off,

there is no clear indication for him at what level the computer is, or in

what level it will operate when next turned on. In another aspect, chatting by means of the Internet may cause

significant problems for children and their parents. A well known

problem is the abuse of children by adults via chatting. When these

adults are caught, they frequently claim that they did not know that

they were chatting with a child. Therefore, when the user of the

computer is a child, it is another object of the invention to send to

hischatting party a clear warning message that he is chatting with a

child. Then, if the adult abuses the child and is caught, he can no longer

claim that he didn't know the age of his chatting party.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and

system for Parental Control, in which the user need not type the user-

name nor the password.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and

system for Parental Control, wherein access levels are predefined and

the suitable access level is selected automatically according to the one

currently using the computer.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and

system for Parental Control, upon which the current user identity is easily distinguished.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a method and system

for Parental Control, upon which the control level is checked periodically

during the computer operation according to the user's identity.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method

and system for parental Internet access control, upon which the parent

is provided with a clear indication external to the computer by which he

can determine in which Parental Control level the computer is active, or

moreover, even if the computer is off, he can determine which Parental

Control level is active.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method

and system for parental Internet access control, suitable for operation by

children.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a warning to an

adult chat partner that he is chatting with a child.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a noticeable

indication which restriction setup is used. It is a still further object of the invention to provide to a remote user,

communicating with the current user of the system, the exact age of the

current user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as

the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for carrying out Parental

Control when browsing the Internet by means of a computer, which

comprises: (a) Providing a Parental Control application; (b) Providing in

the parental control application several setups, each setup including

predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages; (c)

Providing at least two mouse components, each mouse component

having its unique ID; (d) Associating with each mouse component one or

more of the setups; (e) When operating the computer for browsing the

Internet, activating the Parental Control application; (f) Retrieving by

the application the ID of the mouse component connected; and (g)

Activating by the application the setup, associated with the ID of the

mouse component, thereby activating its corresponding Internet access

restrictions. According to one embodiment of the invention the Parental Control

application is a module of the Internet browser. According to another

embodiment of invention the Parental Control application is a module

separate from the Internet browser.

Preferably, the ID of the mouse component is a unique ID stored in a

memory storage within the mouse.

According to one embodiment of the invention the first of said at least

two mouse component is given to a parent, and a second is given to a

child. In that case, the setup associated with the ID of the parent mouse

component includes less restrictions than those in the setup of the child's

mouse, or null restrictions.

Preferably the mouse component is a mouse, wherein the parent's mouse

differs in shape and/or color from the child's mouse.

Preferably the differences in shape and/or color between the parent's

mouse and the child mouse are so significant as to be easily noticed even

from a considerable distance. Preferably, the ability to define the restrictions in the setups is

restricted, such as by the requirement to provide a password.

Preferably, the associating of setups to a mouse ID is restricted, such as

by the requirement to provide a password.

In order to increase the efficiency of the method of the invention, the

mouse of the parent should be kept in a safe place inaccessible to the

child when not in use.

The invention further relates to a system for carrying out parental

control which comprises a parental control application, and at least two

mouse components.

Preferably, the parental control application comprises several setups,

each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing Internet sites

or Web pages.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mouse component

comprises an ID and the parental control application comprises software

means for retrieving said ID. In one embodiment of the invention the

mouse component is a mouse. Preferably, each mouse comprises a first plug to which a second plug in

the cable leading to the computer is connected, the first plug is located

within the case of the mouse. Alternatively, the first plug may be located

external to the mouse casing, several centimeters therefrom, a data

cable connecting between said first plug and the mouse.

Preferably, the method of the invention further comprises the steps of:

(a) Defining a "child" user according to the ID of the mouse component

he uses; (b) Determining when a chat session is activated by said

"child" user; and (c) Sending a message to the chat partner of said

"child" user to warn him that he is chatting with a child.

Preferably the system of the invention further comprises: (a) Means in

the parental application for defining a "child" user; (b) A warning

message for warning a chat partner that he is chatting with a child; (c)

A module within the parental application for determining when a chat

session is activated by the "child" user, and for sending the warning to

the chat partner when such session is found active.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the warning message

is a predefined message being an integral part of the parental control application. Preferably the warning message is a message which is

predefined by an adult user of the computer.

In another embodiment of the invention, when the mouse components

are at least one UIDMs connectable to the mouse system of the

computer, the method of the invention further comprises: (a) each UIDM

having its unique ID; (b) Associating with each UIDM one or more of the

setups; (c) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet,

activating the Parental Control application; (d) Retrieving by the

application the ID of the UIDM connected to the mouse of the computer;

and (e) Activating by the application the setup associated with the ID of

the UIDM, thereby activating its Internet access restrictions.

Preferably a UIDM is given to a parent, and said UIDM being

connected to the mouse only when the parent is working on the

computer, and removed at other times. Preferably, the most restricted

setup is activated when no UIDM is connected to the mouse.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the mouse system

further comprises a light indicator that lights when a UIDM is

connected to the mouse system or alternatively lights when a UIDM is

not connected to the mouse system. Preferably, the associating of setups to a UIDM ID is restricted, such

as by the requirement to provide a password.

Preferably the UIDM is connected by inserting it into a slot within the

mouse system. According to one embodiment of the invention, the

mouse system comprises a mouse connectable to the computer and a

slot, wherein the UIDM is connectable to said slot within the mouse.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the mouse system

comprises a mouse and an identification box connectable to the mouse

and computer, and the UIDM is connectable to a slot within the

identification box. According to a further embodiment of the

invention, the UIDM is connected by inserting it into a slot within a

mouse pad.

Preferably the system of the invention comprises a parental control

application, and at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse system

of the computer.

Preferably the UIDM comprises an ID and the parental control

application comprises software means for retrieving said ID. The invention further relates to a method for carrying out Security

Control when browsing the Internet by means of a computer, which

comprises: (a) Providing a Security Control application; (b) Providing

in the Security control application several setups, each setup

including predefined restrictions for accessing data from a computer;

(c) Providing at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse system of

the computer, each UIDM having its unique ID; (d) Associating with

each UIDM one or more of the setups; (e) When operating the

computer, activating said Security Control application; (f) Retrieving

by the application the ID of the UIDM connected to the mouse system

of the computer; and (g) Activating by the Security Application the

setup associated with the ID of the UIDM, thereby activating the

security restrictions associated with the UIDM.

Preferably different UIDMs are given to different users, and the

UIDM is connected to the mouse system only when the user is

working on the computer, and removed at other times.

The invention further relates to a system for carrying out security

control which comprises a security control application, and at least

one UIDM connectable to the mouse system of the computer.

Preferably the security control application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing data from

the computer.

Preferably the UIDM comprises an ID and the security control

application comprises software means for retrieving the ID.

Preferably the age of the user is recorded within the mouse

component, which can be retrieved from the mouse component by a

remote application with which the user is remotely connected.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates in block diagram form the structure of a Parental

Control system, according to the prior art;

Fig. 2 illustrates in block diagram form the components of a

Parental Control system, according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates a mouse controlling system, according to one

embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates a mouse designed for children, according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for defining a setup in

a Parental Control application, according to one embodiment of the

invention;

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a high level flowchart of a process for

initiating a Parental Control scheme, according to one embodiment of

the invention;

Fig. 7 illustrates a GUI form for defining the Parental control

scheme, according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 8a and 8b illustrate a mouse that comprises a socket according

to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a flow diagram describing a process for warning a chat

partner that he is chatting with a child;

Fig. 10 illustrates a mouse comprising one electronic card, on which

the ID is stored within its circuitry, according to one embodiment of the

present invention;

Fig. 11 illustrates a circuit for indicating the presence of the parental

UIDM in a mouse, according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 12 schematically illustrates an "identification" box, according to one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 13 schematically illustrates in a flowchart form an age

verification sequence, according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 14 schematically illustrates a mouse pad with UIDM reading

capability, according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

In order to facilitate the reading of the description to follows, a number

of terms employed in the art are defined below:

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a "plug and play" interface between

computer and add-on devices (such as audio players, joysticks,

keyboards, telephones, scanners, and printers). With USB, a new device

can be added to a host computer without having to add an adapter card

or even having to turn the computer off. The USB peripheral bus

standard was developed by Compaq, IBM, DEC, Intel, Microsoft, NEC,

and Northern Telecom and the technology is available without charge

for all computer and device vendors.

A UART is the microchip with programming that controls a

computer's interface to its attached serial devices. Specifically, it

provides the computer with the RS-232C Data Terminal Equipment (Data Terminal Equipment) interface so that it can "talk" to and

exchange data with modems and other serial devices.

RS-232C is a long-established standard ("C" is the current version)

that describes the physical interface and protocol for relatively low-speed

serial data communication between computers and related devices.

A GUI (Graphical User Interface) is used to refer to software

applications that are easier to use than their text-based predecessors.

GUI programs use icons, toolbars, taskbars and other friendly, point-

and-click functions.

A SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a card inserted into GSM

phones that contains the telephone account information of a user. It

lets a user to use a borrowed or rented GSM phone as if it were your

own. According to the invention, a card similar to the SIM is used,

said card is connected to the mouse of the computer.

In order to prevent forbidden Web pages from being accessed by the

user, prior art Parental Control programs implement "filtering"

methods. Some of the filtering methods used in the art are: Checking the content of a Web page: Prior to the presentation of a

Web page by the Web browser, the browser searches for forbidden

predefined words and their synonyms in the Web page. Whenever such

words are detected, in which Web page the browser does not display the

Web page. The words can be searched in the Web address, as well.

Web search: Whenever a user carries out a Web search, the browser

may add some conditions, such that the Web search will not find the

Web sites containing forbidden words. For example, when searching for

Web sites according to the keyword "MONIE", the browser may alter the

searching string "MONIE" to "(MONIE) AND NOT (SEX) AND NOT

(XXX)", wherein XXX indicates any one or more forbidden words.

Restriction of Web addresses: The access to predefined Web

addresses may be restricted. For example, if the parent wishes to

restrict the access to the Web address (www.hardcore.com), then

whenever the browser tries to access this Web address or its derivatives

(such as www.hardcore.com/couples.htm), the browser displays a

message indicating that the access to this URL (Uniform Resource

Location, i.e. a Web address) is forbidden.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates in block diagram form the structure of a

Parental Control system, according to the prior art. The components are:

A list of categories 30. The categories may define a control level, such as "Sex", "Nudity", etc. Each category is comprised of a list of keywords

10, comprising words the presence of which in a Web page or address

indicates that the Web page should not be displayed; a list of Web sites

20, comprising forbidden Web sites; and a list of ratings 80. The

predetermined rating in the list is compared with the rating as given to

the site and accordingly access and display of pages may be allowed or

not. Any other restricting rules 90 may exist. The user can establish a

predetermined setup as provided by the browser, and can add and alter

any setup according to his wish.

Optionally, the access to the Parental Control setup can be restricted

or not by a password 40.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a block diagram of the components in the

Parental Control system, according to one embodiment of the invention.

In addition to the components described in Fig. 1, the system includes

the mouse 50 of the computer that comprises an ID retrievable by the

computer to which it is attached. The retrieval of the ID is carried out by

means of interface 100. Preferably, in addition to the ID, specific mouse

types are given specific color and shapes, according to the age of the

user. The system comprises also a list of IDs 60, and a specific

combination of parameters from the lists 10, 20 and 30, that is associated with each of the IDs. Each combination can be defined

generally by the parent using the computer and is called herein a

"setup".

The interface 100 may be a part of a Parental Control software, or a

separate module. One of its operations is to retrieve an ID from the

mouse. It is recommended that the retrieval be carried out periodically,

in order to set or change the parental control level upon the replacement

of the mouse attached to the computer system.

The parents should keep their mouse in a safe place away from the

children. According to the invention, different mouse types are given to

different users. For example, in one family there may exist two mouses,

one for the parents, and another for the children. The mouse of the

parents should have a different ID and preferably different shape and

color than the mouse of the children.

The ID of the mouse is used for identifying the user. Hence, the profile

(setup) of the current user is associated with the ID of the mouse.

Whenever the attached mouse does not comprise an ID, or the ID is not

familiar to the Parental Control system of the invention, the most

restricted categories (or setup) are activated. Using a mouse as identification means results in some benefits as

compared to the prior art:

No password with the attendant inconveniences is required;

Forgetting a password is more probable than losing a mouse;

Parental Control restrictions are activated even upon leaving the

computer unattended, according to the type of mouse connected to the

computer;

The active Parental configuration can be ascertained by a glance,

since it is associated with a certain mouse, usually one distinctly

different in shape and/or color from others. For example, as the mouse

of the child is made in a specific shape and color, the parent can easily

determine what Parental Control level is activated.

According to the prior art, the- PC mouse controlling system has the

following parts: Sensors, mouse controller, communication link,

interface, and driver. Sensors are the movement detectors that sense the

mouse movement and button switches, which sense the button states.

The mouse controller within the mouse reads the state of those sensors

and takes account of current mouse position. When this information

changes the mouse controller sends a packet of data to the computer

interface via the mouse driver. The mouse driver receives that data packet and decodes the information

from it and acts according to the information. Typically, the mouse

driver conveys information regarding the mouse position and button

states, and provides it to the application. Typically, the mouse driver

calls mouse cursor moving routines when the mouse is moved and sends

messages to the software when buttons are pressed.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the ID of the mouse is

periodically retrieved by interface 100.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a mouse controlling system, according to

one embodiment of the invention. Mouse 50 is connected to the computer

110 by the serial interface 112 (such as RS-232C). The communication is

carried out by two transmitting chips (such as UARTs) 111 (on the

computer side) and 51 (on the mouse side). The transmitting chip 51 can

receive input from the sensors 53 or from the ID storage means 52.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the ID may be

conveyed to the application by means of USB, when such option exists in

the computer.

There are several options for conveying the ID from the mouse to the computer. According to a first option, the ID may be conveyed upon

retrieving the call from the Parental Control application. According to a

second option, the ID is conveyed periodically. According to a third

option, the ID is conveyed to the computer any time that the mouse is

moved, in addition to the displacement information.

The parental control can be implemented as a software module/utility or

as a part of the Web browser. The programming environment of the

browser "Internet Explorer 5" provides functions for controlling and

monitoring the browser's operation. Using such software means enables

development of a separate software application that can "hook" Web

pages before their presentation. A more sophisticated application can

filter not only Web pages, but also any other Web service, such as FTP

(File Transfer Protocol) and e-mail.

Fig. 4 illustrates a mouse designed for a child, according to one

embodiment of the invention. Due to its special design and/or color, a

parent can note at a glance if the active Parental Control setup is the

"parent" setup or a "child" setup. As said, it is preferable that the mouse

of the child be different in shape and/or color from the mouse of the

parent's mouse. Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for defining the setup for a

parent/child scheme in a Parental Control application, according to one

embodiment of the invention.

At step 201, the process starts, by executing the setup program/

utility.

At 202, if the "parent" has already been defined, the process

continues with step 205, otherwise, step 203.

At 203, the user is told (by the program/utility) to attach the parent's

mouse. The user attaches the parent's mouse to the computer.

At 204, the software retrieves the ID of the parent's mouse and saves

it in a memory location.

At 205, the user is asked to attach the child's mouse to the computer.

At 206, the ID of the child's mouse is retrieved by the program/

utility and saved.

At 207, the user is asked to define the setup to be associated with the

ID of child's mouse as saved in step 206.

At 208, the user is asked if he wishes to define the setup associated

with an additional mouse. If the answer is 'Υes", the process returns to

step 205. If however the answer is "No", the process continues with step

209, where the process for defining mouse setups ends. A specific setup is thus associated with each specific mouse, and

therefore the Parental Control application "knows" which setup to

activate, according to the connected mouse.

Since a mouse can be lost or even broken, a password may be used as a

substitute for the ID of the mouse of the parent. Of course, the password

can be used as an additional security means.

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process of Parental Control,

according to one embodiment of the invention. It should be noted that

upon turning on the computer, the Parental Control application is

activated automatically, and it works in the background as long as the

computer is on, or at least as long as the browser is on. Those skilled in

the art will appreciate that there are a variety of ways to invoke the

Parental Control application.

At 101, the process starts.

At 102, the ID of the mouse is retrieved.

At 103, the retrieved ID is compared with the list of IDs as saved in

the Parental Control application.

At 104, if the ID is determined to be on said list, the process continues

to step 105, in which the setup associated with that ID is activated.

Otherwise, if the ID is not found in said list, the process continues with step 106, where the Parental Control application activates all the

restrictions defined in all the various setups.

At 107, the process ends.

It should be noted that the process illustrated in Fig. 6 is performed

periodically, for example, every 1 to 3 minutes.

Fig. 7 schematically illustrates an exemplary GUI form for defining the

Parental Control scheme, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Entry to the GUI form is restricted by a password (not shown) or

presence of the parent's mouse, enabling access only to the parent.

Two levels of operation may be defined: The Parent level and the Child

level. Selecting the Parent level is carried out by clicking the radio

button 301, and selecting the Child level is carried out by clicking the

radio button 302. This way, more than one mouse can be set to operate

in the Parent level.

The keywords upon which a Web page is deemed forbidden are included

in box 308, and may be edited by the user. The forbidden Web sites are

included in box 308, and may also be edited by the user. Whenever the user wishes to define the setup of a mouse, he attaches

the mouse to the computer, and clicks on button 304. As a result, the ID

of the mouse appears on text box 303. If the mouse ID was already

defined, then its associated keywords and Web sites are loaded and

shown in text boxes 308 and 307, so he may alter the content.

Upon clicking the OK button 305, the altered setup is stored. Upon

clicking the Cancel button 306, the system returns the old definitions

associated with the attached ID of the mouse.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many variations to

a GUI for defining and altering the setup. For example, in order to help

a parent set up the Parental Control parameters, software for Parental

Control may comprise some predefined setups, such as those existing in

Internet Explorer 5. The parent may select one of the predefined setups,

and alter the parameters according to his preferences.

In another aspect, the act of chatting by means of the Internet has

created a significant problem to parents. There are many reported cases

of child abuse by adults using Internet chat lines. Afterwards, when

such an abuser is caught, in many cases he claims that while chatting

he was unaware that hispartner was underage. The present invention provides a solution to this problem. Fig. 9 shows a block diagram

illustrating this solution. Blocks in this scheme, which are identical to

blocks in Fig. 6 and have a same numeric indication, perform essentially

the same function. As previously discussed, the invention provides

means for the parental control application to know anytime whether an

adult or a child is working on the computer (according to the ID of the

mouse that is connected to the computer), Furthermore, means for

determining when a chat session is active over the computer are within

the scope of those who are skilled in the art of Internet programming.

In the flow diagram of Fig. 9, if the ID of the mouse is found to be of a

child (block 137), or if the ID is found to be unknown to the parental

control application (and therefore in block 106 all restrictions are

activated), a check is made to verify when a chat session is activated. In

said two cases the application assumes that a child operates the

computer, and it automatically sends a message to the other chat

partner to warn him that he is chatting with a child. An example for

such a message may be: "THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM THE

PARENTAL CONTROL APPLICATION OF YOUR CHATTING

PARTNER: YOU ARE WARNED THAT YOUR CHATTING PARTNER

IS A CHILD, AND ARE THERFORE ADVISED TO BEHAVE

ACCORDINGLY.". Therefore, if the chatting partner does not respect this warning, and he abuses the child chatting with him, if and when he

is caught he will be unable to claim that he was not aware that he was

chatting with a child.

Two types of chat types are currently known. A first chat type is a stand

alone program, such as MIRC. A second chat type includes those chat

sessions which are activated directly from Internet sites. It is of course

necessary for the application to determine if and when a chat session is

active, and accordingly send a message (if the user of the computer is a

child). As said, it is within the skill of those who are familiar with

Internet programming to know whether a chat session is active. If the

chat program is a stand alone local application, which is activated from

the local computer of the user, the task is easier, as this chat application

may be predefined or introduced to the parental control application to

follow up when it is activated. For chat sessions, which are activated

from HTML pages of Internet sites, the task is slightly more

complicated, but still possible. A first sign that should be checked and is

characteristic to such chat session is whether Java Applets are active.

Furthermore, chat sessions have other typical characteristics, such as

the rate of the transfer of characters between the session partners etc.

Those who are skilled in the art may find and apply other characteristics

of chat sessions, for determining whether or when a chat session is active.

Currently, attaching a mouse to a personal computer is carried out via a

socket at the rear of the computer. When implementing the present

invention, the mouse is likely to be plugged in and out more often than

is usually the case in standard computer operations. Since approaching

the rear side of the computer is inconvenient, preferably according to the

invention, the mouse is designed to include a socket for its cable, in

addition or in substitute to the socket on rear entry.

Figs. 8a and 8b illustrate a mouse that comprises a socket 60 according

to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The data cable 70, upon

which the information is passed from mouse 50 to the computer, can be

plugged in and pulled out from the socket 60 of the mouse 50. In this

way, switching from one mouse to another becomes an easy procedure.

In the regular form, the cable 70 is a part of mouse 50.

In the above embodiments, the mouse is used as an identification

means. Hence, the parent should keep his mouse in a safe place in order

to prevent the child from accessing predefined types of Internet sites.

Due to the size of the mouse, it is not practical to carry it in a pocket but

preferable to store it in a safe place, such as a locked drawer. According to still another embodiment of the invention, a small portable

and replaceable device is provided on which the ID of the mouse is

stored. Using such a replaceable device may eliminate the need to hold

the mouse in a safe place and the need to install a new mouse whenever

the parent or child operates the computer.

Fig. 10 schematically illustrates a mouse 50 of the invention, comprising

a card 61, on which the ID is stored within its circuitry, according to an

embodiment of the present invention. The electronic card 61 is installed

into mouse 50 by plugging it in socket 62.

According to this embodiment of the invention, a dedicated card 61 is

provided at least to the parent with a specific ID on it, different than the

ID of the child.

Upon checking the current ID of the mouse, the mouse's circuitry reads

the ID from the electronic card 61, and conveys it to the host computer

(via the means that connect the mouse with the host computer), as

described above.

While the mouse 50 is too big to be stored in a wallet, the electronic card 61 is small, and therefore suitable for stowing in a wallet, pocket, and so

forth, and its presence does not bother the parent.

Preferably, the mouse further comprises an indicator 63, which lights or

blinks whenever the card 61 of the parent is installed into the mouse

alerting the parent that the parent less restricted setup is active. Of

course other operation schemes can be implemented, such as a red color

whenever the parent's ID is indicated, and a green color whenever the

parent's ID is not installed, and so forth.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there is a variety of ways of

embedding an ID in an electronic card. One familiar way is a SIM

(Subscriber Identity Module), such as the SIM used in mobile

telephones. Hereinafter when the term UIDM (User ID Module) is used,

it should be noted that it refers to any type of a card containing memory

storing an ID, similar to a SIM card.

Fig. 11 illustrates a circuit for indicating the presence of the parental ID

in a mouse, according to one embodiment of the invention. Upon

inserting the electronic card 61 into the mouse, switch 64 is pressed, and

the circuit 65 is closing. The power 66, which its source is from the

computer, turns on the led 63, upon which the parent is able to notice that the setup of the parent is active.

It should be noted that there may exist two types of cases:

1. If the mouse includes an integrated ID in it, the insertion of the card

(UIDM) causes overlap of the mouse ID so that the ID of the card will be

read by the computer, however only the ID of the card will be read by

the computer.

2. In another alternative both the ID of the mouse and the ID of the

card when inserted will be read by the computer, however only the ID if

the card will indicate to the setup who is using the computer, and what

restrictions to apply.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention the

system including a UIDM card insertable to the mouse of the computer,

together with its associated setup can be used to restrict a user from

accessing various applications or data, may it be local (i.e., within the

PC of the user, or remote (e.g., over the local network or over the

Internet). More particularly, the system with a minor modification can

also be used as a security means, when UIDMs with personal IDs are

distributed to different users. For example, since a computer may comprise important material to the

parent, some operations such as deletion or accessing files may be

restricted to the case when the parent's ID is inserted in the mouse

system.

Fig. 12 schematically illustrates an "identification" box, according to one

embodiment of the invention. The "identification" box 80 is inserted

between the mouse 50 and computer 110. The identification box 80

comprises a connector 88, which connects the identification box 80 to the

computer 110.

The connection between the mouse and the identification box is carried

out by the connector 58 of the mouse and the connector 89 of the

identification box. The connection between the identification box 80 and

the computer is carried out by the connector 88 of the identification box

and the connector 119 of the computer 110. The connectors are of the

types PS/2 or USB.

The Identification box deals with the common protocols of connecting a

mouse to a computer system, PS/2 and USB. These protocols use 4 wires

to connect the mouse to the computer:

The VCC and GND, which are used for the power source to the ouse;

The +D and -D or SDATA and SCLCK, which are used for conveying

data between the mouse and the computer, including acknowledgments

and control.

The identification box enables to the connected mouse to operate

"transparently", i.e. the mouse and the hosting computer are operating

like no identification box was connected to the system.

The identification 80 box comprises a socket for inserting the ID card 61.

In addition, the identification box is able to read or write the content of

the ID card 61. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that currently the

use UIDM- writers is very common.

By the microcontroller 82, the identification box 80 intercepts data

transferred between the mouse and the hosting computer, and interferes

whenever it is needed. Moreover, the software element 100 (as seen in

Fig. 2) can communicate with the microcontroller 82.

Typically, the microcontroller periodically checks the presence of the ID

card 61, and if the card is not present or the ID is not the parent's ID,

the software element 100 forces the most severe restrictions, according to the Parental Control setup.

The benefits of using the identification box over the socket inside the

mouse is:

The user (parent or child) is not limited to the mouse with the socket,

but can use any type of mouse;

Since the identification box can alter the content of the ID card, a

plurality of ID cards can be issued (usually by the parent), each of which

with a different Parental Control scheme.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the age of the user is

recorded in the UIDM. The recorded age is used to approve/disapprove

activities with remote users, such as while shopping in the Internet,

entering into adults chat etc. Fig. 13 schematically illustrates in a

flowchart form an age based approval/disapproval sequence. The

flowchart starts at block 131, wherein the user age is recorded into the

user's UIDM 61 and then the UIDM 61 is stored in the user's mouse. At

the next step, block 132, whenever a user is trying to perform an activity

with a remote user, a checking is made by the application of said remote

user or by the local application the age stored in the UIDM 61. At the

next step, block 133, the age of the user is checked or compared with a

required threshold age for performing the activity or not, as is defined. If however, the age is above the threshold, then at the next step, block 135,

the activity is approved. If the age is below the threshold, then the

activity is disproved (block 134). For example, adults sites may be forced

to check the age of the user, as recorded on its UIDM 61, and if the age

is found below a threshold age (e.g., below 21), the activity is

terminated.

It should be noted that registration of the age on the UIDM 61 should be

restricted only to authorized people that register the age only after

restriction. For example, only the dealer who sells the UIDM may be

allowed to register the age. Moreover, the age may be registered only by

using a suitable encrypted system.

In similar manner, the age of the mouse user is recorded within the

"identification" box 80 (shown in Fig. 12) or within the personal mouse of

the user.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the UIDM 61 is inserted

into a slot within the mouse pad having UIDM reading capability. For

example, Fig. 14 illustrates a mouse pad 141 with UIDM reading

capability. UIDM 61 is inserted into UIDM slot 142. The mouse pad is

connected by cable 143 to the computer. Cable 143 can use any suitable connection protocol, such as USB, PS/2 etc.

While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of

illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried into

practice with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with

the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within

the scope of persons skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit

of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for carrying out Parental Control when browsing the

Internet by means of a computer, comprising:

a) Providing a Parental Control application;

b) Providing in said parental control application several setups,

each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing

Internet sites or Web pages;

c) Providing at least two mouse components, each mouse

component having its unique ID;

d) Associating with each mouse component one or more of said

setups;

e) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet,

activating said Parental Control application;

f) Retrieving by said application the ID of the mouse component

connected; and

g) Activating by said application the setup associated with the ID

of said mouse component, thereby activating its corresponding

Internet access restrictions.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the Parental Control

application is a module of the Internet browser.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the Parental Control

application is a module separate from the Internet browser.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ID of the mouse

component is a unique ID stored in a memory storage within the mouse.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a first of said at least two

mouse component is given to a parent, and a second is given to a child.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the setup associated with the

ID of the parent mouse component includes less restrictions than those

in the setup of the child's mouse, or null restrictions.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mouse component is a

mouse.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the parent's mouse differs in

shape and/or color from the child's mouse.

9. A method according to claim -8, wherein the differences in shape

and/or color between the parent's mouse and the child mouse are so

significant as to be easily noticed even from a considerable distance.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ability to define the

restrictions in the setups is restricted.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein defining the restrictions in

the setups is restricted by a password.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein associating of setups to a

mouse ID is restricted.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein associating setups to a

mouse ID is restricted by a password.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mouse component of the

parent is kept in a safe place inaccessible to the child, when not in use.

15. A system for carrying out parental control which comprises a

parental control application, and at least two mouse components.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the parental control

application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined

restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the mouse component

comprises an ID and the parental control application comprises software

means for retrieving said ID.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the mouse component is a

^' mouse.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein each mouse comprises a first

plug to which a second plug in the cable leading to the computer is

connected.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein said first plug is located

within the case of the mouse.

21. A system according to claim 18, wherein said first plug is located

external to the mouse casing, several centimeters therefrom, a data

cable connecting between said first plug and the mouse.

22. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a) Defining a "child" user according to the ID of the mouse

component he uses; b) Determining when a chat session is activated by said "child"

user; and

c) Sending a message to the chat partner of said "child" user to

warn him that he is chatting with a child.

23. A system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a) Means in said parental application for defining a "child" user;

b) A warning message for warning a chat partner that he is

chatting with a child.

c) A module within said parental application for determining

when a chat session is activated by said "child" user, and for

sending said warning to said chat partner when such session is

found active.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the warning message is a

predefined message being an integral part of the parental control

application.

25. A system according to claim 23, wherein the warning message is a

message which is predefined by an adult user of the computer.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein: a) the mouse components are at least one UIDMs connectable to

the mouse system of the computer, each UIDM having its

unique ID;

b) Associating with each UIDM one or more of the setups;

c) When operating the computer for browsing the Internet,

activating said Parental Control application;

d) Retrieving by said application the ID of the UIDM connected

to the mouse of the computer; and

e) Activating by said application the setup associated with the ID

of said UIDM, thereby activating its ' Internet access

restrictions.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the Parental Control

application is a module of the Internet browser.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the Parental Control

application is a module separate from the Internet browser.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein the ID of the UIDM is a

unique ID stored in a memory storage within the UIDM.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein a UIDM is given to a

parent, and the UIDM is connected to the mouse only when the parent is

working on the computer, and removed at other times.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the setup associated with

the ID of the parent UIDM includes less restrictions than those in the

setup of a child's UIDM, or null restriction.

32. . A method according to claim 30, wherein the most restricted setup is

activated when no UIDM is connected to the mouse.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the mouse system further

comprises a light indicator that lights when a UIDM is connected to the

mouse system or alternatively lights when a UIDM is not connected to

the mouse system.

34. A method according to claim 26, wherein the ability to define the

restrictions in the setups is restricted.

35. A method according to claim 26, wherein defining the restrictions in

the setups is restricted by a password.

36. A method according to claim 26, wherein the associating of setups to

a UIDM ID is restricted.

37. A method according to claim 26, wherein associating setups to a

UIDM ID is restricted by a password.

38. A method according to claim 31 wherein the UIDM of the parent is

kept in a safe place inaccessible to the child, when not in use.

39. A method according to claim 26, wherein the UIDM is connected by

inserting it into a slot within the mouse system.

40. A method according to claim 26, wherein the mouse system

comprises a mouse connectable to the computer and a slot, wherein the

UIDM is connectable to a slot within the mouse.

41. A method according to claim 26, wherein the mouse system

comprises a mouse and an identification box connectable to said mouse

and computer, and wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within

said identification box.

42. A method according to claim 26, wherein the UIDM is connected by re¬

inserting it into a slot within a mouse pad.

43. A system for carrying out parental control which comprises a

parental control application, and at least one UIDM connectable to the

mouse system of the computer.

44. A system according to claim 43, wherein the parental control

application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined

restrictions for accessing Internet sites or Web pages.

45. A system according to claim 43, wherein the UIDM comprises an ID

and the parental control application comprises software means for

retrieving said ID.

46. A method for carrying out Security Control when browsing the

Internet by means of a computer, comprising:

a) Providing a Security Control application;

b) Providing in said Security control application several setups,

each setup including predefined restrictions for accessing data

from a computer;

c) Providing at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse system

of the computer, each UIDM having its unique ID; d) Associating with each UIDM one or more of said setups;

e) When operating the computer, activating said Security Control

application;

f) Retrieving by said application the ID of the UIDM connected

to the mouse system of the computer; and

g) Activating by said Security Application the setup associated

with the ID of said UIDM, thereby activating the security

restrictions associated with said UIDM.

47. A method according to claim 46, wherein the ID of the UIDM is a

unique ID stored in memory storage within the UIDM.

48. A method according to claim 46, wherein different UIDMs are given

to different users, and the UIDM is connected to the mouse system only

when the user is working on the computer, and removed at other times.

49. A method according to claim 46, wherein the mouse system further

comprises a light indicator that lights when a UIDM is connected to the

mouse system or alternatively lights when a UIDM is not connected to

the mouse system.

50. A method according to claim 47, wherein the ability to define the restrictions in the setups is restricted.

51. A method according to claim 46, wherein defining the restrictions in

the setups is restricted by a password.

52. A method according to claim 46, wherein associating of setups to a

UIDM ID is restricted.

53. A method according to claim 46, wherein associating setups to a

UIDM ID is restricted by a password.

54. A method according to claim 46 wherein the UIDM of the computer

user is kept in a safe place inaccessible to other, when not in use.

55. A method according to claim 46, wherein the UIDM is connected by

inserting it into the slot within the mouse system.

56. A system for carrying out security control which comprises a security

control application, and at least one UIDM connectable to the mouse

system of the computer.

57. A system according to claim 56, wherein the security control application comprises several setups, each setup including predefined

restrictions for accessing data from said computer.

58. A system according to claim 56, wherein the UIDM comprises an ID

and the security control application comprises software means for

retrieving said ID.

59. A system according to claim 56, wherein the mouse system comprises

a mouse connectable to the computer and a slot wherein the UIDM is

connectable to a slot within the mouse.

60. A system according to claim 56, wherein the mouse system comprises

a mouse connectable to the computer and a slot wherein the UIDM is

connectable to a slot within the mouse pad.

61. A system according to claim 56, wherein the mouse system comprises

a mouse and an identification box connectable to said mouse and

computer, and wherein the UIDM is connectable to a slot within the

mouse.

62. A method according to claim 1, wherein the age of the user is

recorded within the mouse component, which can be retrieved from the ouse component by a remote application with which the user is

remotely connected.