English:
[0001] Presently, applications for mobile, tablet, and other computing devices provide parental monitoring features to allow parents to decide how much screen time a child can have (e.g., the amount of time the child spends using the mobile, tablet, or other computing device). These applications may restrict the access of a child to a particular number of hours per day, or a particular period of time during the day (e.g., from 3PM to 8 PM). Other applications restrict the child from viewing or downloading a particular type of content, such are adult content.
[0002] Other presently-available applications for mobile, tablet, or other computing devices allow a parent to set an allowance (e.g., an amount of money that can be used for purchases of media or applications). Other applications allow a parent to restrict marketplace access for a child.
[0003] Systems and methods of the disclosed subject matter provide for establishing media content and/or application selection accounts for a child account for a device, and linking the child account with a parent account having payment information. A parent and/or guardian, via the parent account, may set parameters for approving or declining media content and/or application requests received from a child account. The selected media content may include audio items, video items, applications, books, articles, or the like for download, viewing, and/or purchase. In embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, settings may be selected so as to auto- approve or auto-decline media content and/or applications selections made by a child account, and/or allow the parent account to actively approve the media content and/or application selections. The embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may also allow a parent to select options in a parent account to set an allowance for an associated child account, and may allow the parent to selection options which may control the type of media content and/or applications the allowance amount is being spent on by the child via the child account.
[0004] According to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a method is provided that includes linking, at a memory device of a server, a child account to a parent account, where the parent account includes payment information, setting, at the memory device of the server via the parent account, a risk tolerance for at least one of a media content and an application selected via the child account, receiving a selection, at the server, for at least one of a media content and an application via the child account, identifying, at the server, a risk basis value of the selected at least one of the media content and the application for the child account, approving, at the server, the selected at least one of media content and the application for the child account when the identified risk basis value of the at least one of the media content and the application is equal to or less than the set risk tolerance, notifying, at the server, the parent account of the received selection of the at least one of the media content and the application from the child account, and transmitting, from the server, the approved selected at least one of the media content and the application to a device associated with the child account.
[0005] According to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a system is provided that includes a first device that is associated with a child account, a second device that is associated with a parent account, where the parent account includes payment information, and a server to link the child account to the parent account in a memory device of the server, set a risk tolerance in the memory device of the server for at least one of a media content and an application selected via the child account according to input received from the parent account of the second device, to receive a selection for at least one of the media content and the application via the child account, identify a risk basis value of the selected at least one of the media content and the application for the child account, approve the selected at least one of the media content and the application for the child account when the identified risk basis value of the at least one of the media content and application is equal to or less than the set risk tolerance, notify the parent account of the received selection of at least one of the media content and the application from the child account, and transmit the approved selected at least one of the media content and the application to the first device.
[0006] According to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, means for selecting and approving at least one of a media content and an application are provided that include linking, at a memory device of a server, a child account to a parent account, where the parent account includes payment information, setting, at the memory device of the server via the parent account, a risk tolerance for at least one of a media content and an application selected via the child account, receiving a selection, at the server, for at least one of a media content and an application via the child account, identifying, at the server, a risk basis value of the selected at least one of the media content and the application for the child account, approving, at the server, the selected at least one of the media content and the application for the child account when the identified risk basis value of the media content and the application is equal to or less than the set risk tolerance, notifying, at the server, the parent account of the received selection of the at least one of the media content and the application from the child account, and transmitting, from the server, the approved selected at least one of the media content and the application to a device associated with the child account.
[0007] Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. For example, some embodiments of the invention provide a computer server as described herein which is arranged to carry out the described methods, and some embodiments provide computer program code, or one or more computer readable media carrying such computer program code, arranged to put the described methods into effect on suitable computer systems such as the described server. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description are illustrative and are intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the claims.
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a method of processing requests for content that is selected via a user interface of a child account, where the child account that is linked to a parent account according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a display screen of a device associated with a parent account that can receive a selection of a risk tolerance for media content and/or an application selected via the child account according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a display screen of a device associated with a child account to receive a selection of media content and/or an application according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0012] FIG. 4A shows a display screen of the device associated with the parent account to notify the parent account of media content and/or an application selection received via the child account according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0013] FIG. 4B shows a display screen of the device associated with the child account to provide a notification of approval of the media content and/or an application selection according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0014] FIG. 5 shows a computing device according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0015] FIG. 6 shows a network configuration according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0016] FIG. 7 shows an example network and system configuration according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
[0017] Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide application-based, service- based, and/or device-based accounts that allow a child-based account to be tied to an account of a parent and/or guardian. The child account may have a link to payment information of the associated parent account, such that purchases of media content and/or applications may be made with a parent's payment information. The parent account may receive one or more selections by a parent to approve or deny each request for new content made by an associated child account.
[0019] The parent, via selecting one or more options in the parent account, may control settings as to how and/or when the child account may make content purchases using the parent's payment information. The parent may also control settings to approve or decline a child's requests to view and/or download media content and/or an application selected by an associated child account. When a child makes a request to purchase, download, and/or view the media content and/or the application, the parent receives a notification message (e.g., via a parent application).
[0020] Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may approve requests to purchase, download, and/or view digital content according to one or more settings in an account (e.g., in either the child account that is linked to a parent account, or in the parent account). The settings may be selected to approve or deny content requested by a child according to at least one of content type, content rating, educational value of the content, frequency of requests/purchases, cost of requests/purchases, genre of application, intent of an application, and/or percentage of allowance spent. The embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may receive selections in a parent account to set an allowance for an associated child account, and may receive one or more selections to set the type of media content and/or application the allowance amount may be spent on by a child via the child account.
[0021] Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide applications with selectable settings to increase the rate at which transactions for purchases, media content, and/or application requests may be approved. The embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide access to paid and/or unpaid content more rapidly, and minimize delay in children being able to access educational and/or entertaining content that meets the content guidelines and/or criteria established by a parent and/or guardian.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a method 100 of processing requests for content selected by a child account that is linked to a parent account according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. At operation 102, a server (e.g., server 13 and/or remote platform 17 shown in FIG. 6, and/or processing unit 14 and/or analysis system 5 shown in FIG. 7, and discussed in detail below), may link a child account to a parent account in a memory device of the server, where the parent account includes payment information. Payment information may include, for example, bank account information, credit card information, debit account information, and/or any other suitable payment account information. A device may be a smart phone, smart watch, tablet, wearable computing device, or the like, such as device 10, 11 shown in detail in FIG. 5 and discussed below, as well as shown in FIGS. 2-4, 6, and 7 and discussed below. In some embodiments, the child account may be associated with a first device, and the parent account may be associated with a second device. In some embodiments, a single device may be linked to both the parent account and the child account.
[0023] A parent account may be created so as to include payment information, and may be registered with the server, and a child account may be subsequently created and linked to the parent account. The parent account may be an account of a parent and/or guardian (e.g., legal guardian, teacher, school administrator, or the like). One of more child accounts can be associated with a parent account. For example, a parent may have children with different ages, and each of the child accounts may be associated with the parent account. In some embodiments, risk tolerances may be independently set for each of the child accounts associated with the parent account, as discussed in detail below. Alternatively, settings for risk tolerance can be set and applied to all of and/or a select number of the child accounts.
[0024] A risk tolerance may be set, for example, in a memory device of the server (e.g., server 13 shown in FIG. 6, and/or remote service 11 and/or processing unit 14 shown in FIG. 7), for media content and/or an application selected via the child account at operation 104. In some embodiments, such as those discussed below in connection with FIG. 2, a risk tolerance may be set according to a content type. FIG. 2 shows a device 10, 11, which is discussed in detail below in connection with FIGS. 5-7, which may be associated with a parent account and may include a user interface 200 to receive selections from a parent user. Selections received via the user interface 200 may be provided to the server, and associated with the parent account and/or one or more child accounts.
[0025] The user interface 200 shown in FIG. 2 may include options 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, and 280, which may be selected by a user. The selection of one or more of these options may display another user interface (not shown), in which a user may change an account, set approvals, set allowances, adjust settings and/or values, or the like. The user interface 200 shown in FIG. 2 may receive a selection of option 210 from a parent to change a child account (e.g., if there are a plurality of child accounts associated with the parent account). Upon selection of the child account via option 210, the parent may set approvals for the selected child account via the user interface 200, as discussed below.
[0026] The user interface 200 may receive a selection of option 220 to set approval for a content type. For example, a selected media content and/or an application may be a book that is rated as educational may have a lower risk score than non-educational books (e.g., comic books). In another example, the selected media content and/or an application that may be age appropriate for the child associated with the child account may have a lower risk score than media content and/or an application having an age range that is higher than that of the child of the child account. In yet another example, when the genre is a video game, the parent may select and/or set this type of content as being higher risk content.
[0027] In some embodiments, the risk tolerance may be set according to a content rating by selecting an option 230 to set approvals for content rating from the user interface 200. For example, by selecting option 230, the parent and/or guardian may allow purchases of media content and/or an application for kids aged 5-8, but no media content and/or an application for children who are 9 or older, if the child is 8 years old. The parent and/or guardian may also set a risk tolerance according to an educational value of the media content and/or application by selecting option 240 to set approvals for educational content value from the user interface 200.
[0028] In some embodiments, the risk tolerance may be set according to a set frequency of purchases by selecting option 250 to set approvals for frequency of purchase. For example, the risk tolerance may be adjusted to accept or decline back-to-back-to-back purchases of similar media content and/or an application. The risk tolerance may also be adjusted according to a cost of purchases by selecting option 260 to set approvals for cost of purchases with user interface 200. In some embodiments, the cost may be associated with the type of media content and/or application. For example, the risk tolerance may be adjusted to that $0.99 books may be auto- approved, but an in-application purchase for $100 of credit for a particular game would require parental approval.
[0029] In some embodiments, a risk tolerance may be set according to a genre or intent by selecting option 270 to set approvals for educational content value. For example, a risk tolerance may be set such that all applications (i.e., selected media content and/or application) that allow child to contact non-family members may be escalated to the parent (e.g., to be approved by the parent) for a child account of a child that is at or below a predetermined age (e.g., children under 13 years old).
[0030] In some embodiments, a risk tolerance may be set by selecting option 280 of user interface 200 to set a percentage of an allocated allowance for the child account with the set allowance value. For example, the risk tolerance may be set by the parent so that if a cost of a selected media content and/or an application is greater than a pre-determined percentage of the allowance, the selected media content and/or application is to be approved by the parent.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, a selection may be received, at the server, for media content and/or an application via the child account at operation 106. FIG. 3 shows a device 10, 11 which may include a user interface 300, which may be associated with the child account. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the device 10, 11 having user interface 300 may be associated with at least one of the child account and the parent account.
[0032] The user interface 300 may receive a selection (e.g., from a child) for media content and/or an application. For example, the user interface 300 may include media content and/or application selections for an audio item 302, a video item 304, an application 306, and/or a book or article 308. The audio item selection 302 may receive a request for media content for one or more songs, an album, an audio book, a podcast, or the like. The user interface 300 may receive a selection for the video item 304, which may be a request for a movie, television show, documentary, educational video, and/or any other suitable video content. The user interface 300 may receive a selection for the application 306, which may be a request for a software application for the device 10, 11. The user interface 300 may receive a selection for a book or article 308, which may be a request to download, view, and/or purchase a book, an article, and/or any other suitable text document.
[0033] When a request for media content and/or application has been made at operation 106 of FIG. 1, a risk basis value of the selected media content and/or application for the child account may be identified at the server at operation 108. According to the selection of the media content and/or application and the risk tolerance for media content and/or application that is set by the parent account as described above in connection with FIG. 2, the server may determine a risk basis value. In some embodiments, the risk basis value may be a numerical value that is determined by, for example, the server based on at least one of a rating, age range, media content type and/or application content type, and/or cost of the selected media content and/or application, and/or the child account initiating the request. For example, the server may determine the numerical value based on the rating, the age range, the media content type, and/or cost of the selected media content. The server may assign the determined numerical value to be the risk basis value, and the server may compare the risk basis value with a risk tolerance to determine whether to pre-approve the requested media item.
[0034] The risk basis value may determine whether the media content and/or application request from the child account may be auto-approved by the parent account (e.g., according to one or more settings received by the parent account), whether the request may need parental approval, and/or whether the media content and/or application request is auto-denied by the parent account. For example, when the risk basis value is equal to or less than the set risk tolerance, the selected media content and/or application may be auto-approved by the patent account. When the risk basis value is, for example, within a predetermined range that is greater than the set risk tolerance, the request for the media content and/or the application may need parental approval via the parent account. When the risk basis value is, for example, greater than the predetermined range that is greater than the set risk tolerance, the request for the media content and/or the application may be auto-denied by the parent account.
[0035] At operation 110, the selected media content and/or application for the child account may be approved, at the server, when the identified risk basis value of the media content and/or application is equal to or less than the set risk tolerance.
[0036] The parent account may be notified of the received selection of media content and/or an application from the child account at operation 112. FIG. 4A shows an example of a device 10, 11 associated with the parent account. The user interface 400 of the device 10, 1 1 may provide and/or display a notification 405 of a media content and/or an application request from a child account. In some embodiments, the notification may include identifying information for the child and/or child account associated with the request. For example, when there are a plurality of child accounts associated with a parent account, the notification 405 may provide identifying information of the child account making the media content and/or the application request. The user interface 400 may include a description 410 of the requested media content and/or application. For example, the description 410 may describe the audio item, video item, application, book, and/or article requested by the child account to download, purchase, and/or view. The information may include title, author, artist, rating (e.g., rating by other users and/or critics, level of adult content rating, etc.), length (e.g., number of pages, time length, etc.), educational content level (e.g., grade level), age range, cost, or the like. When the selected media content and/or application is not auto-approved by the parent account according to the approval settings received by user interface 200 of FIG. 2, the parent user of the parent account may select approve 420 or decline 430, to respectively approve or decline the requested media content and/or application request according to the description 410.
[0037] At operation 114 shown in FIG. 1, the approved selected media content and/or application may be transmitted from the server to a device associated with the child account. As shown in FIG. 4B, the device 10, 11 that may be associated with the child account may include a user interface 450, which may provide a notification 455 that the requested media content and/or application has been approved by the parent account. The user interface 450 may include a description 460 of the requested media content and/or applications that has been approved. The child user may select user interface item 470 to download, purchase, and/or view the approved media content and/or application.
[0038] In situations in which the systems discussed here collect personal information about users (e.g., in connection with the parent account and/or child account, discussed above), or may make use of personal information, the users may be provided with an opportunity to control whether programs or features collect user information (e.g., information about a user's social network, social actions or activities, profession, a user's preferences, or a user's current location), or to control whether and/or how to receive content from the content server that may be more relevant to the user. In addition, certain data may be treated in one or more ways before it is stored or used, so that personally identifiable information is removed. For example, a user's identity (e.g., a child's identity) may be treated so that no personally identifiable information can be determined for the user, or a user's geographic location may be generalized where location information is obtained (such as to a city, ZIP code, or state level), so that a particular location of a user cannot be determined. In another example, the location of the device 10, 11 associated with the child account may be controlled so as the location cannot be determined. In some embodiments, the location of the device 10, 11 associated with the child account may only be available to the device 10, 11, associated with the parent account so that the parent is able to determine the location of their child. In the embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, the parent user of the parent account may have control over how information is collected and used about the parent user and the one or more child users.
[0039] Embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter may be implemented in and used with a variety of component and network architectures. FIG. 5 is an example computing device 10, 11 suitable for implementing embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter. The device 10, 11 may be, for example, a desktop or laptop computer, or a mobile computing device such as a smart phone, smart watch, tablet, wearable computing device, or the like. The device 10, 11 may be similar to and/or the same as devices 10, 11 shown in FIGS. 6-7 and described below. The device 10, 11 may include a bus 21 which interconnects major components of the computer 20, such as a central processor 24, a memory 27 such as Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), flash RAM, or the like, a user display 22 such as a display screen, a user input interface 26, which may include one or more controllers and associated user input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, and the like, a fixed storage 23 such as a hard drive, flash storage, and the like, a removable media component 25 operative to control and receive an optical disk, flash drive, and the like, and a network interface 29 operable to communicate with one or more remote devices via a suitable network connection.
[0040] The bus 21 allows data communication between the central processor 24 and one or more memory components, which may include RAM, ROM, and other memory, as previously noted. Typically RAM is the main memory into which an operating system and application programs are loaded. A ROM or flash memory component can contain, among other code, the Basic Input-Output system (BIOS) which controls basic hardware operation such as the interaction with peripheral components. Applications resident with the device 10, 11 are generally stored on and accessed via a computer readable medium, such as a hard disk drive (e.g., fixed storage 23), an optical drive, floppy disk, or other storage medium.
[0041] The fixed storage 23 may be integral with the device 10, 11 or may be separate and accessed through other interfaces. The network interface 29 may provide a direct connection to a remote server via a wired or wireless connection. The network interface 29 may provide such connection using any suitable technique and protocol as will be readily understood by one of skill in the art, including digital cellular telephone, WiFi, Bluetooth(R), near-field, and the like. For example, the network interface 29 may allow the computer to communicate with other computers via one or more local, wide-area, or other communication networks, as described in further detail below.
[0042] Many other devices or components (not shown) may be connected in a similar manner (e.g., document scanners, digital cameras and so on). Conversely, all of the components shown in FIG. 5 need not be present to practice the present disclosure. The components can be interconnected in different ways from that shown. The operation of a computer such as that shown in FIG. 5 is readily known in the art and is not discussed in detail in this application. Code to implement the present disclosure can be stored in computer-readable storage media such as one or more of the memory 27, fixed storage 23, removable media 25, or on a remote storage location.
[0043] FIG. 6 shows an example network arrangement according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. One or more devices 10, 11, such as local computers, smart phones, tablet computing devices, and the like may connect to other devices via one or more networks 7. Each device may be a computing device as previously described. The network may be a local network, wide-area network, the Internet, or any other suitable communication network or networks, and may be implemented on any suitable platform including wired and/or wireless networks. The devices may communicate with one or more remote devices, such as servers 13 and/or databases 15. The remote devices may be directly accessible by the devices 10, 11, or one or more other devices may provide intermediary access such as where a server 13 provides access to resources stored in a database 15. The server 13 and/or the database 15 may provide requested media content and/or application that has been approved by a device 10, 11 associated with a parent account to a device 10, 11 associated with a child account. The server 13 and/or database 15 may store account information. For example, the server 13 and/or the database 15 may store parent account information, account information for one or more child accounts associated with the parent account, risk tolerance information and/or settings so pre-approve and/or pre-decline media content and/or application requests, or the like. The devices 10, 11 also may access remote platforms 17 or services provided by remote platforms 17 such as cloud computing arrangements and services. The remote platform 17 may include one or more servers 13 and/or databases 15.
[0044] FIG. 7 shows an example arrangement according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. One or more devices or systems 10, 11, such as remote services or service providers 11, user devices 10 (e.g., devices associated with a child account and/or a parent account) such as local computers, smart phones, smart watches, wearable computing device, tablet computing devices, and the like, may connect to other devices via one or more networks 7. The remote service providers 11, may be, for example, providers of media content and/or applications, and/or may be services to assess the educational content of selected media content and/or application.
[0045] The network 7 may be a local network, wide-area network, the Internet, or any other suitable communication network or networks, and may be implemented on any suitable platform including wired and/or wireless networks. The devices 10, 11 may communicate with one or more remote computer systems, such as processing units 14, databases 15, and user interface systems 13. In some cases, the devices 10, 11 may communicate with a user-facing interface system 13, which may provide access to one or more other systems such as a database 15, a processing unit 14, or the like. For example, the user interface 13 may be a user-accessible web page that provides data from one or more other computer systems. The user interface 13 may provide different interfaces to different clients, such as where a human-readable web page is provided to a web browser client on a user device 10, and a computer-readable API or other interface is provided to a remote service client 11.
[0046] The user interface 13, database 15, and/or processing units 14 may be part of an integral system, or may include multiple computer systems communicating via a private network, the Internet, or any other suitable network. One or more processing units 14 may be, for example, part of a distributed system such as a cloud-based computing system, search engine, content delivery system, or the like, which may also include or communicate with a database 15 and/or user interface 13. In some arrangements, an analysis system 5 may provide back-end processing, such as where stored or acquired data is pre-processed by the analysis system 5 before delivery to the processing unit 14, database 15, and/or user interface 13. For example, a machine learning system 5 may provide various prediction models, data analysis, or the like to one or more other systems 13, 14, 15. For example, the machine learning system 5 may learn to determine the educational content of selected media content and/or application. In another example, the machine learning system 5 may learn to auto-approve or auto-decline requests for media content and/or application by a child account according to settings in the parent account.
[0047] More generally, various embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter may include or be embodied in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. Embodiments also may be embodied in the form of a computer program product having computer program code containing instructions embodied in non- transitory and/or tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, USB computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. Embodiments also may be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, such that when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.
[0049] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit embodiments of the disclosed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and their practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize those embodiments as well as various embodiments with various modifications as may be suited to the particular use contemplated.

中文:
[0001]目前,对于移动电话、平板计算机和其它计算设备的应用提供父母监视特征以允许父母决定孩子能够具有多少屏幕时间(例如,孩子使用移动计算设备、平板计算设备或其它计算设备花费的时间量)。这些应用可以将孩子的访问限制为每天特定小时数或者一天期间的特定时间段(例如,从3PM到8PM)。其它应用限制孩子观看或者下载特定类型的内容,诸如成人内容)。
[0002]对于移动电话、平板计算机或者其它计算设备的其它目前可用的应用允许父母设置配额(allowance)(例如,能够被用于购买媒体或者应用的金额)。其它应用允许父母限制对于孩子的市场访问。
[0003]所公开的主题的系统和方法提供建立对于设备的孩子账户的媒体内容和/或应用选择账户,并且将孩子账户与具有支付信息的父母账户链接。父母和/或监护人经由父母账户可以针对批准或者拒绝从孩子账户接收到的媒体内容和/或应用请求设置参数。所选择的媒体内容可以包括用于下载、观看和/或购买的音频项、视频项、应用、书籍、文章等。在所公开的主题的实施例中,设置可以被选择以便自动批准或者自动拒绝由孩子账户作出的媒体内容和/或应用选择,和/或允许父母账户主动地批准媒体内容和/或应用选择。所公开的主题的实施例还可以允许父母选择父母账户中的选项以设置相关联的孩子账户的配额,并且可以允许父母选择可以控制孩子经由孩子账户在其上花费配额金额的媒体内容和/或应用的类型的选项。
[0004]根据所公开的主题的实施例,提供了一种方法,包括:在服务器的存储器设备处将孩子账户链接到父母账户,其中,父母账户包括支付信息;在服务器的存储器设备处经由父母账户针对经由孩子账户所选择的媒体内容和应用中的至少一个来设置风险容限;在服务器处接收经由孩子账户对媒体内容和应用中的至少一个的选择;在服务器处标识孩子账户的媒体内容和应用的所选择的至少一个的风险基础值;当媒体内容和应用中的所选择的至少一个的所标识的风险基础值等于或小于设置的风险容限时,在服务器处批准孩子账户的媒体内容和应用中的至少一个;在服务器处向父母账户通知接收到的来自孩子账户的对媒体内容和应用中的至少一个的选择;以及将媒体内容和应用中的批准的所选择的至少一个从服务器传送到与孩子账户相关联的设备。
[0005]根据所公开的主题的实施例,提供了一种系统,包括:第一设备,其与孩子账户相关联;第二设备,其与父母账户相关联,其中,父母账户包括支付信息;以及服务器,其在服务器的存储器设备中将孩子账户链接到父母账户;根据从第二设备的父母账户接收到的输入,在服务器的存储器设备中针对经由孩子账户所选择的媒体内容和应用中的至少一个设置风险容限;接收经由孩子账户对媒体内容和应用中的至少一个的选择;标识孩子账户的媒体内容和应用中的所选择的至少一个的风险基础值;当媒体内容和应用中的所选择的至少一个的所标识的风险基础值等于或小于设置的风险容限时,批准孩子账户的媒体内容和应用中的至少一个;通知父母账户接收到的来自孩子账户的对媒体内容和应用的至少一个的选择;以及将媒体内容和应用中的批准的所选择的至少一个传送到第一设备。
[0006]根据所公开的主题的实施例,提供了用于选择和批准媒体内容和应用中的至少一个的装置,包括:在服务器的存储器设备处将孩子账户链接到父母账户,其中,父母账户包括支付信息;在服务器的存储器设备处经由父母账户针对经由孩子账户所选择的媒体内容和应用中的至少一个来设置风险容限;在服务器处接收经由孩子账户对于媒体内容和应用中的至少一个的选择;在服务器处标识孩子账户的媒体内容和应用的所选择的至少一个的风险基础值;当媒体内容和应用的所标识的风险基础值等于或小于设置的风险容限时,在服务器处批准孩子账户的媒体内容和应用中的所选择的至少一个;在服务器处通知父母账户接收到的来自孩子账户的对媒体内容和应用中的至少一个的选择;以及将媒体内容和应用中的批准的所选择的至少一个从服务器传送到与孩子账户相关联的设备。
[0007]所公开的主题的附加特征、优点、和实施例可以从对以下具体实施方式、附图和权利要求书的考虑而阐述或者变得明显。例如,本发明的一些实施例提供如本文所描述的计算机服务器,其被布置为执行所描述的方法,并且一些实施例提供计算机程序代码,或者携载这样的计算机程序代码的一个或多个计算机可读介质,其被布置为在合适的计算机系统——诸如所描述的服务器——上执行所描述的方法。而且,将理解到,前述发明内容和以下具体实施方式是说明性的并且旨在在不限制权利要求书的范围的情况下提供进一步的解释。
[0009]图1示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的处理对于经由孩子账户的用户界面所选择的内容的请求的方法,其中,孩子账户与父母账户链接。
[0010]图2示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的与能够接收经由孩子账户所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的风险容限的选择的父母账户相关联的设备的显示屏。
[0011]图3示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的接收对媒体内容和/或应用的选择的与孩子账户相关联的设备的显示屏。
[0012]图4A示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的通知父母账户经由孩子账户接收到的媒体内容和/或应用选择的与父母账户相关联的设备的显示屏。
[0013]图4B示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的提供对媒体内容和/或应用选择的批准的通知的与孩子账户相关联的设备的显示屏。
[0014]图5示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的计算设备。
[0015]图6示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的网络配置。
[0016]图7示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的示例网络和系统配置。
[0017]所公开的主题的实施例提供允许基于孩子的账户被绑定到父母和/或监护人的账户的基于应用、基于服务和/或基于设备的账户。孩子账户具有指向相关联的账户的支付信息的链接,使得可以利用父母的支付信息进行媒体内容和/或应用的购买。父母账户可以接收由父母作出的一个或多个选择以批准或者拒绝由相关联的孩子账户作出的对于新内容的每个请求。
[0019]父母经由选择父母账户中的一个或多个选项可以控制关于孩子账户如何和/或何时可以使用父母的支付信息进行内容购买的设置。父母还可以控制设置以批准或者拒绝观看和/或下载由相关联的孩子账户所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的孩子的请求。当孩子作出购买、下载和/或观看媒体内容和/或应用的请求时,父母接收通知消息(例如,经由父母应用)。
[0020]所公开的主题的实施例可以根据在账户中(例如,或者在被链接到父母账户的孩子账户中或者在父母账户中)的一个或多个设置来批准购买、下载和/或观看数字账户的请求。可以选择设置以根据以下各项中的至少一项来批准或者拒绝由孩子所请求的内容:内容类型、内容评级、内容的教育价值、请求/购买的频率、请求/购买的费用、应用的类别、应用的意图和/或花费的配额的百分比。所公开的主题的实施例可以接收在父母账户中的选择以设置相关联的孩子账户的配额,并且可以接收一个或多个选择以设置孩子可以经由孩子账户在其上花费配额金额的媒体内容和/或应用的类型。
[0021]所公开的主题的实施例向应用提供可选择的设置以增加对于购买、媒体内容和/或应用请求的交易可以被批准的速率。所公开的主题的实施例更迅速地提供对付费和/或非付费内容的访问权,并且最小化孩子能够访问满足由父母和/或监护人建立的内容指南和/或准则的教育和/或娱乐内容的延迟。
[0022]图1示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的,处理对于由链接到父母账户的孩子账户所选择的内容的请求的方法100。在操作102处,服务器(例如,图6中所示的服务器13和/或远程平台17、和/或在图7中示出的处理单元14和/或分析系统5,下面将详细讨论)可以在服务器的存储器设备中将孩子账户链接到父母账户,其中,父母账户包括支付信息。例如,支付信息可以包括银行账户信息、信用卡信息、借记账户信息、和/或任何其它合适的支付账户信息。设备可以是智能电话、智能手表、平板计算机、可穿戴计算设备等,诸如在图5中详细示出并且下面所讨论以及在附图2-4、6和7中示出并且下面所讨论的设备10、11。在一些实施例中,孩子账户可以与第一设备相关联,并且父母账户可以与第二设备相关联。在一些实施例中,单个设备可以被链接到父母账户和孩子账户二者。
[0023]父母账户可以被创建以便包括支付信息,并且可以向服务器注册,并且孩子账户可以随后被创建并且被链接到父母账户。父母账户可以是父母和/或监护人(例如,法定监护人、老师、学校管理员等)的账户。一个或多个孩子账户能够与父母账户相关联。例如,父母可以具有不同的年龄的孩子,并且孩子账户中的每个孩子账户可以与父母账户相关联。在一些实施例中,风险容限可以针对与父母账户相关联的孩子账户中的每个孩子账户独立地设置,如下面详细讨论的。替选地,对于风险容限的设置可以被设置并且被应用到所有孩子账户和/或选择数目的孩子账户。
[0024]例如,针对在操作104处经由孩子账户所选择的媒体内容和/或应用,风险容限可以被设置在服务器(例如,在图6中所示的服务器13、和/或在图7中所示的远程服务11和/或处理单元14)中。在一些实施例——诸如结合图2在下文所讨论的那些实施例中,风险容限可以根据内容类型来设置。图2示出了结合图5-7在下面详细讨论的设备10、11,其可以与父母账户相关联并且可以包括从父母用户接收选择的用户界面200。经由用户界面200接收到的选择可以被提供到服务器,并且与父母账户和/或一个或多个孩子账户相关联。
[0025]图2中所示的用户界面200可以包括选项210、220、230、240、250、260、270和280,其可以由用户选择。这些选项中的一个或多个的选择可以显示另一用户界面(未示出),其中,用户可以改变账户、设置批准、设置配额、调节设置和/或值等。图2中所示的用户界面200可以从父母接收对选项210的选择来改变孩子账户(例如,如果存在与父母账户相关联的多个孩子账户)。在经由选项210选择孩子账户时,父母可以经由用户界面200设置对于所选择的孩子账户的批准,如下面所讨论的。
[0026]用户界面200可以接收对选项220的选择以设置对于内容类型的批准。例如,可以是被评定为教育性的书籍的所选择的媒体内容和/或应用可以具有比非教育性书籍(例如,漫画书)更低的风险得分。在另一示例中,可以是对于与孩子账户相关联的孩子适龄的所选择的媒体内容和/或应用可以具有比具有高于孩子账户的孩子的年龄范围的年龄范围的媒体内容和/或应用更低的风险得分。在又一示例中,当类别是视频游戏时,父母可以选择和/或设置该类型的内容作为更高风险内容。
[0027]在一些实施例中,风险容限可以通过从用户界面200选择设置对于内容评级的批准的选项230而根据内容评级来设置。例如,如果孩子是8岁,通过选择选项230,父母和/或监护人可以允许购买针对5-8岁的孩子的媒体内容和/或应用,而不允许购买针对9岁或者大于9岁的孩子的媒体内容和/或应用。父母和/或监护人还可以通过从用户界面200选择设置对于教育性内容价值的批准的选项240而根据媒体内容和/或应用的教育价值来设置风险容限。例如,通过选择选项240,与漫画书相对,风险容限可以根据所选择的媒体内容和/或应用是否是教科书来设置。
[0028]在一些实施例中,风险容限可以通过选择设置对于购买的频率的批准的选项250而根据购买的设置频率来设置。例如,风险容限可以被调节为接受或者拒绝类似媒体内容和/或应用的一个接一个接一个的购买。风险容限还可以通过利用用户界面200选择设置对于购买的费用的批准的选项260而根据购买的费用来调节。在一些实施例中,费用可以与媒体内容和/或应用的类型相关联。例如,风险容限可以被调节为:$0.99书籍可以被自动批准,但是对于特定游戏的$100的信用的应用内购买将要求父母批准。
[0029]在一些实施例中,风险容限可以通过选择设置对于教育性内容价值的批准的选项270而根据类别或者意图来设置。例如,可以对风险容限进行设置,以使得允许孩子联系非家庭成员的所有应用(即,所选择的媒体内容和/或应用)可以被提交到在预定年龄或以下的孩子(例如,在13岁以下的孩子)的孩子账户的父母(例如,以由父母批准)。
[0030]在一些实施例中,风险容限可以通过选择用户界面200的选项280以利用设置配额值设置针对孩子账户的分配配额的百分比来设置。例如,风险容限可以由父母设置,使得如果所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的费用大于配额的预定百分比,则所选择的媒体内容和/或应用将由父母批准。
[0031]如在图1中所示,在操作106处选择可以在服务器处接收经由孩子账户对于媒体内容和/或应用的选择。图3示出了设备10、11,其可以包括用户界面300,其可以与孩子账户相关联。替选地,在一些实施例中,具有用户界面300的设备10、11可以与孩子账户和父母账户中的至少一个相关联。
[0032]用户界面300可以接收对于媒体内容和/或应用的选择(例如,从孩子)。例如,用户界面300可以包括对于音频项目302、视频项目304、应用306和/或书籍或者文章308的媒体内容和/或应用选择。音频项目选择302可以接收对于一个或多个歌曲、专辑、音频书籍、播客等的媒体内容的请求。用户界面300可以接收对于视频项目304的选择,其可以是对于电影、电视节目、记录片、教育视频和/或任何其它合适的视频内容的请求。用户界面300可以接收对于应用306的选择,其可以是对于设备10、11的软件应用的请求。用户界面300可以接收对于书籍或者文章308的选择,其可以是下载、观看和/或购买书籍、文章和/或任何其它合适的文本文档的请求。
[0033]当对于媒体内容和/或应用的请求已经在图1的操作106处作出时,在操作108处针对孩子账户的所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的风险基础值可以在服务器处被标识。根据对媒体内容和/或应用的选择和结合图2如上文所描述的由父母账户设置的媒体内容和/或应用的风险容限,服务器可以确定风险基础值。在一些实施例中,风险基础值可以是基于以下各项中的至少一项来由例如服务器确定的数值:评级、年龄范围、媒体内容类型和/或应用内容类型、和/或所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的费用、和/或发起请求的孩子账户。例如,服务器可以基于评级、年龄范围、媒体内容类型、和/或所选择的媒体内容的费用来确定数值。服务器可以将所确定的数值指派为基础风险值,并且服务器可以将风险基础值与风险容限相比较来确定是否预先批准所请求的媒体项目。
[0034]风险基础值可以确定来自孩子账户的媒体内容和/或应用请求是否可以由父母账户自动批准(例如,根据由父母账户接收到的一个或多个设置)、请求是否可能需要父母批准、和/或媒体内容和/或应用请求是否由父母账户自动拒绝。例如,当风险基础值等于或小于设置风险容限时,所选择的媒体内容和/或应用可以由父母账户自动批准。当风险基础值例如在大于设置风险容限的预定范围内时,对于媒体内容和/或应用的请求可能需要经由父母账户的父母批准。当风险基础值例如大于比设置风险容限更大的预定范围时,对于媒体内容和/或应用的请求可以由父母账户自动拒绝。
[0035]在操作110处,当媒体内容和/或应用的所标识的风险基础值等于或小于设置风险容限时,在服务器处,针对孩子账户的所选择的媒体内容和/或应用可以被批准。
[0036]在操作112处父母账户可以被通知来自孩子账户的媒体内容和/或应用的接收到的选择。图4A示出了与父母账户相关联的设备10、11的示例。设备10、11的用户界面400可以提供和/或显示来自孩子账户的媒体内容和/或应用请求的通知405。在一些实施例中,通知可以包括与请求相关联的孩子和/或孩子账户的识别信息。例如,当存在与父母账户相关联的多个孩子账户时,通知405可以提供作出媒体内容和/或应用请求的孩子账户的识别信息。用户界面400可以包括所请求的媒体内容和/或应用的描述410。例如,描述410可以描述由孩子账户请求以下载、购买和/或观看的音频项目、视频项目、应用、书籍和/或文章。信息可以包括标题、作者、艺术家、评级(例如,由其它用户和/或评论者进行的评级、成人内容评级的水平等)、长度(例如,页数、时间长度等)、教育性内容水平(例如,年级水平)、年龄范围、费用等。当所选择的媒体内容和/或应用根据由图2的用户界面200接收到的批准设置而未由父母账户自动批准时,父母账户的父母用户可以选择批准420或者拒绝430以分别根据描述410批准或者拒绝所请求的媒体内容和/或应用请求。
[0037]在图1中所示的操作114处,批准的所选择的媒体内容和/或应用可以从服务器被传送到与孩子账户相关联的设备。如在图4B中所示,可以与孩子账户相关联的设备10、11可以包括用户界面450,其可以提供所请求的媒体内容和/或应用已经由父母账户批准的通知455。用户界面450可以包括已经批准的所请求的媒体内容和/或应用的描述460。孩子用户可以选择用户界面项目470来下载、购买和/或观看经批准的媒体内容和/或应用。
[0038]在此处所讨论的系统采集关于用户的个人信息(例如,结合上文所讨论的父母账户和/或孩子账户)或者可以利用个人信息的情形下,用户可以被提供机会来控制程序或特征是否采集用户信息(例如,关于用户的社交网络、社交动作或活动、职业、用户的偏好、或者用户的当前位置的信息)或者控制是否和/或如何从可以与用户更有关的内容服务器接收内容。另外,某些数据在被存储或被使用之前,可以以一个或多个方式处置,使得个人可识别信息被移除。例如,用户的身份(例如,孩子的身份)可以被处置,使得无法确定用户的个人可识别信息,或者用户的地理位置,在获得位置信息的情况下可以被泛化(诸如到城市、邮政编码或州级),使得无法确定用户的特定位置。在另一示例中,与孩子账户相关联的设备10、11的位置可以被控制,以便无法确定位置。在一些实施例中,与孩子账户相关联的设备10、11的位置可以仅可用于与父母账户相关联的设备10、11,使得父母能够确定其孩子的位置。在所公开的主题的实施例中,父母账户的父母用户可以控制关于关于父母用户和一个或多个孩子用户的信息如何被采集并且使用。
[0039]目前所公开的主题的实施例可以被实现在各种组件和网络架构中并且与其一起使用。图5是适于实现目前所公开的主题的实施例的示例计算设备10、11。设备10、11可以是例如台式或者膝上型计算机、或者移动计算设备(诸如智能电话、智能手表、平板计算机、可穿戴计算设备等)。设备10、11可以与在图6-7中示出并且下面所描述的设备10、11类似和/或相同。设备10、11可以包括总线21,其将计算机20的主要组件相互连接,所述主要组件诸如中央处理器24、存储器27(诸如随机存取存储器(RAM)、只读存储器(ROM)、闪速RAM等)、诸如显示屏的用户显示器22、用户输入接口26——其可以包括一个或多个控制器和相关联的用户输入设备(诸如键盘、鼠标、触摸屏等)、固定存储23诸如硬驱动、闪速存储等,可移动介质组件25——其可操作以控制和接收光盘、闪速驱动器等,以及网络接口29——其可操作以经由合适的网络连接与一个或多个远程设备通信。
[0040]总线21允许中央处理器24与一个或多个存储器组件之间的数据通信,该一个或多个存储器组件可以包括RAM、ROM和其它存储器,如先前所述。通常地,RAM是操作系统和应用程序被加载到其中的主存储器。除了其它代码之外,ROM或者闪速存储器组件能够包含基本输入输出系统(BIOS),其控制基本硬件操作——诸如与外围组件的交互。驻留在设备10、11上的应用通常被存储在计算机可读介质(诸如硬盘驱动器(例如,固定存储23)、光学驱动器、软盘或者其它存储介质)上并且经由其访问。
[0041]固定存储23可以与设备10、11集成或者可以分离并且通过其它接口访问。网络接口29可以经由有线或无线连接向远程服务器提供直接连接。网络接口29可以使用如本领域的技术人员容易理解的任何合适的技术和协议来提供这样的连接,所述技术和协议包括数字蜂窝电话、WiFi、蓝牙(R)、近场等。例如,网络接口29可以允许计算机经由一个或多个本地、广域或者其它通信网络与其它计算机通信,如下面更详细地描述的。
[0042]许多其它设备或者组件(未示出)可以以类似的方式连接(例如,文档扫描器、数字相机等)。相反地,不需要存在图5中所示的所有组件来实践本公开。组件能够以示出的不同的方式互连。计算机(诸如在图5中示出的计算机)的操作在本领域中公知并且在本申请中未详细地讨论。实现本公开的代码能够被存储在计算机可读存储介质中(诸如存储器27、固定存储23、可移动介质25中的一个或多个),或者在远程存储位置上。
[0043]图6示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的示例网络布置。一个或多个设备10、11(诸如本地计算机、智能电话、平板计算设备等)可以经由一个或多个网络7连接到其它设备。每个设备可以是计算设备,如先前地所描述的。网络可以是本地网络、广域网、互联网或者任何其它合适的通信网络,并且可以被实现在任何合适的平台(包括有线和/或无线网络)上。设备可以与一个或多个远程设备(诸如服务器13和/或数据库15)通信。远程设备可以由设备10、11直接地可访问,或者一个或多个其它设备可以提供中间访问,诸如在服务器13提供对被存储在数据库15中的资源的访问的情况下。服务器13和/或数据库15可以将已经由与父母账户相关联的设备10、11批准的所请求的媒体内容和/或应用提供到与孩子账户相关联的设备10、11。服务器13和/或数据库15可以存储账户信息。例如,服务器13和/或数据库15可以存储父母账户信息、与父母账户相关联的一个或多个孩子账户的账户信息、风险容限信息和/或设置以预先批准和/或预先拒绝媒体内容和/或应用请求等。设备10、11还可以访问远程平台17或者由远程平台17所提供的服务(诸如云计算布置和服务)。远程平台17可以包括一个或多个服务器13和/或数据库15。
[0044]图7示出了根据所公开的主题的实施例的示例布置。一个或多个设备或系统10、11(诸如远程服务或服务提供者11)、用户设备10(例如,与孩子账户和/或父母账户相关联的设备)——诸如本地计算机、智能电话、智能手表、可穿戴计算设备、平板计算设备等——可以经由一个或多个网络7连接到其它设备。远程服务提供者11可以是例如媒体内容和/或应用的提供者,和/或可以是评估所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的教育性内容的服务。
[0045]网络7可以是本地网络、广域网、互联网或者任何其它适合的通信网络,并且可以被实现在任何合适的平台(包括有线和/或无线网络)上。设备10、11可以与一个或多个远程计算机系统通信,所述远程计算机系统诸如处理单元14、数据库15和用户接口系统13。在一些情况下,设备10、11可以与面向用户的接口系统13通信,其可以提供对一个或多个其它系统(诸如数据库15、处理单元14等)的访问。例如,用户接口13可以是提供来自一个或多个其它计算机系统的数据的用户可访问网页。用户接口13可以将不同的接口提供到不同的客户端——诸如在人类可读网页被提供到用户设备10上的web浏览器客户端的情况下,并且计算机可读API或者其它接口被提供到远程服务客户端11。
[0046]用户接口13、数据库15和/或处理单元14可以是集成系统的一部分,或者可以包括经由专用网络、互联网或者任何其它合适的网络通信的多个计算机系统。一个或多个处理单元14可以是例如分布式系统(诸如基于云的计算系统、搜索引擎、内容递送系统等)的一部分,其还可以包括数据库15和/或用户接口13或者与其通信。在一些布置中,分析系统5可以提供后端处理(诸如在所存储或者所采集的数据在递送到处理单元14、数据库15和/或用户接口13之前由分析系统5预处理的情况下)。例如,机器学习系统5可以将各种预测模型、数据分析等提供到一个或多个其它系统13、14、15。例如,机器学习系统5可以学习确定所选择的媒体内容和/或应用的教育性内容。在另一示例中,机器学习系统5可以学习根据父母账户中的设置自动批准或者自动拒绝孩子账户进行的对于媒体内容和/或应用的请求。
[0047]更一般地,目前所公开的主题的各个实施例可以包括计算机实现的过程和用于实践那些过程的装置或以其形式来被体现。实施例还可以以具有计算机程序代码的计算机程序产品的形式实现,所述计算机程序代码包含被实现在非暂时性和/或有形介质中的指令,所述非暂时性和/或有形介质诸如软盘、CD-ROM、硬驱动、USB(通用串行总线)驱动器或者任何其它机器可读存储介质,使得当计算机程序代码被加载到计算机中并且由其执行时,计算机成为用于实践所公开的主题的实施例的装置。实施例还可以以计算机程序代码的形式实现,例如,无论被存储在存储介质中、被加载到处理器中和/或由其执行,还是通过某种传输介质传送(诸如通过电气布线或者电缆、通过光纤或者经由电磁辐射),使得当计算机程序代码被加载到计算机中并且由其执行时,计算机成为用于实践所公开的主题的实施例的装置。当被实现在通用微处理器上时,计算机程序代码段将微处理器配置为创建特定逻辑电路。
[0049]出于解释的目的,已经参考特定实施例描述前述描述。然而,以上说明性讨论不旨在是穷尽的或者将所公开的主题的实施例限于所公开的确切形式。鉴于以上教导,许多修改和变型是可能的。选择并且描述实施例以便解释所公开的主题的实施例的原理和其实际应用,从而使得本领域的技术人员能够利用那些实施例以及具有如可以适于所设想的特定用途的各种修改的各个实施例。