Patent Publication Number: US-2015081919-A1

Title: Control system and method for controlling network connection of electronic devices

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201310426938.5 filed on Sep. 18, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to control systems for network connections. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices with network connection functions have been widely used in modern life. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. 
       Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a control system for controlling access to networks by an electronic device. 
         FIG. 2  is an interface shown on a display unit of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for controlling network connections. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     The present disclosure is described in relation to a control system and method for controlling connections to networks, the control system includes a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first electronic device used by a student or child includes a request unit and a connection control unit, the second electronic device which is used by a responsible person includes an answer unit. The request unit issues a request signal and sends the request signal to the second electronic device. The answer unit issues an answer signal and sends the answer signal to the first electronic device. The connection control unit controls the first electronic device to enable a connection to a network or to not enable a connection to a network, according to the answer signal. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a control system. The control system  100  can include a first electronic device  10  and a second electronic device  20 . The first electronic device  10  communicates with the second electronic device  20  through a base station  30 . The first electronic device  10  and the second electronic device  20  can be mobile terminals, mobile phones or tablet computers for example, and the first electronic device  10  can communicate with the second electronic device  20  by sending short messages. 
     The first electronic device  10  can include a first input unit  11 , a first communication unit  12 , a first processor  13  and a memory  14 . The first processor  13  can execute instructions to provide functions of an information obtaining unit  141 , a request unit  142 , and a connection control unit  143 . The instructions of the information obtaining unit  141 , the request unit  142 , and the connection control unit  143  are stored in the first memory  14 . 
     The second electronic device  20  can include a second input unit  21 , a second communication unit  22 , a second processor  23 , a display control unit  24 , a display unit  25  and a second memory  26 . The second processor  23  can execute instructions to provide functions of an answer unit  261 . The instructions of the answer unit  241  are stored in the second memory  26 . 
     The first input unit  11  of the first electronic device  10  issues a signal corresponding to an input operation of a user desiring a connection to a network, a student for example. 
     The information obtaining unit  141  of the first memory  14  obtains information of the first electronic device  10 , a model and a name of the owner of the first electronic device  10  for example. Then the request unit  142  issues a request signal and sends the request signal to the second electronic device  20  through the first communication unit  12  and the base station  30 . The request signal includes the information of the first electronic device  10  obtained by the information obtaining unit  141 . 
     The second communication unit  22  of the second electronic device  20  receives the request signal, and the display control unit  24  controls the display unit  25  to display a message  251  to prompt a user to agree or not agree to connect the first electronic device  10  to the network and at least two associated options  252 , which are shown in  FIG. 2 . In at least one embodiment, the displayed message  251  includes the information of the first electronic device  10  obtained by the information obtaining unit  141 , and the at least two options  252  including a “Yes” option and a “No” option. 
     The second input unit  21  of the second electronic device  20  issues an option signal in response to a user&#39;s selection of one of the at least two options  252 . In at least one embodiment, the user who selects one of the at least two options  252  is a responsible person such as a parent of the user of the first electronic device  10 . 
     The answer unit  261  issues an answer signal corresponding to the option signal issued by the second input unit  21 , then the answer unit  261  sends the answer signal to the first electronic device  10  through the second communication unit  22  and the base station  30 . In at least one embodiment, the answer signal is selected from the group consisting of an approval signal and a rejection signal. When the option “Yes” is selected, the answer unit  261  issues the approval signal and sends the approval signal to the first electronic device  10 . When the option “No” is selected, the answer unit  261  issues the rejection signal and sends the rejection signal to the first electronic device  10 . 
     The first communication unit  12  of the first electronic device  10  receives the answer signal, and the connection control unit  143  controls the first communication unit  12  to enable the connection to the network or not enable the connection to the network, in accordance with the answer signal. In at least one embodiment, the connection control unit  143  controls the first connection unit  12  to connect to the network when the approval signal is received and the connection control unit  143  controls the first communication unit  12  to not enable a connection to the network when the rejection signal is received. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flowchart is presented in accordance with an example embodiment. A method  200  is provided by way of example, as there are a variety of ways to carry out the method. The method  200  described below can be carried out using the configurations illustrated in  FIG. 1  and various elements of these figures are referenced in explaining example method  200 . Each block shown in  FIG. 2  represents one or more processes, methods, or subroutines, carried out in the exemplary method  200 . Additionally, the illustrated order of blocks is by example only and the order of the blocks can be changed. The exemplary method  200  can begin at block  201 . 
     At block  201 , a first input unit of a first electronic device issues a signal corresponding to an input operation of a user. In at least one embodiment, the user can be a student. 
     At block  202 , an information obtaining unit obtains information of the first electronic device. In at least one embodiment, the information of the first electronic device includes the model and the name of the owner of the first electronic device. 
     At block  203 , a request unit issues a request signal and sends the request signal to a second electronic device through a first communication unit and a base station, the request signal includes the information obtained by the information obtaining unit. 
     At block  204 , a second communication unit of the second electronic device receives the request signal. A display control unit controls a display unit to display a message to the user of the second electronic device including at least two associated options. In at least one embodiment, the message includes the information of the first electronic device obtained by the information obtaining unit, the at least two options include a “Yes” option and a “No” option. 
     At block  205 , a second input unit of the second electronic device issues an option signal in response to the user&#39;s selection of one of the at least two options. In at least one embodiment, the user who selects one of the at least two options can be a responsible person. 
     At block  206 , an answer unit issues an answer signal corresponding to the option signal issued by the second input unit. In at least one embodiment, the answer signal is selected from the group consisting of an approval signal and a rejection signal. When the option “Yes” is selected, the answer unit issues the approval signal; when the option “No” is selected, the answer unit issues the rejection signal. 
     At block  207 , the answer unit sends the answer signal to the first electronic device through the second communication unit and the base station. 
     At block  208 , a connection control unit controls the first communication unit to enable a connection to a network or not to enable a connection to a network, in accordance with the answer signal received by the first communication unit of the first electronic device. In at least one embodiment, the connection control unit controls the first connection unit to connect to the network when the approval signal is received and the connection control unit controls the first communication unit to not enable a connection to the network when the rejection signal is received. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.