System and method for monitoring access to a network by a computer

Abstract

Employee Internet usage is monitored to identify the web sites employees visit and the amount of time employees spend at each site. The system utilizes a client-based module which monitors Internet access, which operates in conjunction with an enforcement supervisor located on a remote web server. A client-based monitoring module performs all of the monitoring and logging activity. The previous web page title, location (URL) and time spent are stored by the client component in memory on the client computer. The web page title and URL are obtained from system notifications from the browser to the client component. The client computer uploads the log containing the web page information to a web-based supervising module.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for monitoring access to the Internet by a computer, the method comprising: 
 providing at the computer a client-based monitoring module;    providing at a web server a web-based supervisor module that specifies guidelines which govern the access to the Internet by the computer;    sending the guidelines from the supervisor module to the client-based monitoring module;    at the client-based monitoring module, logging a request for Internet access in a log and logging any violation of the guidelines in the log; and    sending the log to the supervisor module where the following sub-steps are performed: 
 (1) copying the log into a web-based log; and  
 (2) notifying a designated administrator of any violation.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the computer from the group consisting of personal computers, wireless telephones, cellular telephones, televisions, computer game devices, and computerized appliances.  
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the operation of providing at the web server the web-based supervisor module further comprises specifying guidelines relative to interactive usage of the Internet by a user of the computer.  
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the operation of providing at the web server the web-based supervisor module further comprises specifying guidelines relative to the times at which a user of the computer can interactively use the Internet.  
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising activating a browser and triggering the client-based monitoring module.  
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the operation of logging a request for Internet access in a log further comprises intercepting a universal resource link request between a browser and a network programming interface.  
     
     
         7 . A system for monitoring access to a network, the system comprising: 
 a computer operable to connect to the network;    a monitoring module associated with the computer, the monitoring module being operable to create a database containing a history log relative to the access of the network; and    a supervisor module provided at a server which is in periodic communication with the computer, the supervisor module including a web-based log operable to store the history log,    wherein the monitoring module is operable to transfer the history log from the computer to the supervisor module.    
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the network is the Internet.  
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the computer comprises a device selected from the group consisting of personal computers, wireless telephones, cellular telephones, televisions, computer game devices, and computerized appliances.  
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module is operable to monitor interactive usage of the network by a user of the computer.  
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module is operable to monitor the times at which a user of the computer can be connected to the network.  
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module is operable to monitor destinations on the network.  
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module is operable to search the computer for a file name.  
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module provides an indication of the amount of authorized time selected from the group consisting of an amount of time a user of the computer has remaining on the network and an amount of time a user of the computer has consumed on the network.  
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module is triggered by activation of an Internet browser.  
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the monitoring module considers the time the Internet browser is minimized to be inactive time.  
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module provides an indication of a period of network use.  
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring module provides an indication of a period of network use selected from the group consisting of monitored, restricted, and unrestricted.  
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of computers operable to connect to the network, each of the plurality of computers including respective monitoring modules.  
     
     
         20 . A method for monitoring access to a network by a computer, the method comprising: 
 specifying guidelines which govern the access to the network by the computer;    storing the guidelines at the computer;    monitoring a request for access to the network at the computer;    responsive to a violation of the specified guidelines caused by the request for access, logging the violation in a log stored at the computer;    providing an indication of the violation to a user of the computer; and    permitting the request for access.    
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the operation of specifying guidelines which govern the access further comprises specifying guidelines which govern Internet access.  
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising selecting the computer from the group consisting of personal computers, wireless telephones, cellular telephones, televisions, computer game devices, and computerized appliances.  
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , further comprising sending the log to a supervisor module associated with a web server where the following sub-steps are performed: 
 (1) copying the log into a web-based log; and    (2) notifying a designated administrator of the violation.    
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the operation of specifying guidelines further comprises specifying guidelines relative to interactive usage of the network by the user of the computer.  
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the operation of specifying guidelines further comprises specifying guidelines relative to the times at which the user of the computer can interactively use the network.  
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the operation of monitoring the request for access further comprises the operation of detecting activation of an application operable to interface with the network.  
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the operation of monitoring the request for access further comprises intercepting a universal resource link request between an application operable to interface with the network and a network programming interface.  
     
     
         28 . A system for monitoring access to the Internet by a computer, the system comprising: 
 means for specifying guidelines which govern access to the Internet by the computer;    means for storing the guidelines at the computer;    at the computer, means for logging a request for access to the Internet in a log and logging any violation of the guidelines in the log; and    means for sending the log to a supervisor module associated with a server wherein the log is copied to a web-based log.    
     
     
         29 . The system as recited in  claim 28 , further comprising means, responsive to any violation of the guidelines, for notifying a designated administrator of any violation.  
     
     
         30 . The system as recited in  claim 28 , further comprising means for indicating an amount of authorized time a user of the computer has remaining on the Internet.  
     
     
         31 . The system as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the means for indicating further comprises means for displaying a time selected from the group consisting of number of permitted minutes/week, number of minutes already consumed/week, monitored and restricted start and end times, and current system time at the computer.  
     
     
         32 . The system as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the means for specifying guidelines further comprises means for specifying guidelines relative to a total time a user of the computer can be connected to the Internet.  
     
     
         33 . The system as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the means for specifying guidelines further comprises means for specifying guidelines relative to times at which a user of the computer can interactively use the Internet.  
     
     
         34 . The system as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the means for logging the request for access further comprises means for detecting activation of an application operable to interface with the Internet.  
     
     
         35 . The system as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the means for logging a request for access to the Internet further comprises means for intercepting a universal resource link request between an application operable to interface with the Internet and a network programming interface.  
     
     
         36 . A method for monitoring access to a network by a computer, the method comprising: 
 specifying guidelines which govern-the access to the network by the computer;    storing the guidelines at the computer; and    based upon the guidelines, monitoring an amount of authorized time a user of the computer has relative to the network.    
     
     
         37 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , further comprising at the computer, logging a request for access to the network in a log and logging any violation of the guidelines in the log.  
     
     
         38 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of monitoring an amount of authorized time further comprises providing to the user an indication of the amount of authorized time.  
     
     
         39 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of monitoring an amount of authorized time further comprises displaying to the user the amount of authorized time the user of the computer has remaining on the network.  
     
     
         40 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of monitoring the amount of authorized time further comprises monitoring an amount of remaining time the user of the computer has on the network.  
     
     
         41 . The system as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of monitoring the amount of authorized time further comprises monitoring an amount of time the user of the computer has consumed on the network.  
     
     
         42 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of specifying guidelines which govern the access to the network by the computer further comprises specifying guidelines which govern Internet access.  
     
     
         43 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , further comprising selecting the computer from the group consisting of personal computers, wireless telephones, cellular telephones, televisions, computer game devices, and computerized appliances.  
     
     
         44 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of monitoring the amount of authorized time the user of the computer has relative to the network further comprises displaying to the user a time selected from the group consisting of number of permitted minutes/week, number of minutes already consumed/week, monitored and restricted start and end times, and current system time at the computer.  
     
     
         45 . The method as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the operation of monitoring the amount of authorized time the user of the computer has relative to the network further comprises indicating to the user a period of use selected from the group consisting of monitored, restricted, and unrestricted.  
     
     
         46 . A system for monitoring access to a network, the system comprising: 
 a computer operable to connect to the network; and    a timer associated with the computer, the timer being operable to maintain an amount of authorized time a user of the computer has relative to the network.    
     
     
         47 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , further comprising a monitoring module in communication with the timer, the monitoring module being operable to notify the user of the amount of authorized time the user of the computer has relative to the network.  
     
     
         48 . The system as recited in  claim 47 , wherein the monitoring module provides a visual display to the user of the amount of authorized time the user of the computer has relative to the network.  
     
     
         49 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , further comprising a monitoring module in communication with the timer, the monitoring module being operable to notify a server of the amount of authorized time the user of the computer has relative to the network.  
     
     
         50 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the timer is operable to determine whether the user of the computer is inactive relative to the network such that, if the user is inactive, the inactivity of the user is ignored in regards to the amount of authorized time.  
     
     
         51 . The system as recited in  claim 50 , wherein the timer monitors an application operable to interface with the network to determine whether the user of the computer is inactive.  
     
     
         52 . The system as recited in  claim 50 , wherein the timer monitors a browser to determine whether the user of the computer is inactive.  
     
     
         53 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the computer is operable to connect to the Internet.  
     
     
         54 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the computer comprises a device selected from the group consisting of personal computers, wireless telephones, cellular telephones, computer game devices, and computerized appliances.  
     
     
         55 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the amount of authorized time comprises an amount of remaining time the user of the computer has on the network.  
     
     
         56 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the amount of authorized time comprises an amount of time the user of the computer has consumed on the network.  
     
     
         57 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the timer monitors a period of network use.  
     
     
         58 . The system as recited in  claim 46 , wherein the timer monitors a period of network use selected from the group consisting of monitored, restricted, and unrestricted.