Second party control over mobile device usage

Abstract

A mechanism is provided whereby a parent, or other second party, can monitor and/or control a child's or other first party's wireless device usage. An interface can allow the parent to set rules for the child's usage, and can specify that the parent should receive messages when a call is made to or from the child's wireless device. In addition to call information, the message may prompt the parent for approval of the call connection. Thus, a parent can decide whether a call that is incoming from or outgoing to a third party should be permitted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting, on a first device, an indication of a communication from a sender mobile device, the communication identifying a recipient mobile device as an intended recipient;   transmitting, to the sender mobile device, a notification indicating that the communication is subject to approval;   prior to the communication being transmitted to the recipient mobile device, transmitting, to a second device, a request to approve transmission of the communication; and   receiving a response to the request from the second device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the response indicates that the request has been denied; and   terminating the communication between the sender mobile device and the recipient mobile device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 transmitting a notification that the communication is terminated to the sender mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 transmitting a notification that the communication is terminated to the second device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the response indicates that the request has been approved; and   causing the communication to be transmitted to the recipient mobile device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a copy of the communication,   wherein the request to approve comprises the copy.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request identifies the sender mobile device. 
     
     
         8 . A first device comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing instructions that cause the processor to effectuate operations, the operations comprising:
 detecting a communication from a sender device, the communication identifying a recipient device as an intended recipient; 
 transmitting, to the sender device, a notification indicating that the communication is subject to approval; 
 prior to the communication being transmitted to the recipient device, transmitting, to a second device, a request to approve transmission of the communication; and 
 receiving a response to the request from the second device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The first device of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the response indicates that the request has been denied; and   terminating the communication between the sender device and the recipient device.   
     
     
         10 . The first device of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on a type of the communication. 
     
     
         11 . The first device of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on an identity of the intended recipient. 
     
     
         12 . The first device of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on time of day the communication was detected. 
     
     
         13 . The first device of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on additional charges associated with the communication. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor to effectuate operations, the operations comprising:
 detecting a communication from a sender device, the communication identifying a recipient device as an intended recipient;   transmitting, to the sender device, a notification indicating that the communication is subject to approval;   prior to the communication being transmitted to the recipient device, transmitting, to a second device, a request to approve transmission of the communication; and   receiving a response to the request from the second device.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising
 determining that the response indicates that the request has been denied; and   terminating the communication between the sender device and the recipient device.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the response indicates that the request has been denied; and   transmitting a notification based on the response to at least one of the sender device or the second device.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on a type of the communication.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based a time of day associated with communication.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on an identity of the sender device.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
 determining that the communicating is subject to the approval based on the communication being associated with additional charges.