System and Computer Implemented Method of Personal Monitoring

Abstract

A system and computer implemented method of personal monitoring is provided. The method includes allowing a user to engage in a number of on-line activities, determining, on a computer, if the user engaged in on-line activities, and if the determination is negative, then performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions. The system and method further provide for an investigation of external modules; that is, the system and method investigate external sites such as, but not limited to, social networks, forums, weblogs (blogs), that are not associated with the personal monitoring module. The system and method further allow a proxy to respond for the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method of personal monitoring comprising the steps of:
 determining if a user is responsive;   if the determination is negative, performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions;   wherein said step of determining if a user is responsive includes the steps of:
 allowing said user to engage in a number of on-line activities; 
 determining, on a computer, if said user engaged in on-line activities; 
 if said determination that said user engaged in on-line activities is negative, then performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions; 
 wherein said step of allowing a user to engage in a number of on-line activities includes:
 initializing a personal monitoring module, said monitoring module structured to monitor external on-line activity; and 
 allowing said user to engage in a number of on-line activities external to said personal monitoring module. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein said step of determining, on a computer, if said user engaged in on-line activities includes the step of checking said user's on-line activities external to said personal monitoring module. 
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2  wherein said step of performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions includes the steps of:
 alerting said user of the lack of on-line activities; 
 requesting a response from said user; and 
 if said user responds, then identifying said response as an on-line activity. 
 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3  wherein said user response is selected from the group consisting of an active verification response or a passive verification response. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3  wherein said steps of initializing a personal monitoring module and performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions includes the steps of:
 allowing said user to identify a proxy; 
 alerting said proxy of the lack of on-line activities by the user; 
 requesting a response from a proxy; and 
 if said proxy responds, then identifying said response as an on-line activity. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 5  wherein said steps of initializing a personal monitoring module and performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions includes the steps of:
 allowing said user to identify a number of scripted actions; 
 allowing said user to establish a user response time; 
 requesting a user response within said user response time; 
 determining if said user response has been provided within said user response time; 
 if no user response has been provided within said user response time, then performing, on a computer, the scripted actions identified by the user. 
 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein said step of checking said user's on-line activities external to said personal monitoring module includes the step of checking on said user's public on-line activities. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein said steps of initializing a personal monitoring module and checking said user's on-line activities external to said personal monitoring module includes the steps of:
 accessing the user's identification data; and 
 checking on said user's private on-line activities. 
 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein said steps of initializing a personal monitoring module and performing, on a computer, a number of responsive actions includes the steps of:
 allowing said user to identify a number of scripted actions; 
 allowing said user to establish a user response time; 
 requesting a user response within said user response time; 
 determining if a said user response has been provided within said user response time; and 
 if no user response has been provided within said user response time, then performing, on a computer, the scripted actions identified by the user. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  wherein said step of determining if a user is responsive includes the step of receiving an instruction indicating the user is nonresponsive. 
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 10  wherein said step of receiving an instruction indicating the user is nonresponsive includes the steps of:
 allowing a proxy to log-in; 
 verifying the proxy's identity; 
 determining that a request to initiate a responsive action has been made; and 
 performing a number of scripted actions. 
 
     
     
         12 . A system for personal monitoring, the system comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a number of modules including:
 an investigation module structured to investigate a user and to determine if the user has engaged in an on-line activity within an investigation period; 
 a response module structured to perform a number of selected scripted actions; and 
   wherein said investigation module is structured to perform a passive investigation.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said investigation module is structured to check a user's external on-line activities. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said investigation module is structured to check one of said user's public on-line activities or said user's private on-line activities. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein:
 said response module includes a verification module; 
 said verification module structured to contact a user; and 
 said verification module structured to contact a proxy. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein:
 if said verification module does not contact said user, said response module is structured to perform a number of primary scripted actions; and 
 if said verification module does not contact said proxy, said response module is structured to perform a number of secondary scripted actions. 
 
     
     
         17 . A system for personal monitoring, the system comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing number of modules including:
 an administrative module structured to receive a user's identification data; 
 a database module structured to store said user's identification data 
 an investigation module structured to investigate a user and to determine if the user has engaged in an external on-line activity within an investigation period; and 
 a response module structured to perform a number of selected scripted actions. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 said administrative module structured to receive the identification data for a proxy; and 
 said database module structured to store said identification data for a proxy. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein:
 said administrative module structured to receive a user response time; 
 said database module structured to store said user response time; 
 said administrative module structured to receive a proxy response time; and 
 said database module structured to store said proxy response time. 
 
     
     
         20 . A system for personal monitoring, the system comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a number of modules including:
 an investigation module structured to investigate a user and to determine if the user has engaged in an on-line activity within an investigation period; 
 a response module structured to perform a number of selected scripted actions; 
 said response module structured to allow said user to identify a proxy, allow said user to identify a number of scripted actions, including a number of primary actions and a number of secondary actions, and allow said user to establish a proxy response time; 
 said selected scripted actions including alerting said proxy of the lack of on-line activities by the user, requesting a proxy response within said proxy response time, determining if a proxy response has been provided within said proxy response time, if said proxy responds, then identifying said response as an on-line activity, if no proxy response has been provided within said user response time, then performing, on a computer, the secondary actions identified by the user; and 
   wherein said investigation module is structured to perform a passive investigation.