The document describes a proposed parental control app for monitoring children's Android phones. The app would run silently in the background to record call logs, text messages, and GPS locations without the child's knowledge. It would transfer logs to a secure online portal for parents to view activities in real time. Key features are its non-intrusive design, minimal RAM usage, and ability to re-invoke after being force closed. Future enhancements could include GPS tracking, blocking numbers, and time restrictions for calls/texts.
How Mobile Networks Can Torpedo Your App's Best Features - and Your Retention
Cell Phone Parental Monitoring App
1. Cell Phone Parental Support
Application
Under the guidance of:
Prof Pooja Shah
By:
Ancy Varghese
Mihika Shah
2. Why do we need this?
• Are your children or employees abusing the
privileges of texting, calling and browsing?
• Are you worried they are using the phone for
inappropriate activities?
• You will finally learn the truth about their
activities
3. What is the app about?
• The app is a hybrid software/service which
allows you to monitor your child's Android
based smartphone in real time.
• It starts at every boot of the phone but
remains stealth.
4. How it works?
• Parent installs the software onto their child's
phone. They configure the program according
to their specific needs.
• Child uses the phone normally. The app blocks
and filters the actions specified and silently
reports all actions to the Parent.
• Parents can check their logs and monitor the
activities of the child in Real time.
5. Salient Features
• The app is non UI based background process
hence the child would not be able to realize
the presence of such an application running in
the background, as it has no interface.
• The app has been desired to have less
memory usage so that it can not be tracked.
6. What it does?
• It allows you to fully record the activities of
your child's cell phone
• It makes full logs of every text message sent
and received, and logs vital information about
each phone call.
• The records do not rely on the phone's
internal logging system, so if your child deletes
their logs it won't matter.
7. …Contd
• You can still view every single text message
and call .
• The interface for the parent can be through a
mail (if the phone is usually connected to the
wi-fi) or through a GSM module.
8. Assumptions
• For the app to work successfully, at this initial
stage we assume that the phone has to be
connected to the wi-fi or Internet through
Packet Data Subscription, so that the logs get
tranferred.
• If not that, GSM module can be used for
transfer of the logs.
9. Functional Requirements
• REQ-1: The software should record user
activities including SMS text messages, call
information and GPS locations
• REQ-2: To view logs on the device itself or in
a secure online control panel.
• REQ-3: Installation should be hidden from the
phone user.
• REQ-4: Upon getting connected to the
internet, the transfer of logs should begin.
10. Non-Functional Requirements
• Performance Requirements
Minimum RAM usage so that the application’s
presence is not noticed and force killed.
Installation without explicit installation through
the internet is desired.
• Safety Requirements
As it is free of UI it is difficult for the child to realize the
presence of such a software.
13. Interfaces
• There is no apparent interface on the smart
phone because of the app being a non UI
background process. So it is usually silent and
hidden from the phone user.
• The other interface could be a another smart
phone or a mail.
14. Requirements
• Android Version 2.2.1(Froyo) and above.
• RAM requiremets: Minimum 128 MB
• Processor speed: 600 Mhz and above
15. Installation Issues
• Parent either gets a one time access to the
smartphone to install the app and then the
app remains hidden in the background.
• Through the market, only if the parent has an
account on the Google Market via the Android
phone so that the installation ,if on the market
, could be invoked by the parent.
16. Surpassing the app
• Loop holes in this stage includes that if the
child finds out the extra RAM consumption
• Or finds an app that is unknown in the Task
Manager or in the Manage Applications menu.
• Force killing the app does not invoke the app
again.
17. Progress till now
• Call summary collection
• Connectivity with the PC via sockets, which
can be used to monitor Texts, in real time
18. What next?
• Integrating the several modules to one app
and making it run in the background, with no
user interface.
• Using Wifi or GSM module to transfer the logs
and summary which is collected by the Call
Summary module.
19. Challenges
• Non UI background process
• Minimum RAM usage
• Invocation after being Force-killed
20. Future Enhancements
• GPS tracking
• Blocking the malicious numbers
• Application installation summary
• Setting up time constraints for blocking calls.
• SMS alerts instantly
21. References:
• Google Android Homepage:
http://code.google.com/android/
• Google Android SDK:
http://code.google.com/android/download.ht
ml
• Simple Notepad Tutorial:
http://code.google.com/android/intro/tutorial
.html