Method and system for secure activation of web clipping applications

• US 20020066027A1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ACCESS Systems Americas Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Scott, Johnson, Suena
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

The invention disclosed is a method and system for the secure activation of web clipping applications upon a portable information device (PID). In an embodiment of the invention, the method first provides for preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications that are installed on the PID and located within installed software. The method then continues with a user registering the PID with a proxy server by using a registration application within the installed software. Upon the authorized registration of the PID with the proxy server, the web clipping applications are revealed to the user, and with the web clipping applications thus revealed, the user may retrieve information from the proxy server through the implementation of any of the web clipping applications. The invention further provides for a method and system for the secure access of a proxy server by a PID such that the recurring step of device identification can be eliminated. This provides for reduced overhead in recurring data transmissions and affords more efficient communications.

Claims

1. In an electronic device having installed software therein for accessing a proxy server, a method comprising the steps of:

a) preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications that are installed on said electronic device and located within said installed software;

b) said user registering said electronic device with said proxy server using a registration application of said installed software; and

c) upon authorized registration of said electronic device with said proxy server, allowing said web clipping applications to be made available for use by said user and otherwise preventing access of said web clipping applications by said user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a personal information device (PID) comprising handheld organizers. cellular phones, laptop computers, and pagers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step a) of preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications is comprised of:

preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications that are installed on said electronic device and located within said installed software by hiding said web clipping applications within said installed software until such time that said device is registered with said proxy server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step c) of allowing said web clipping applications to be made available is comprised of:

upon authorized registration of said electronic device with said proxy server, revealing said web clipping applications to said user and otherwise preventing access of said web clipping applications by said user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

d) said user implements at least one of said web clipping applications to access and retrieve information from a web-site via said proxy server.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step d) of said user implements at least one of said web clipping applications to access and retrieve information is comprised of steps:

d1) said user implements at least one of said web clipping applications;

d2) said at least one web clipping application commands a browser application within said installed software to seek web-site data associated with said at least one web clipping application;

d3) said browser accesses said proxy server and requests clipped data from said web-site associated with said at least one web clipping application; and

d4) said electronic device receives said clipped data requested by said browser from said proxy server.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said step d) of said user implements at least one of said web clipping applications to access and retrieve information is performed without registration of said electronic device during said access and without a transfer of user authorization information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said installed software upon said electronic device is a result of a step preceding said step a) of preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications, said step preceding comprising:

downloading said software from said proxy server onto said electronic device.

9. A method for secure access of a proxy server by a portable information device (PID) wherein recurring device identification is eliminated, comprising the steps of:

a) loading a software package onto said PID wherein said software package comprises a registration application and multiple hidden web clipping applications;

b) registering said PID by the implementation of said registration application by a user;

c) upon said registering said PID, commanding said PID to reveal said web clipping applications;

d) initiating a browser command for clipped data from said PID, wherein said initiating is a result of the activation by said user of at least one of said revealed web clipping applications; and

e) transmitting said clipped data to said PID.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

d1) accessing data on a web-site corresponding to said at least one of said revealed web clipping applications; and

d2) clipping content on said web-site to create clipped data acceptable to said PID.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step a) of loading a software package onto said PID is comprised of the step of:

downloading a software package from said proxy server via the Internet onto said PID.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of loading a software package onto said PID is without cost to said user and without restriction to the acquirement of said software package by said user.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said web clipping applications allow a user of said PID to access data and services on a proxy server without cost to said user and without registration of said user during said access of data and services.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said web clipping applications are hidden inside said registration application.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said electronic device is a personal information device (PID) comprising handheld organizers. cellular phones, laptop computers, and pagers.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said step a) of preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications implemented by said electronic device is comprised of:

preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications that are installed on said electronic device and located within said installed software by hiding said web clipping applications within said installed software until such time that said device is registered with said proxy server.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said step c) of allowing said web clipping applications to be made available implemented by said electronic device is comprised of:

upon authorized registration of said electronic device with said proxy server, revealing said web clipping applications to said user and otherwise preventing access of said web clipping applications by said user.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said method implemented by said electronic device further comprises the step of:

d) said user implements at least one of said web clipping applications to access and retrieve information from a web-site via said proxy server.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said installed software upon said electronic device is a result of a step preceding step a) of preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications, comprising the step of:

downloading said software from said proxy server onto said electronic device.

15. A system comprising:

a proxy server coupled to the Internet; and

an electronic device comprising a processor coupled to a bus and a memory coupled to said bus, said memory having installed software for accessing said proxy server and having stored therein instructions for implementing a method comprising the steps of;

a) preventing a user from accessing web clipping applications that are installed on said electronic device and located within said installed software;

b) said user registering said electronic device with said proxy server using a registration application of said installed software; and

c) upon authorized registration of said electronic device with said proxy server, allowing said web clipping applications to be made available for use by said user and otherwise preventing access of said web clipping applications by said user.