LIMITED-USE BROWSER AND SECURITY SYSTEM
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A limited-use browser and related security system control access to content stored on a server computer linked to a network. The security system secures the content on the server and only permits it to be downloaded to a client computer running the limited-user browser or a general purpose browser executing an add-in security module providing the same functions as the limited-user browser. The limited-use browser or module secures the downloaded content on the client computer and displays it in a “view-only” mode. While the secured content is being displayed, menu selections, key combination, or pointing device commands initiated on the client computer that would modify the content or create a copy on another medium are either disabled as a default or monitored to determine if the action is permitted.
136 Citations
83 Claims
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1. An ephemeral-output-only browser.
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2. A system for protecting content distributed through a network comprising:
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a client computer operable for connecting to the network and for executing a client program that limits user control over the content distributed through the network; and
a server computer operable for connecting to the network and for executing a security program for securing the content distributed through the network. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of enabling a provider to protect content distributed on a network comprising:
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acquiring a server security program;
executing the server security program on a server computer connected to the network; and
distributing the content only to a client computer executing a limited-user client program which limits reproduction of the content in at least one form. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of receiving compensation for a security system for protecting content distributed on a network comprising:
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selling a server security program to a content provider; and
selling a plurality of copies for a limited-use client program to the content provider for licensing to users wishing to access the content. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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24. A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser comprising:
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presenting content within a browser window of the web browser; and
disabling a disallowed user function when the content is within the browser window.
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30. The method of clam 24, wherein the disallowed user function is one of a plurality of default disallowed user functions and further comprising:
leaving active one of the plurality of default disallowed user functions.
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31. The method of 30, further comprising providing information with the content that determines the one of the plurality of default disallowed user functions to be left active.
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44. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause a client digital processing system and a server digital processing system to perform a method comprising:
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transmitting content from the server digital processing system to the client digital processing system over a network;
presenting the content within a browser window on the client digital processing system; and
disabling a disallowed user function when the content is within the browser window wherein the disallowed user function comprises a user function which, when allowed, provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the content. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A client digital processing system for controlling access to content presented by a web browser, the client digital processing system comprising:
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a processor;
a network interface logically coupled to the processor to receive the content;
a browser logically coupled to the network interface to present the content within a browser window; and
a security module logically coupled to the browser to disable disallowed user functions when the content is in the browser window wherein the disallowed user function comprises a user function which, when allowed, provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the content. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 60, 61)
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59. A server digital processing system for controlling access to content distributed to a client digital processing system, the server digital processing system comprising:
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a processor;
a network interface logically coupled to the processor to receive a request for the content from the client digital processing system;
a server module logically coupled to the network interface to distribute the content to the client digital processing system in response to the request; and
a security module logically coupled to the server module to determine if the request is from a client digital processing system executing a limited-use client program which prevents at least one form of non-ephemeral reproduction.
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62. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause a client digital processing system to perform a method comprising:
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receiving protected content from a server digital processing system;
presenting the protected content within a browser window; and
disabling disallowed user functions when the protected content is in the browser window wherein the disallowed user function comprises a user function which, when allowed, provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the content. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64)
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65. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause a server digital processing system to perform a method comprising:
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receiving a request for protected content from a client digital processing system;
determining if the request is from a client digital processing system executing a limited-use client program; and
distributing the protected content to the client digital processing system in response to the request only if the client digital processing system is executing the limited-use client program, wherein the limited-use client program prevents at least one form of non-ephemeral reproduction of the protected content. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a secure document package data structure comprising:
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a document package header field containing data representing a description for the secure document package;
a delivery object field containing data representing executable code to manage the secure document package described by the document package header field; and
a document field containing data representing content contained in the secure document package described by the document package header field. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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75. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a data structure containing protected content comprising:
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a document package header field containing data representing a description for the secure document package;
a delivery object field containing data representing executable code to manage the secure document package described by the document package header field; and
a document field containing data representing content contained in the secure document package described by the document package header field. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 79, 80)
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78. A system for controlling reproduction of content on a client computer comprising:
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means for receiving content to be protected; and
means for displaying the protected content on the client computer while preventing at least one form of reproduction of the content.
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81. A system for controlling reproduction of content stored on a server computer comprising:
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means for protecting content stored on the server;
means for receiving a request for the protected content; and
means for determining if the request is from a requester that limits reproduction of protected content. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83)
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Specification