System and method for preventing unauthorized copying of electronic documents

• US 20030028801A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Copyseal Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Copyseal Pty Limited
• Inventors: Liberman, David, Deason, Darren
• Application Number:
  US10/120,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028801A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

Spaces between words in a web document may be identified and replaced with at least one random character in order to deter users from copying the web document. Random characters may also be inserted within words in the web document. The random characters are invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document. The random characters may be of the same color as the background color of the web document. To further deter the user, the mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user computer may be disabled. To prevent the user from viewing the source code of the web document, the source code may also be encrypted. A small tracking image having a unique identification number may be added to the web document to allow an owner of the web document to trace unauthorized use of the web document on another web site.

Claims

1. A method for deterring a user from copying a web document, the method comprising:

identifying spaces between words in the web document; and

replacing each of said spaces with at least one additional character, said at least one character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one additional character has a font color substantially similar to a background color of the web document.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the web document is formatted in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said replacing further comprises inserting a HMTL tag for each additional character, said tag identifying a font and a color of said additional character.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said font of said additional character is substantially similar to a font of said words in the web document.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising offsetting said additional character with at least one offset character, the viewed web document substantially similar to the viewed web document including said additional characters and said offset character.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising inserting a tracking image in the web document, said tracking image including a unique identification.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disabling mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the web document.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

encrypting the content data of the web document so that a source code of the web document when viewed by the user appears corrupted.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to protect the web document when the user attempts to access the web document;

extracting the web document before said identifying and said replacing; and

serving the web document to the user for display after said identifying and said replacing.

12. A method for deterring a user from copying a web document, the method comprising:

identifying spaces between words in the web document; and

replacing each of said spaces with at least one additional character of same color as background color of the web document.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

disabling mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the web document.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

encrypting the content data of the web document so that a source code of the web document when viewed by the user appears corrupted.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a request to protect the web document when the user attempts to access the web document;

extracting the web document before said identifying and said replacing; and

serving the web document to the user for display after said identifying and said replacing.

17. A method for deterring a user from copying a web document, the method comprising:

inserting within words in the web document at least one additional character, said at least one additional character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one additional character has a font color substantially similar to a background color of the web document.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

disabling mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the web document.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

encrypting the content data of the web document so that a source code of the web document when viewed by the user appears corrupted.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a request to protect the web document when the user attempts to access the web document;

extracting the web document before said identifying and said replacing; and

serving the web document to the user for display after said identifying and said replacing.

23. A method for providing a user with a read-only copy of a document available over a network, the method comprising:

extracting the document from a database;

identifying spaces between words in the document;

inserting at least one random character in said spaces to form a protected document so that the protected document appears corrupted when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the document; and

supplying the user with said protected document, the user viewing said protected document with a browser.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

generating a JavaScript routine executing on said browser to disable mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the document.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

generating a JavaScript routine executing on said browser to encrypt the content data of the document so that a source code of the document when viewed using said browser appears corrupted.

26. An apparatus for deterring a user from copying a web document, the apparatus comprising:

a space identifier; and

an additional character replacer coupled to said space identifier, said additional character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said additional character includes a random character.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said additional character has a font color substantially similar to a background color of the web document.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions disabler coupled to said additional character replacer.

30. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a source code encrypter coupled to said additional character replacer.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising:

a protection request receiver coupled to said space identifier;

a web document extractor coupled to said protection request receiver; and

a web document server coupled to said character replacer.

32. An apparatus for deterring a user from copying a web document, the apparatus comprising:

a space identifier; and

an additional character replacer coupled to said space identifier.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

a mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions disabler coupled to said additional character replacer.

35. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

a source code encrypter coupled to said additional character replacer.

36. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

a protection request receiver coupled to said space identifier;

a web document extractor coupled to said protection request receiver; and

a web document server coupled to said character replacer.

37. An apparatus for deterring a user from copying a web document, the apparatus comprising:

an additional character inserter, said additional character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising:

a mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions disabler coupled to said additional character replacer.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising:

a source code encrypter coupled to said additional character replacer.

41. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising:

a protection request receiver coupled to said space identifier;

a web document extractor coupled to said protection request receiver; and

a web document server coupled to said character replacer.

42. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the machine to perform a method for deterring a user from copying a web document, the method comprising:

identifying spaces between words in the web document; and

replacing each of said spaces with at least one random character, said at least one random character being invisible when the user views the document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the document.

43. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the machine to perform a method for deterring a user from copying a web document, said method comprising:

identifying spaces between words in the web document; and

replacing each of said spaces with at least one random character of same color as background color of the web document.

44. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the machine to perform a method for deterring a user from copying a web document, said method comprising:

inserting within words in the web document at least one additional character, said at least one additional character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

45. An apparatus for deterring a user from copying a web document, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying spaces between words in the web document; and

means for replacing each of said spaces with at least one additional character, said at least one character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

47. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein said at least one additional character has a font color substantially similar to a background color of the web document.

48. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the web document is formatted in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein said replacing further comprises means for inserting a HMTL tag for each additional character, said tag identifying a font and a color of said additional character.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said font of said additional character is substantially similar to a font of said words in the web document.

51. The apparatus of claim 45 further comprising:

means for disabling mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the web document.

52. The apparatus of claim 45 further comprising:

means for encrypting the content data of the web document so that a source code of the web document when viewed by the user appears corrupted.

53. The apparatus of claim 45 further comprising:

means for receiving a request to protect the web document when the user attempts to access the web document;

means for extracting the web document before said identifying and said replacing; and

means for serving the web document to the user for display after said identifying and said replacing.

54. A apparatus for deterring a user from copying a web document, the method comprising:

means for identifying spaces between words in the web document; and

means for replacing each of said spaces with at least one additional character of same color as background color of the web document.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

56. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising:

means for disabling mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the web document.

57. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising:

means for encrypting the content data of the web document so that a source code of the web document when viewed by the user appears corrupted.

58. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising:

means for receiving a request to protect the web document when the user attempts to access the web document;

means for extracting the web document before said identifying and said replacing; and

means for serving the web document to the user for display after said identifying and said replacing.

59. An apparatus for deterring a user from copying a web document, the method comprising:

means for inserting within words in the web document at least one additional character, said at least one additional character being invisible when the user views the web document through a browser but visible when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the web document.

60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein said at least one additional character includes a random character.

61. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein said at least one additional character has a font color substantially similar to a background color of the web document.

62. The apparatus of claim 59 further comprising:

means for disabling mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the web document.

63. The apparatus of claim 59 further comprising:

means for encrypting the content data of the web document so that a source code of the web document when viewed by the user appears corrupted.

64. The apparatus of claim 59 further comprising:

means for receiving a request to protect the web document when the user attempts to access the web document;

means for extracting the web document before said identifying and said replacing; and

means for serving the web document to the user for display after said identifying and said replacing.

65. An apparatus for providing a user with a read-only copy of a document available over a network, the method comprising:

means for extracting the document from a database;

means for identifying spaces between words in the document;

means for inserting at least one random character in said spaces to form a protected document so that the protected document appears corrupted when the user attempts to select, copy, or print the document; and

means for supplying the user with said protected document, the user viewing said protected document with a browser.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising:

means for generating a JavaScript routine executing on said browser to disable mouse, menu, and/or keyboard functions on the user online computer so that user is unable to print, copy or paste the document.

67. The apparatus of claim 65 further comprising:

means for generating a JavaScript routine executing on said browser to encrypt the content data of the document so that a source code of the document when viewed using said browser appears corrupted.