Internet-based education support system, method and medium providing security attributes in modular, extensible components

• US 20040153508A1
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackboard Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Blackboard Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Dorothy R., Yaskin, David, Perian, Scott N., Rinzel, Daniel F. Jr., Alcorn, Robert L., Fontaine, John S., Etesse, Christopher E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student

Abstract

A system, method and medium for providing and/or installing extensions to enhance functionality of a computer system. User roles may be provided or associated with extensible components in determining user access to the enhanced functionality.

Claims

1. A method for providing an extensible software architecture that facilitates providing additional end-user system functionality, comprising the steps of:

installing on a system a file compatible with a known system application program interface (API), wherein the installed file utilizes the known API to provide a modified user interface to one or more users of the system;

invoking an enhanced system functionality by using the modified user interface;

specifying in the file one or more roles that can utilize the enhanced functionality;

determining if the user has rights to utilize the enhanced functionality; and

if the user has rights, granting access to the enhanced functionality.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of writing the roles into a system data repository.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functionality is provided by at least one of a hyperlink and icon.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the roles comprise at least one of user administrator, course administrator, system support, observer, support, portal administrator, system administrator, instructor and teacher'"'"'s assistant.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of denying access to the enhanced functionality if the user does not have access rights.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the file is installed on the system by using a Java archive file.