Web site management system and method

• US 20040168066A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Creative Solutions Unlimited, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Creative Solutions Unlimited, Inc.
• Inventors: Alden, Kathryn A.
• Application Number:
  US10/785,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20040168066A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A system and method for the owner of a Web site to maintain his own off-line table of login names, passwords, and other authentication parameters, and submit them to a Web server for the purpose of allowing or denying access by others to the Web site. The Web site owner controls validation of users for access to the Web site or to a portion of the Web site without the need to obtain third-party Webmaster services.

Claims

1. A Web site management system to administer a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line, the system comprising:

a client-side engine that manages end-user authentication parameters off-line, the client side engine comprising;

an end-user table generation module that generates and manages personal and business data regarding end-users of the Web site owner'"'"'s Web sites off-line;

an access table generation module linked to the end-user table generation module that generates and manages authentication parameters of end-users off-line to permit the end-users access to the Web site owner'"'"'s Web sites;

a transaction set formation module that combines and formats entries from the end-user generation module and the access table generation module into a transaction set that includes all current end-user authentication parameters that establish rules to control access by the Web site owner'"'"'s end-users to Web site pages specified by the Web site owner;

an encryption module that encrypts the transaction set of the transaction set formation module;

an export module that writes the encrypted authentication parameters of the encryption module as a transaction set to a server-side engine via a computer network; and

a server-side engine that routes and directs end-users to client Web sites based upon rules established by the transaction set, the server-side engine comprising;

an importation module that receives the Web site owner'"'"'s encrypted transaction set from the export module;

a decryption module that decrypts the transaction set from the importation module;

a parsing module that parses the transaction set information after the transaction set information is decrypted by the decryption module;

an authentication module that creates client accounts that establish clients as customers of a network provider, creates master login and authentication information templates for a client to populate after creation of the client account, and verifies the transaction set provided by a client is that of a customer;

a database module that stores customer information, customer account information, messaging information, and end-user authentication parameters from the importation module, decryption module, parsing module, authentication module, and traffic module; and

a traffic module that communicates and responds to the database module to dynamically produce a resource requested by an end-user.

2. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the end-user table generation module and access table generation module each output at least one of end-users'"'"' names, e-mail addresses, home addresses, home telephone numbers, work addresses, work telephone numbers, personal demographic information, and professional demographic information.

3. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the end-user table generation module comprises an end-user demographics sub-module that provides demographic information about end-users.

4. The off-line Web site management system of claim 3, wherein the end-user demographics sub-module performs at least one of the following:

triggers event notification, filters data for reports, and selectively directs an end-user to appropriate client account Web sites.

5. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the end-user table generation module further comprises a first administrative sub-module providing filtering, logging, and reporting capabilities with regard to the access table contents and transaction set history.

6. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the access table generation module further comprises a second administrative sub-module providing filtering, logging, and reporting capabilities with regard to the access table contents and transaction set history.

7. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the transaction set written by the export module is sent to the server-side engine using file transfer protocol (FTP).

8. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the export module transmits the transaction set authentication parameters using a direct connection to the server-side engine.

9. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the server-side engine further comprises an automatic HTML page generation module to automatically generate HTML pages based on the transaction set from the importation module and customer account information.

10. The off-line Web site management system of claim 1, wherein the server-side engine further comprises an account messaging module operably connected to the traffic module to provide customer account-specific messages that override server-side default messages delivered and displayed to an end-user upon the end-user requesting resources.

11. The off-line Web site management system of claim 10, wherein the account messaging module provides customer account-specific messages that include at least one of account header messages, account welcome messages, account goodbye messages, account general messages, account unsuccessful login messages, and account timeout messages.

12. A Web site management system to administer a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line, the system comprising:

a client-side engine that establishes authentication parameters off-line to grant users access to a client'"'"'s Web site, the client-side engine comprising;

a first data generation module that generates and organizes data off-line, the data related to users of a client'"'"'s Web site;

a second data generation module linked to the first data generation module, wherein the second data generation module generates and organizes user authentication parameters off-line, the user authentication parameters for accessing a client'"'"'s web site;

a third data generation module that combines and formats data from the first data generation module and data from the second data generation module thereby creating data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site and outputs the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site to a provider server-side engine; and

a provider server-side engine to route and direct end-users to client Web sites based upon rules established by the third data generation module, the provider server-side engine comprising;

a data storage module to store the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site provided by the third data generation module

a data validation module to validate the stored data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site provided by the third data generation module and stored in the data storage module; and

a traffic module to direct end-users to the client Web site and provide additional files to end-users upon validation of the stored data by the data validation module.

13. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the first data generation module and second data generation module each output at least one of end-users'"'"' names, e-mail addresses, home addresses, home telephone numbers, work addresses, work telephone numbers, personal demographic information, and professional demographic information.

14. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the first data generation module comprises a first sub-module that provides demographic information about end-users.

15. The off-line Web site management system of claim 14, wherein the first sub-module performs at least one of the following:

triggers event notification, filters data for reports, and selectively directs an end-user to appropriate client account Web sites.

16. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the second data generation module further comprises a second sub-module providing filtering, logging, and reporting capabilities.

17. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site to a provider server-side engine is sent to the provider server-side engine using file transfer protocol (FTP).

18. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site is sent to the provider server-side engine using a direct connection to the provider server-side engine.

19. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the server-side engine further comprises an automatic HTML page generation module to automatically generate HTML pages based on data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site and customer account information.

20. The off-line Web site management system of claim 12, wherein the server-side engine further comprises an account messaging module operably connected to the traffic module to provide customer account-specific messages that override server-side default messages delivered and displayed to an end-user upon the end-user requesting resources.

21. The off-line Web site management system of claim 20, wherein the account messaging module provides customer account-specific messages that include at least one of account header messages, account welcome messages, account goodbye messages, account general messages, account unsuccessful login messages, and account timeout messages.

22. A method for managing Web site access off-line, the method comprising the steps of:

creating an end-user table off-line, the end-user table containing personal and business information regarding a Web site owner'"'"'s end-users;

creating an access table off-line, the access table relationally linked to the end-user table and containing authentication parameters regarding a Web site owner'"'"'s end-users;

combining and formatting the contents of the end-user table and the access table into a transaction set off-line, the transaction set including all current end-user authentication parameters, the end-user authentication parameters establishing rules to control access by the Web site owner'"'"'s end-users to Web site pages specified by the Web site owner; and

exporting the transaction set to a provider server, the provider server then implementing the rules established by the end-user authentication parameters to control access by the Web site owner'"'"'s end-users to Web site pages specified by the Web site owner.

23. The off-line method for managing Web site access of claim 22, further comprising the steps of filtering, logging, and reporting end-user table contents.

24. The off-line method for managing Web site access of claim 22, further comprising the steps of filtering, logging, and reporting access table contents.

25. The off-line method for managing Web site access of claim 22, wherein the exporting step further comprises transferring by FTP.

26. The off-line method for managing Web site access of claim 22, wherein the exporting step further comprises transferring by a secure direct connection to a provider server.

27. The off-line method for managing Web site access of claim 22, further comprising the step of the provider server automatically generating HTML pages based on the transaction set and customer account information and providing the HTML pages to an end user.

28. The off-line method for managing Web site access of claim 27, further comprising the step of the provider server automatically generating HTML pages that include at least one of account header messages, account welcome messages, account goodbye messages, account general messages, and account unsuccessful login messages, and account timeout messages.

29. A data storage medium with computer-executable instructions for managing Web site access off-line, the data storage medium comprising:

locally installed instructions for creating an end-user table off-line, the end-user table containing personal and business information regarding a Web site owner'"'"'s end-users;

locally installed instructions for creating an access table off-line, the access table relationally linked to the end-user table and containing authentication parameters regarding a Web site owner'"'"'s end-users;

locally installed instructions for combining and formatting entries from the end-user table and the access table into a transaction set that includes all current end-user authentication parameters, the end-user authentication parameters establishing rules to control access by the Web site owner'"'"'s end-users to Web site pages specified by the Web site owner;

locally installed instructions for encrypting the transaction set; and

locally installed instructions for exporting the encrypted transaction set to a provider server, the provider server then executing instructions for implementing the rules established by the end-user authentication parameters to control access by the Web site owner'"'"'s end-users to Web site pages specified by the Web site owner.

30. The data storage medium of claim 29, wherein the locally installed instructions for creating an end-user table further comprises full filtering, logging, and reporting end-user table contents.

31. The data storage medium of claim 29, wherein the locally installed instructions for creating an access table further comprises full filtering, logging, and reporting access table contents.

32. The data storage medium of claim 29, wherein the locally installed instructions for exporting the transaction set further comprises transferring by FTP.

33. The data storage medium of claim 29, wherein the locally installed instructions for exporting the transaction set further comprises transferring by a secure direct connection to a provider server.

34. The data storage medium of claim 29, wherein the locally installed instructions further comprises instructions for the provider server automatically generating HTML pages based on the transaction set and customer account information and providing the HTML pages to an end-user.

35. The data storage medium of claim 34, further comprising locally installed instructions for the provider server automatically generating HTML pages that include at least one of account header messages, account welcome messages, account goodbye messages, account general messages, and account unsuccessful login messages, and account timeout messages.

36. A workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line, the workstation comprising:

an end-user table generation module that generates and manages personal and business data regarding end-users of the Web site owner'"'"'s Web sites off-line;

an access table generation module linked to the end-user table generation module that generates and manages authentication parameters of end-users off-line to permit the end-users access to the Web site owner'"'"'s Web sites;

a transaction set formation module that combines and formats entries from the end-user generation module and the access table generation module into a transaction set that includes all current end-user authentication parameters that establish rules to control access by the Web site owner'"'"'s end-users to Web site pages specified by the Web site owner;

an encryption module that encrypts the transaction set of the transaction set formation module;

an export module that writes the encrypted authentication parameters of the encryption module as a transaction set to a server-side engine.

37. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 36, wherein the end-user table generation module and access table generation module each output at least one of end-users'"'"' names, e-mail addresses, home addresses, home telephone numbers, work addresses, work telephone numbers, personal demographic information, and professional demographic information.

38. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 36, wherein the end-user table generation module comprises an end-user demographics sub-module that provides demographic information about end-users.

39. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 38, wherein the end-user demographics sub-module performs at least one of the following:

triggers event notification, filters data for reports, and selectively directs an end-user to appropriate client account Web sites.

40. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 36, wherein the end-user table generation module further comprises a first administrative sub-module providing filtering, logging, and reporting capabilities with regard to the end-user table contents and transaction set history.

41. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 36, wherein the access table generation module further comprises a second administrative sub-module providing filtering, logging, and reporting capabilities with regard to the access table contents and transaction set history.

42. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 36, wherein the transaction set written by the export module is sent to the server-side engine using file transfer protocol (FTP).

43. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 36, wherein the export module transmits the transaction set authentication parameters using a direct connection to the server-side engine.

44. A workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line, the workstation comprising:

a first data generation module that generates and organizes data off-line, the data related to users of a client'"'"'s Web site;

a second data generation module linked to the first data generation module, wherein the second data generation module generates and organizes user authentication parameters off-line, the user authentication parameters for accessing a client'"'"'s web site; and

a third data generation module that combines and formats data from the first data generation module and data from the second data generation module thereby creating data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site and outputs the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site to a provider server-side engine.

45. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 44, wherein the first data generation module and second data generation module each output at least one of end-users'"'"' names, e-mail addresses, home addresses, home telephone numbers, work addresses, work telephone numbers, personal demographic information, and professional demographic information.

46. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 44, wherein the first data generation module comprises a first sub-module that provides demographic information about end-users.

47. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 46, wherein the first sub-module performs at least one of the following:

triggers event notification, filters data for reports, and selectively directs an end-user to appropriate client account Web sites.

48. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 44, wherein the second data generation module further comprises a second sub-module providing filtering, logging, and reporting capabilities.

49. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 48, wherein the second sub-module performs at least one of the following:

triggers event notification, filters data for reports, and selectively directs an end-user to appropriate client account Web sites.

50. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 44, wherein the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site to a provider server-side engine is sent to the provider server-side engine using file transfer protocol (FTP).

51. The workstation for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 44, wherein the data establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site is sent to the provider server-side engine using a direct connection to the provider server-side engine.

52. A method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a first data set off-line, the first data set related to users of a client'"'"'s Web site;

creating a second data set off-line, wherein the second data set is linked to the first data set, and wherein the second data set contains parameters for accessing a client'"'"'s Web site; and

combining and formatting contents of the first data set and contents of the second data set into a third data set, the third data set establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site; and

exporting the third data set establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site to a provider server-side engine.

53. The method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 52, wherein the first data set and the second data set each contain at least one of end-users'"'"' names, e-mail addresses, home addresses, home telephone numbers, work addresses, work telephone numbers, personal demographic information, and professional demographic information.

54. The method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 52, further comprising the steps of filtering, logging, and reporting contents of the first data set.

55. The method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 52, further comprising the steps of filtering, logging, and reporting contents of the second data set.

56. The method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 52, further comprising the step of selectively directing an end-user to client account Web sites.

57. The method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 52, wherein the exporting the third data set establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site is sent to the provider server-side engine using file transfer protocol (FTP).

58. The method for administering a Web site owner'"'"'s authentication parameters off-line of claim 52, wherein the exporting the third data set establishing rules to control access to the client'"'"'s Web site is sent to the provider server-side engine using a direct connection to the provider server-side engine.