LIMITED-USE BROWSER AND SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20070199063A1
• Filed: 05/01/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CDN Innovations, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
• Inventors: Howard, Christopher, Levy, Peter, de la Cuesta, Joshue
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,227 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1064 Restricting content processing at operating system level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

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 of another medium are either disabled as a default or monitored to determine if the action is permitted.

Claims

1. A method of receiving compensation for the provision of web content from a server at a content provider over a computer network to a web browser program in a client computer for presentation to a user, the method comprising:

(a) determining at the server that the web browser has been configured to disable non-ephemeral output from the web browser program while the provided web content is detected as being presented by the web browser program at the client computer;

(b) receiving compensation from the user at the client computer; and

(c) providing the web content from the server to the web browser only upon the completion of steps (a) and (b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises obtaining a promise of compensation from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a one-time fee.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a subscription fee.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a per-session fee.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises receiving a per-access fee.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises determining at the server that a selected non-ephemeral output function of the web browser program has been disabled while provided web content is detected as being presented by the web browser program at the client computer and wherein step (b) comprises receiving a fee for re-enabling the selected non-ephemeral output function.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising re-enabling the selected non-ephemeral output function after providing the web content in step (c).

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected non-ephemeral output function modifies the web content.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the selected non-ephemeral output function copies the web content to a non-ephemeral medium.

11. Apparatus for receiving compensation for the provision of web content from a server at a content provider over a computer network to a web browser program in a client computer for presentation to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means located at the server for determining that the web browser has been configured to disable non-ephemeral output from the web browser program while the provided web content is detected as being presented by the web browser program at the client computer;

means for receiving compensation from the user at the client computer; and

means for providing the web content from the server to the web browser only after the means for determining that the web browser has been configured to disable non-ephemeral output has determined that the web browser is so configured and the means for receiving compensation has received compensation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving compensation comprises means for obtaining a promise of compensation from the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving compensation comprises means for receiving a one-time fee.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving compensation comprises means for receiving a subscription fee.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving compensation comprises means for receiving a per-session fee.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving compensation comprises means for receiving a per-access fee.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for determining comprises means for determining at the server that a selected non-ephemeral output function of the web browser program has been disabled while provided web content is detected as being presented by the web browser program at the client computer and wherein the means for receiving compensation comprises means for receiving a fee for re-enabling the selected non-ephemeral output function.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for re-enabling the selected non-ephemeral output function after the means for providing provides the web content.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selected non-ephemeral output function modifies the web content.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the selected non-ephemeral output function copies the web content to a non-ephemeral medium.