Methods for performing secure on-line testing without pre-installation of a secure browser
First Claim
1. A method for administering a test and/or providing instruction over the internet to a user whose installed computer programs comprise a general purpose web browser, said method comprising:
- (a) providing a server which is capable of;
(i) transmitting trusted code over the internet to the user'"'"'s computer; and
(ii) activating said trusted code on said user'"'"'s computer;
said trusted code extending the user'"'"'s general purpose web browser so as to restrict the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer in at least one way;
(b) enabling said trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer from the server; and
(c) providing the test and/or the instruction to the user on the user'"'"'s computer from the server while the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer is restricted in said at least one way;
where the enabling of step (b) comprises either transmitting and activating the trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer in cases where the trusted code is not pre-cached on the user'"'"'s computer or activating the trusted code in cases where the trusted code is pre-cached on the user'"'"'s computer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for performing secure on-line testing without the need for pre-installation of a secure browser are provided. The methods use a general purpose web browser which is already installed on the user'"'"'s computer and extend the browser so as to restrict the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer in at least one way which makes the computer more secure with regard to testing. The extending occurs through the transmission of trusted code to the user'"'"'s computer over the internet. The elimination of the need for pre-installation represents a major savings to school districts in terms of the amount of IT professional time that must be dedicated to on-line testing, especially for school districts having large numbers of installed computers. Apparatus for practicing the methods is also provided.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for administering a test and/or providing instruction over the internet to a user whose installed computer programs comprise a general purpose web browser, said method comprising:
-
(a) providing a server which is capable of; (i) transmitting trusted code over the internet to the user'"'"'s computer; and (ii) activating said trusted code on said user'"'"'s computer; said trusted code extending the user'"'"'s general purpose web browser so as to restrict the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer in at least one way; (b) enabling said trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer from the server; and (c) providing the test and/or the instruction to the user on the user'"'"'s computer from the server while the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer is restricted in said at least one way; where the enabling of step (b) comprises either transmitting and activating the trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer in cases where the trusted code is not pre-cached on the user'"'"'s computer or activating the trusted code in cases where the trusted code is pre-cached on the user'"'"'s computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for administering a test and/or providing instruction over the internet to a user whose installed computer programs comprise a general purpose web browser, said method comprising:
-
(a) providing a website which is capable of; (i) transmitting trusted code over the internet to the user'"'"'s computer; and (ii) activating said trusted code on said user'"'"'s computer, said trusted code extending the user'"'"'s general purpose web browser so as to restrict the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer in at least one way; (b) enabling said trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer from the website; and (c) providing the test and/or the instruction to the user on the user'"'"'s computer from the website while the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer is restricted in said at least one way; where the enabling of step (b) comprises either transmitting and activating the trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer in cases where the trusted code is not pre-cached on the user'"'"'s computer or activating the trusted code in cases where the trusted code is pre-cached on the user'"'"'s computer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method for taking a test and/or receiving instruction over the internet comprising:
-
(a) visiting a website using a computer whose installed computer programs comprise a general purpose web browser; (b) receiving trusted code from the website over the internet, said trusted code extending the general purpose web browser so as to restrict the functionality of the computer in at least one way; (c) activating the trusted code; and (d) receiving the test and/or the instruction over the internet from a website while the trusted code is activated.
-
-
24. A method for taking a test and/or receiving instruction over the internet using a computer which has (i) a general purpose web browser and (ii) trusted code that extends the general purpose web browser so as to restrict the functionality of the computer in at least one way, said method comprising:
-
(a) visiting a website that activates the trusted code; and (b) receiving the test and/or the instruction over the internet from a website while the trusted code is activated.
-
-
25. A system comprising:
-
(a) a processor; (b) an internet connection coupled to the processor; and (c) a memory unit coupled to the processor, said memory unit storing a computer program for transforming a user'"'"'s general purpose web browser into a secure browser, said computer program including programming instructions for performing the following steps; (i) transmitting trusted code through the internet connection to a user'"'"'s computer; and (ii) activating said trusted code on the user'"'"'s computer; wherein the trusted code extends a general purpose web browser on the user'"'"'s computer so as to restrict the functionality of the user'"'"'s computer in at least one way.
-
Specification