LIMITED-USE BROWSER AND SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20120042387A1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CDN Innovations, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kualo Properties Au LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Howard, Christopher J., Levy, Peter S., de la Cuesta, Joshue D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• 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-use 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, comprising:

employing a browser application, by a computing device, to present content;

identifying protected content included in the content; and

configuring the browser application to prohibit at least one non-transient content operation associated with the protected content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the browser application to prohibit the at least one non-transient content operation includes prohibiting archiving or saving of the protected content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the browser application to prohibit the at least one non-transient content operation includes prohibiting copying of the protected content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring the browser application to prohibit the at least one non-transient content operation includes prohibiting moving of the protected content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a request for compensation for access or use of the protected content by way of the browser application.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising confirming the request for compensation is satisfied.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising configuring the browser application including enabling one or more of the at least one non-transient content operation in response to the confirming.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving from a browser a request for protected content hosted by at least one network-accessible data store;

receiving an indication the browser has disabled at least one non-transient content operation; and

in response to the receiving the indication, transmitting the protected content to browser.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the request includes receiving the indication.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the indication includes receiving the indication that saving or archiving of at least a portion of the protected content is disabled.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the indication includes receiving the indication that copying or pasting of at least a portion of the protected content is disabled.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the indication includes receiving the indication that printing of at least a portion of the protected content is disabled.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the receiving the indication includes receiving the indication that moving of at least a portion of the protected content is disabled.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting to the browser a payment request message that requests compensation in connection with provision of the protected content.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a payment message that indicates a request for compensation is satisfied.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting to the browser a re-enablement message that instructs the browser to re-enable the at least one non-transient content operation.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a content analysis component configured to identify protected content included in content for presentation by a web browser and received via an interface to the web browser; and

a configuration component configured to configure the web browser to disable at least one non-ephemeral content operation associated with the protected content.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one non-ephemeral content operation is a save operation or an archival operation of at least a portion of the protected content.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one non-ephemeral content operation is a copy operation or a paste operation of at least a portion of the protected content.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one non-ephemeral content operation is a print operation of at least a portion of the protected content.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one non-ephemeral content operation is a drag operation or a move operation of at least a portion of the protected content.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a payment component configured to verify payment in response to a request for provision of the protected content.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a payment component configured to verify payment in response to a request that the web browser re-enable the at least one non-ephemeral content operation.

24. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computing system to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a request, via a web browser of a computing device, for protected content maintained by a network-accessible content server;

receiving an indication the web browser has been configured to disable at least one non-ephemeral content operation with respect to the protected content; and

transmitting the protected content to the web browser.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the receiving the request includes receiving the indication the web browser has been configured to disable the at least one non-ephemeral content operation.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the receiving the indication includes receiving the indication the web browser has been configured to disable saving or archiving of at least a portion of the protected content.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the receiving the indication includes receiving the indication the web browser has been configured to disable copying or pasting of at least a portion of the protected content.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, receiving the indication includes receiving the indication the web browser has been configured to disable printing of at least a portion of the protected content.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, receiving the indication includes receiving the indication the web browser has been configured to disable dragging or moving of at least a portion of the protected content.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, the operations further comprising transmitting to the web browser a payment request message that requests compensation in connection with provision of the protected content.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, the operations further comprising receiving a payment message that indicates a request for compensation is satisfied.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, the operations further comprising transmitting to the web browser a re-enablement message that instructs the web browser to re-enable one or more of the at least one non-ephemeral content operation.

33. A system, comprising:

means for presenting content by a computing device;

means for identifying protected content included in the content; and

means for prohibiting the means for presenting content from performing at least one non-transient content operation with respect to the protected content.