Method and apparatus for controlling client access to documents

• US 6,321,256 B1
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors, Himmel, Maria Azua
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/080,018
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/224, 705/14
• US Class Current: 709/218
• 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 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting, storing and retrieving information, including duration of view time, concerning advertisements included with Web pages seen by a particular user and thereafter using the stored information in controlling access of that user to subsequent Web pages.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a communication medium where clients are connected to and communicate with (Web) servers, a method of restricting the access of a client to subsequent documents, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least a document;

detecting a period of time for which selected portions of said at least one document were viewable by the end user; and

denying access to a subsequently requested document based upon whether the selected portions were detected as being viewable for preselected periods of time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the selected portions are advertisements.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the advertisements are of a particular type.