Local hosting of digital certificate services

• US 6,564,320 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DigiCert Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Inventors: Tulshibagwale, Atul, Yuan, Xinhong, de Silva, Mahinda K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail
• Assistant Examiner(s): Song, Ho S.
• Application Number:
  US09/107,331
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 713/155-158, 713/175, 713/200, 713/201, 707/9, 707/501, 707/505-508, 707/517, 707/530, 707/523, 707/524, 707/200, 705/44, 705/75, 705/78, 709/246
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A local server (202) locally hosts the provision of digital certificate services to a client (102); while a central server (104) provides the actual digital certificate services. The local server (202) transmits (304) a custom entry form (210) to the client (102). In response to the client'"'"'s (102) use of the custom entry form (210), the client (102) transmits (306) a standard request for digital certificate services to a central server (104), possibly via the local server (202). The central server (104) fulfills (310) the request, generating a standard response. The standard response is transmitted (312) to the local server (202), which generates (314) a custom display of the results contained in the standard response. The custom display is transmitted (316) to the client (102), fulfilling the client'"'"'s request. Information is provided (320,330), enabling the local server (202) to create (322) appropriate custom entry forms (210) and to generate (314) the custom display from the standard response. The communications between local server (202) and central server (104) preferably are secured.

Claims

1. In a system including a certification authority, an affiliate of the certification authority, and a client of the affiliate, a computer readable medium used by the certification authority to enable the affiliate to locally host provision of a digital certificate service requested by the client and provided by the certification authority, the computer readable medium storing:

computer code for generating a standard request to be received by a central server associated with the certification authority, wherein;

a local server associated with the affiliate is coupled to the client,

the local server provides to the client a custom entry form containing at least a portion of the computer code for generating the standard request,

the client uses the custom entry form to request the digital certificate service,

the client'"'"'s use of the custom entry form results in the standard request for the digital certificate service,

the standard request is received by the central server; and

a model template upon which a custom display of results is based, wherein;

the model template includes a placeholder for data contained in a standard response,

the affiliate creates a custom template based on the model template, the custom template including the placeholder,

the central server produces the standard response in response to the standard request, and

the local server replaces the placeholder in the custom template with the data in the standard response to produce the custom display.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 further storing:

a software program for replacing the placeholder in the custom template with data in the standard response.

3. In a system including a certification authority, an affiliate of the certification authority, and a client of the affiliate, a method for the certification authority to enable the affiliate to locally host generation of a custom display of results to the client for a digital certificate service provided by the certification authority, said method comprising:

the certification authority receiving a standard request for digital certificate services;

the certification authority processing the standard request to generate a standard response;

the certification authority transmitting the standard response to the affiliate; and

the certification authority providing information to the affiliate enabling the affiliate to generate the custom display of results based on the standard response, wherein the affiliate is coupled to the client and the affiliate transmits the custom display to the client, wherein;

a local server associated with the affiliate is coupled to the client,

the provided information comprises a model template having a placeholder for data contained in the standard response,

the affiliate creates a custom template based on the model template, the custom template including the placeholder,

a central server associated with the certification authority processes the standard request to generate the standard response,

the local server replaces the placeholder in the custom template with data in the standard response to produce the custom display, and

the local server transmits the custom display to the client.

4. In a system including a certification authority, an affiliate of the certification authority, and a client of the affiliate, a method for the certification authority to enable the affiliate to locally host generation of a custom display of results to the client for a digital certificate service provided by the certification authority, said method comprising:

the certification authority receiving a standard request for digital certificate services;

the certification authority processing the standard request to generate a standard response;

the certification authority transmitting the standard response to the affiliate; and

the certification authority providing information to the affiliate enabling the affiliate to generate the custom display of results based on the standard response, wherein the affiliate is coupled to the client and the affiliate transmits the custom display to the client, wherein;

a local server associated with the affiliate is coupled to the client,

a central server associated with the certification authority is coupled to the client, and

the step of the certification authority transmitting the standard response to the affiliate comprises the certification authority transmitting the standard response to the client with directions to redirect the standard response to the local server.

5. A system to enable an affiliate of a certification authority to locally host provision of a digital certificate service requested by a client of the affiliate and provided by the certification authority, the system comprising:

a local server associated with the affiliate; and

a central server associated with the certification authority;

wherein;

the client is coupled to the local server and to the central server;

the local server provides to the client a custom entry form to request the digital certificate service;

the client uses the custom entry form, generating a standard request for the digital certificate service received by the central server;

the central server processes the standard request to generate a standard response;

the central server transmits the standard response to the client with directions to redirect the standard response to the local server;

the local server generates a custom display of results based on the standard response; and

the local server transmits the custom display to the client.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the local server comprises;

a collection of custom entry forms containing the custom entry form provided to the client; and

the central server comprises;

a front-end coupled to receive the standard request for pre-processing the standard request,

a back-end coupled to the front-end for fulfilling the pre-processed standard request; and

form files accessible by the front-end for use by the front-end in pre-processing the standard request.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the central server comprises;

a back-end for fulfilling the standard request, and

a front-end coupled to the back-end for generating the standard response from the fulfilled standard request; and

the local server comprises;

a local interface coupled to receive the standard response for generating the custom display of results based on the standard response, and

a collection of custom templates accessible by the local interface for use by the local interface in generating the custom display.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the local server is coupled to the client via the Internet;

the central server is coupled to the client via the Internet;

the client accesses the local server and the central server by a web browser;

the custom entry form includes a first document in a standard markup language and the first document includes a form structure;

the standard request is generated in response to the client using the form structure;

the standard response is encoded in a format which is compatible with the HTTP protocol; and

the custom display includes a second document in a standard markup language.