URL-based facility enablement

• US 6,638,316 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hardy, Rodney Bernard James, Tyler, Stephen Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US09/258,192
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/310, 709/328, 713/200, 358/1.15, 707/513, 707/501.1, 715/513, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register

Abstract

A method for the control of computer facilities, i.e., functions, is disclosed. The method comprises the identification of a computer facility, such as printing, selected for manipulation of data. The method then identifies a source location of the data, for example by examining a uniform reference locator (URL) associated therewith, and then checking whether the source location of the data is valid for the performance of the selected facility. If the source location is not valid, the facility (e.g., printing) is not performed for the data and if the source location is valid, the facility is performed for the data.

Claims

1. A method for control of computer-implemented functions, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing an application program from an extended computer network and operating the application program using a computer system connected to the network;

identifying a computer-implemented function provided by the application program, the identified function being selected for manipulation of data;

identifying a source location of the data;

accessing the data at the identified source location; and

checking whether the source location of the accessed data is valid for performance of the selected function, such that if the source location is not valid, the function is not performed for the accessed data and if the source location is valid, performing the function for the accessed data, wherein validity of the source location as to performance of the selected function is determined according to one or more predetermined rules associated with the application program, the one or more predetermined rules being configurable for the source location by a supplier of the application program.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the source location is a uniform resource locator of data accessible via the computer network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking comprises identifying if the source location is one of a group of predetermined source locations for which manipulation by the function of the accessed data is to be enabled.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said checking comprises identifying if the source location is one of a group of predetermined source locations for which manipulation by the function of the accessed data is to be disabled.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected function is a print function for printing the accessed data.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected function is a display function for audio and/or video reproduction of the accessed data.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected function is selected from a group consisting of editing functions including cut, paste and copy, downloading and running of software.

8. A method of controlling a print function in a computer system forming part of an extended computer network, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing an application program from the network and operating the application program using the computer system to generate a printable document including data components accessed from one or more source locations within the network;

identifying a print function provided by the application program, the print function being called to invoke a printing of the printable document;

identifying the source location of each accessed data component of the printable document, and then, for each identified source location, checking whether that source location is a valid one of a predetermined group of source locations and if so, enabling printing of the accessed data component corresponding to that source location, and if not, omitting to print the accessed data component, wherein validity of the source location as to enabling the printing is determined according to one or more predetermined rules associated with the application program, the one or more predetermined rules being configurable for the source location by a supplier of the application program.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the source location is defined by a uniform resource locator (URL) used in an Internet.

10. An apparatus for the control of computer-implemented functions, said apparatus comprising:

processor means for accessing an application program from an extended computer network and executing the application program on a computer system connected to the network;

identifying means for identifying a computer-implemented function provided by the application program, the identified function being selected for manipulation of data;

identifying means for identifying a source location of the data;

accessing means for accessing the data at the identified source location; and

checking means for checking whether the source location of the accessed data is valid for the performance of the selected function such that if the source location is not valid, the function is not performed for the accessed data and if the source location is valid, performing the function for the accessed data, wherein validity of the source location as to performance of the selected function is determined according to one or more predetermined rules associated with the application program, the one or more predetermined rules being configurable for the source location by a supplier of the application program.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the source location is a uniform resource locator of data accessible via the computer network.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said checking comprises identifying if the source location is one of a group of predetermined source locations for which manipulation by the function of the accessed data is to be enabled.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said checking comprises identifying if the source location is one of a group of predetermined source locations for which manipulation by the function of the accessed data is to be disabled.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the selected function is a print function for printing the accessed data.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the selected function is a display function for audio and/or video reproduction of the accessed data.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the selected function is selected from a group consisting of editing functions including cut, paste and copy, downloading and running of software.

17. An apparatus for controlling a print function in a computer system forming part of an extended computer network, said apparatus comprising:

accessing means for accessing an application program from the network and operating the application program using the computer system to generate a printable document including data components obtained from one or more source locations within the network;

identifying means for identifying a print function provided by the application program, the print function being called to invoke a printing of the printable document;

identifying means for identifying the source location of each data component of the printable document, and then, for each identified source location, checking means for checking whether that source location is a valid one of a predetermined group of source locations and if so, enabling printing of the data component corresponding to that source location, and if not, omitting to print the component, wherein validity of the source location as to enabling the printing is determined according to one or more predetermined rules associated with the application program, the one or more predetermined rules being configurable for the source location by a supplier of the application program.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the source location is defined by a uniform resource locator (URL) used in an Internet.

19. A computer program stored in a computer readable medium, said computer program being configured for controlling computer-implemented functions, said computer program comprising:

code for accessing an application program from an extended computer network and executing the application program on a computer system connected to the network;

code for identifying a computer-implemented function provided by the application program, the identified function being selected for manipulation of data;

code for identifying a source location of the data;

code for accessing the data at the identified source location; and

code for checking whether the source location of the accessed data is valid for the performance of the selected function, such that if the source location is not valid, the function is not performed for the accessed data and if the source location is valid, performing the function for the accessed data, wherein validity of the source location as to performance of the selected function is determined according to one or more predetermined rules associated with the application program, the one or more predetermined rules being configurable for the source location by a supplier of the application program.

20. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein the source location is a uniform resource locator of data accessible via the computer network.

21. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein said checking comprises identifying if the source location is one of a group of predetermined source locations for which manipulation by the function of the accessed data is to be enabled.

22. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein said checking comprises identifying if the source location is one of a group of predetermined source locations for which manipulation by the function of the accessed data is to be disabled.

23. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein the selected function is a print function for printing the accessed data.

24. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein the selected function is a display function for audio and/or video reproduction of the accessed data.

25. A computer program according to claim 19, wherein the selected function is selected from the group consisting of editing functions including cut, paste and copy, downloading and running of software.

26. A computer program stored in a computer readable medium, said computer program being configured for controlling a print function in a computer system forming part of an extended computer network, said computer program comprising:

code for accessing an application program from the network and operating the application program using the computer system to generate a printable document including data components obtained from one or more source locations within the network;

code for identifying a print function provided by the application program, the print function being called to invoke a printing of the printable document;

code for identifying the source location of each data component of the printable document, and then, for each identified source location, code for checking whether that source location is a valid one of a predetermined group of source locations and if so, enabling printing of the data component corresponding to that source location, and if not, omitting to print the component, wherein validity of the source location as to enabling the printing is determined according to one or more predetermined rules associated with the application program, the one or more predetermined rules being configurable for the source location by a supplier of the application program.

27. An computer program according to claim 26, wherein the source location is defined by a uniform resource locator (URL) used in an Internet.