Smart card controlled internet access

• US 6,738,901 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company), Interactive Learning Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Leinecker, Richard C., Fischer, Jochen E., McConnell, Troy, Wilkinson, Ken, Boyles, Stephen L., Moody, Clyde G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US09/461,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 713/159, 713/161, 713/165, 713/168, 713/172, 713/185
• US Class Current: 713/159
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A system for customizing individual internet access includes a server that registers a user with the system, stores information pertaining to internet sites the user is authorized to access, and controls the user'"'"'s access to internet sites. A carding station is provided to enter personal identification information about the user and information regarding internet sites the user is authorized to access into the system. The carding station also generates a personal smart card for the user that includes a read only memory storing a serial number that correlates with data about the user stored in the server. An internet station is provided to allow the user to view the internet only with his or her personal smart card. While accessing the internet, the server controls the user'"'"'s access to internet sites based on whether the information stored in the server indicates that the user is authorized to access the specific internet sites that are requested to be displayed. A secure sockets layer protocol provides security for the data transferred across the internet connection.

Claims

1. A system that customizes individual internet access comprising:

a server that registers a user with the system, stores information regarding internet sites the user is authorized to access, and controls the user'"'"'s access to the internet sites based on the information stored in said server for the specific user;

a carding station that generates a personal smart card for the user; and

an internet station that allows the user to view the internet with said personal smart card, the personal smart including information that identifies the user to enable the server to control the user'"'"'s access to the internet sites and not including a microprocessor.

2. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the user is registered with the system by entry of personal identification information about the user at said carding station which is remotely registered via the Internet.

3. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the user is registered with the system by entry of a personal identification number, said personal identification number providing security for said personal smart card.

4. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the user is registered with the system by entry of a password, said password providing security for said personal smart card.

5. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the user is registered with the system by scanning a fingerprint or other biometric data of the user at said carding station, said fingerprint or other biometric data providing security for said personal smart card.

6. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the user is registered with the system by entry of the information regarding the internet sites the user is authorized to access.

7. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said server controls the user'"'"'s access to the internet sites by granting or denying requests from said internet station to display the internet sites, based on the information stored in said server regarding the internet sites the user is authorized to access.

8. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the information regarding the internet sites the user is authorized to access includes an access level selected from the group consisting of an unfiltered internet access level, a filtered internet access level, and restricted internet access level.

9. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 8 wherein said unfiltered access level gives the user full access to all internet sites.

10. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 8 wherein said filtered internet access level blocks the user'"'"'s access to one or more predetermined internet sites.

11. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 10 wherein at least some of the one or more predetermined internet sites are selected by a system administrator.

12. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 10 wherein at least some of the one or more predetermined internet sites are selected by the user or a representative of the user.

13. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 10 wherein at least some of the one or more predetermined internet sites are selected by a third party.

14. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 8 wherein the restricted internet access level blocks the users access to any internet site that is not included in a predetermined set of approved internet sites.

15. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 14 wherein at least some of the internet sites in the predetermined set are selected by a system administrator.

16. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 14 wherein at least some of the internet sites in the predetermined set are selected the system by the user or a representative of the user.

17. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 14 wherein at least some of the internet sites in the predetermined set are selected the system by a third party.

18. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said server controls the user'"'"'s access to specific internet sites by reviewing a requested internet site and blocking the site if it contains selected material.

19. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said personal smart card includes a read only memory that stores the information that identifies the user.

20. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 19 wherein the read only memory on said personal smart card is configured as a storage area selected from the group consisting of an encoded memory chip, a magnetic stripe, a bar code, and machine readable indicia.

21. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein the information that identifies the user is unique to that personal smart card and differentiates it from similar personal smart cards.

22. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said carding station includes a camera for taking a photograph of the user.

23. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 22 wherein said carding station is adapted to print the photograph of the user on said personal smart card.

24. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said carding station includes a card printer for printing said personal smart card.

25. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said internet station includes a data display unit selected from the group consisting of a computer terminal, a telephone, a pager, a television, and a personal digital assistant.

26. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said internet station includes a card reader for reading said personal smart card.

27. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 18 wherein the user is able to view the internet from said internet station by insertion of said personal smart card into said card reader and authentication that that the user is using his/her own personal smart card.

28. The system that customizes individual internet access defined in claim 27 wherein data that is transferred across an internet connection to authenticate that the user is using his/her own personal smart card is secured by a secure sockets layer protocol.

29. The system that customizes individual internet access defined in claim 28 wherein said secure sockets layer protocol includes Microsoft'"'"'s CrptoAPI®

.

30. The system that customizes individual internet access defined in claim 28 wherein said secure sockets layer protocol enables said internet station to encrypt the data and use hypertext transfer protocol to communicate with said server.

31. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 27 wherein said personal smart card is authenticated by entry of a personal identification number that is associated with said personal smart card.

32. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 27 wherein said personal smart card is authenticated by entry of a password that is associated with said personal smart card.

33. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 27 wherein said personal smart card is authenticated by verification of a fingerprint of the user.

34. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 27 wherein a predetermined internet site is automatically displayed at said internet station when said personal smart card is removed from said card reader.

35. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 27 wherein the internet sites viewed by the user at said internet station are automatically deleted from said internet station when said personal smart card is removed from said card reader.

36. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said server includes information regarding the a maximum amount of time the user may view the internet during a time interval.

37. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said server includes information regarding a maximum number of pages the user may print during a time interval.

38. The system that customizes individual internet access as defined in claim 1 wherein said server includes information on an amount of money that is credited to the user'"'"'s account.

39. A system that customizes individual internet access comprising:

a server that registers a first user and at least one additional user with the system, said server including information on whether the first user is authorized to access a first set of specific internet sites and information on whether the at least one additional user is authorized to access a second set of specific internet sites;

a carding station that generates a first personal smart card for said first user and at least one additional personal smart card for said at least one additional user, said first and at least one additional personal smart cards including information that identifies the respective users and not including a microprocessor;

wherein said server controls said first user'"'"'s access to the first set of specific internet sites based on the information stored in said server regarding the first user as identified by the first personal smart card; and

see above

wherein said server controls the at least one additional user'"'"'s access to the second set of specific internet sites based on the information stored in said server regarding the at least one additional user as identified by the at least one additional personal smart card.