Anti-virus toolbar system and method for use with a network browser

• US 6,789,201 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: McAfee, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Tarbotton, Lee Codel Lawson, Barton, Chris A., Roberts, Guy William Welch
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrón, Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lanier, Benjamin E.
• Application Number:
  US10/028,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 713/191, 713/188, 713/200
• US Class Current: 726/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for affording virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar. Initially, a request for virus-related services is received over a network from a network browser associated with a computer. In response thereto, virus-related information is transmitted to the computer for being used in conjunction with the network browser to provide virus-related services. In use, the virus-related services are administered utilizing the virus-related information and a toolbar associated with the network browser.

Claims

1. A method for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

receiving a request for virus-related services over a network from a network browser associated with a computer; and

transmitting virus-related information to the computer for being used in conjunction with the network browser to provide virus-related services;

wherein the virus-related services are administered utilizing a toolbar associated with the network browser and the virus-related information;

wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising receiving personal information associated with a user of the computer.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising looking up personal information associated with a user of the computer.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising registering a user of the computer.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, and further comprising downloading a plug-in in response to the registration.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the plug-in is adapted for installing the toolbar associated with the network browser.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the plug-in is adapted for transmitting the request via the network in response to a user action.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the toolbar is displayed adjacent to and simultaneously with a uniform resource locator (URL) field associated with the network browser.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus-related information is retrieved from a local database.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus-related information is retrieved from a remote database.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising receiving preferences of a user of the computer.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, and further comprising filtering the virus-related information based on the preferences.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising receiving usage data of a user of the computer.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, and further comprising filtering the virus-related information based on the usage data.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus-related services include virus-related news.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus-related services include a search engine for searching for viruses in a database of viruses.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus-related services include virus-related statistics.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virus-related services include virus-related statistics associated with a predetermined company.

19. A computer program product for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

(a) computer code for receiving a request for virus-related services over a network from a network browser associated with a computer; and

(b) computer code for transmitting virus-related information to the computer for being used in conjunction with the network browser to provide virus-related services;

(c) wherein the virus-related services are administered utilizing a toolbar associated with the network browser and the virus-related information;

(d) wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

20. A system for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

(a) logic for receiving a request for virus-related services over a network from a network browser associated with a computer; and

(b) logic for transmitting virus-related information to the computer for being used in conjunction with the network browser to provide virus-related services;

(c) wherein the virus-related services are administered utilizing a toolbar associated with the network browser and the virus-related information;

(d) wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

21. A system for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

(a) means for receiving a request for virus-related services over a network from a network browser associated with a computer; and

(b) means for transmitting virus-related information to the computer for being used in conjunction with the network browser to provide virus-related services;

(c) wherein the virus-related services are administered utilizing a toolbar associated with the network browser and the virus-related information;

(d) wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

22. A plug-in data structure stored in memory for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

(a) an install object for installing a toolbar associated with a network browser; and

(b) a communication object for requesting virus-related services over a network utilizing the toolbar; and

(c) a display object for outputting the virus-related services utilizing the toolbar;

(d) wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

23. A method for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

(a) registering a user of a computer on a network;

(b) downloading a plug-in to the computer over the network in response to the registration;

(c) installing a toolbar on a network browser of the computer utilizing the plug-in;

(d) receiving preferences of the user of the computer;

(e) receiving a request for virus-related services over the network from the network browser utilizing the plug-in;

(f) identifying the user associated with the request;

(g) looking up the preferences associated with the user of the computer in response to the request;

(h) retrieving virus-related information in response to the request;

(i) filtering the virus-related information based on the preferences; and

(j) transmitting the filtered virus-related information to the computer;

(k) wherein the virus-related services are administered utilizing the toolbar associated with the network browser and the virus-related information;

(l) wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

24. A method for requesting virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

receiving a request for virus-related services utilizing a network browser associated with a computer; and

wherein the virus-related services are requested utilizing a toolbar associated with the network browser;

wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

25. A method for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser associated with a computer; and

wherein the virus-related services are provided utilizing a toolbar associated with the network browser;

wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.

26. A plug-in data structure stored in memory for requesting virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

an install object for installing a toolbar associated with a network browser; and

a display object for allowing a user to request virus-related services utilizing the toolbar;

wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (hTML) content.

27. A plug-in data structure stored in memory for providing virus-related services utilizing a network browser toolbar, comprising:

an install object for installing a toolbar associated with a network browser; and

a display object for providing virus-related services utilizing the toolbar;

wherein the toolbar is separate from and displayed simultaneously with navigation icons of the browser and hypertext markup language (HTML) content.