System and user interface for adaptively processing and communicating URL data between applications

• US 7,127,609 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Royer, Barry Lynn, Heil, John Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Zachary A.
• Application Number:
  US09/817,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 713/187, 713/162, 713/168, 713/176, 713/189, 713/190, 713/201, 713/181, 709/217, 709/229, 709223-225, 705/3, 726/3, 726/4, 726/21
• US Class Current: 713/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

A system processes and communicates URL data to enable network (including Internet) compatible applications to be securely integrated into any process involving concurrent operation of applications. A first application employs a system for encoding URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification. The system includes an input processor for receiving an encryption key and a URL processor for processing a URL link to a second application using the received encryption key. The URL processor identifies URL type and adaptively encrypts a URL link address portion based on the identified type to produce a processed URL. A communication processor includes the processed URL in data representing a web page and communicates the web page representative data including the processed URL to a requesting application. A managing application provides a common encryption key to a plurality of concurrently operating applications for use by the URL processor and the URL processor also adaptively generates URL fields including an encrypted URL address portion and a non-encrypted session identifier.

Claims

1. A system employed by a first application for encoding URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification, comprising:

an input processor for receiving an encryption key;

a URL processor for adaptively processing a URL link to a second application differently to an intra-application link to a web page provided by said first application by using said received encryption key to encrypt a URL link address portion of said URL link to said second application to produce a processed URL and by non-encryption of said intra-application link; and

a communication processor for including said processed URL in data representing a web page and for communicating said web page representative data including said processed URL to a requesting application.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said encryption key is accessible by said first and second applications from a managing application.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said communication processor communicates said URL link address portion to a managing application for encryption.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said URL processor of said first application adaptively processes said URL link to said second application differently to said link to said web page provided by said first application in response to an identified URL type.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein

said URL link to said second application includes an encrypted address portion and said link to said web page provided by said first application includes a non-encrypted address portion.

6. A system according to claim 1, including

a browser application for providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information and for providing user identification information to said first application wherein

said first application authenticates said user identification information prior to permitting user access to functions of said first application.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said URL processor compresses said URL Link address portion and encrypts a compressed URL link address portion.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said URL processor compresses said URL link address portion using a hash function.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said communication processor communicates said URL link address portion to a managing application for compression.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said URL processor adaptively generates URL fields including encrypted patient specific information for incorporation in said URL link to said second application.

11. A system for encoding URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification occurring during concurrent operation of a plurality of applications, comprising:

a managing application for providing a common encryption key to a plurality of concurrently operating applications; and

a first application including,

an input processor for receiving said encryption key;

a URL processor for adaptively processing a URL link to a second application differently to an intra-application link to a web page provided by said first application by using said received encryption key to encrypt a URL link address portion of said URL link to said second application to produce a processed URL and by non-encryption of said intra-application link; and

a communication processor for including said processed URL in data representing a web page and for communicating said web page representative data including said processed URL to a requesting application.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein

said communication processor communicates said URL link address portion to said managing application for encryption.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein

said URL processor compresses said URL link address portion and encrypts a compressed URL link address portion.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein

said URL processor compresses said URL link address portion using a hash function.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein

said communication processor communicates said URL link address portion to said managing application for compression.

16. A system for encoding URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification, comprising:

a browser application for providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information for providing user identification information to a first application;

a first application responsive to said user identification information including,

a URL processor for adaptively generating URL fields including an encrypted URL address portion and encrypted patient specific information for incorporation together with a non-encrypted portion in a processed URL; and

a communication processor for including said processed URL in data representing a web page and for communicating said web page representative data including said processed URL to a requesting application.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein

said communication processor communicates said URL address portion and said encrypted patient specific information to another application for encryption.

18. A system for processing URL link data for detecting unauthorized URL modification and suitable for use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications, comprising:

a first application including,

a URL processor for adaptively generating a URL link to a second application differently to a URL link to a web page provided by said first application, to provide a generated URL by using a received encryption key to encrypt a URL link address portion of said URL link to said second application and by non-encryption of said URL link to said web page provided by said first application; and

a communication processor for including said generated URL in data representing a web page and for communicating said web page representative data including said generated URL to a requesting application.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein

said URL processor, generates a URL field including encrypted patient specific information for incorporation in said generated URL link to said second application.

20. A system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of Internet compatible applications, comprising:

a browser application including

a display generator for providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information and commands for a plurality of Internet compatible applications and for providing user identification information to a first application;

a URL generator for adaptively generating a URL including URL fields incorporating a URL address portion which has been encrypted and a non-encrypted session identifier; and

a processor for initiating communication of said generated URL to said first application in response to validation of said user identification information, said first application having access to a key for decrypting said URL address portion which has been encrypted.

21. A method employed by a first application for encoding URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification in a system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of applications, comprising the steps of:

receiving an encryption key;

processing a URL link to a second application differently to an intra-application link to a web page provided by said first application by using said received encryption key to encrypt a URL link address portion of said URL link to said second application to produce a processed URL and by non-encryption of said intra-application link; and

including said processed URL in data representing a web page and communicating said web page representative data including said processed URL to a requesting application.

22. A method employed by a first application operating in a system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of Internet compatible applications, said method comprising the steps of:

in response to a command from a request device to initiate a first application,

enabling user operability of said first application based upon validation of user identification information;

forming a URL to provide a formed URL link by encrypting a link address to a second application and incorporating said encrypted link address, session identification information and encrypted patient specific information in said formed URL link;

including said formed URL link in data representing a web page to be returned to said request device; and

communicating to said request device, said web page representative data including said formed URL link.

23. A method for encoding URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification in a system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of applications, comprising the steps of:

providing a common encryption key to said plurality of concurrently operating applications;

receiving said encryption key;

adaptively processing a URL link to a second application differently to an intra-application link to a web page provided by a first application by using said received encryption key to encrypt a URL link address portion of said URL link to said second application to produce a processed URL and by non-encryption of said intra-application link; and

including said processed URL in data representing a web page and communicating said web page representative data including said processed URL to a requesting application.

24. A method for processing URL link data for use in detecting unauthorized URL modification in a system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of applications, comprising the steps of:

adaptively generating a URL link to a second application differently to an intra-application link to a web page provided by a first application by using a received encryption key to encrypt a URL link address portion of said URL link to said second application to produce a generated URL;

providing a key to said second application for decrypting said encrypted URL address portion; and

including said generated URL in data representing a web page and communicating said web page representative data including said generated URL to a requesting application.