Computer program for securely viewing a file

• US 7,836,301 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2004
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Massey Harris
• Original Assignee: Steven Massey Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pich; Ponnoreay
• Application Number:
  US10/797,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20050204130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,442 Days
• Field of Search: 713/165
• US Class Current: 713/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files

Abstract

A method for distributing a password protected content file without revealing the password to a recipient. An unlocking program that has access to at least one password corresponding to the password protecting the content file is distributed to the recipient'"'"'s computer. A password protected content file is distributed to the recipient'"'"'s computer wherein upon activation of the unlocking program, the unlocking program automatically supplies the at least one password upon loading of the password protected content file.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a password protected content file without revealing to a recipient a password that protects the password protected content file, comprising steps of:

a. distributing from one or more owner'"'"'s computer to a recipient'"'"'s computer an unlocking program having a password embedded within the unlocking program, the password corresponding to the password that protects the password protected content file; and

b. distributing the password protected content file from the one or more owner'"'"'s computer to the recipient'"'"'s computer wherein the unlocking program includes logic that when executed by the recipient'"'"'s computer causes the unlocking program to run separately from and monitor at least one application program and to automatically supply the password embedded within the unlocking program to the at least one application program upon the at least one application program loading the password protected content file wherein the password embedded within the unlocking program is not revealed to a recipient using the recipient'"'"'s computer such that the recipient cannot learn the password.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps a and b are repeated at a predetermined rate and wherein the password protecting the password protected content file and the password embedded within the unlocking program are different in each repeat cycle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the unlocking program contains authorization logic that when executed by the recipient'"'"'s computer causes the unlocking program to verify that it is operating on the recipient'"'"'s computer that it was distributed to.

4. An unlocking program stored on a computer readable medium to unlock a password protected content file stored on a computer readable medium and readable by an application program, the password protected content file being locked with a password, the unlocking program being embedded with a password corresponding to the password locking the password protected content file and having logic to run separately from and monitor the application program and automatically supply the password locking the password protected content file to the application program upon the application program loading the password protected content file, wherein the password locking the password protected content file is not revealed to a recipient viewing the password protected content file such that the recipient cannot learn the password.

5. The unlocking program of claim 4, wherein the unlocking program includes logic to initiate the application program and to cause the application program to load the password protected content file.

6. The unlocking program of claim 4, wherein the unlocking program includes means for preventing a screen capture representing at least a portion of the content stored in the password protected content file.

7. The unlocking program of claim 4, wherein the unlocking program includes logic that monitors the running of at least one system administration program capable of terminating the unlocking program.

8. The unlocking program of claim 7, wherein the unlocking program includes logic that automatically terminates the system administration program upon detecting the running of the at least one system administration program.

9. The unlocking program of claim 7, wherein the unlocking program includes logic that terminates the application program upon detecting the running of the at least one system administration program.

10. The unlocking program of claim 9, wherein the unlocking program includes logic that terminates the unlocking program after the application program has been terminated.

11. The unlocking program of claim 4, wherein the unlocking program includes logic to prevent termination of the unlocking program.

12. The unlocking program of claim 4, wherein the password protected content file is characterized as a .pdf file.