System and method for enhancing, securing, controlling and customizing employee network applications and usage

• US 8,615,786 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Answer Financial Incorporated (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Answer Financial Incorporated (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Bryce, Daniel John, Williams, Todd Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US11/939,443
• Time in Patent Office: 2,233 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

The invention relates to various solutions to the challenges of supporting call centers and networks having a plurality of network connected agents or employees. According to one aspect, the invention manages agent authentication, including hiding the authentication methods (e.g., username and password) from the agent. According to another aspect, the invention provides information bridging, such as entering previously-collected information in carrier site pages. According to yet another aspect, the invention provides scripting, such as performing agency-specific scripting and guidance. According to still another aspect, the invention restricts agents from visiting non-approved sites. According to yet another aspect, the invention monitors and logs data fields of particular interest.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting every web page that is requested by or returned to a browser application on a computing device;

comparing a URL associated with each web page to a plurality of URL patterns in a table;

if there is a match;

retrieving an action associated with a matching one of the URL patterns from the table; and

automatically performing the action using functionality on the computing device that is separate from the browser application, and does not require any action by a user other than requesting or receiving the web page using the browser application,

wherein the table of URL patterns is stored on the computing device, and wherein the table further stores a field associated with one or more of the URL patterns, the field comprising a field in a form associated with the web page, the action associated with the one or more URL patterns being automatically filling information in the field associated with the web page.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes entering login credentials to a remote site while hiding the credentials from the user.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the login credentials are unique to the user.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the login credentials are common among a plurality of users in an organization.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating the user who is using the computing device via the table when the user launches the browser application.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

downloading the table to the computing device from an external rules database.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

obtaining identification information associated with the user;

selecting the table from among a plurality of different tables in the external rules database based on the obtained identification information.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

allowing an administrator to change contents of the tables stored in the external rules database.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes blocking display of the requested or returned web page.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes filling in contents of one or more fields in the web page.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes extracting contents from one or more fields in the web page.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes displaying additional content in the browser application that is not part of the web page, along with contents of the web page.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the additional content includes instructions for the user associated with one or more fields in the web page.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes modifying content in the web page before it is displayed by the browser application.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a record of the user'"'"'s web browsing activities.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a record of data entered by the user in one or more fields of the web page.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes restricting web browsing of predetermined web sites according to predetermined limits.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action includes restricting the user'"'"'s data entry of predetermined items of information into one or more fields in the web page.

19. A system comprising:

a plurality of computing devices, each having a browser application;

a rules database that stores rules containing certain predetermined actions to perform based on certain URL patterns, and further stores information to be used when performing the actions; and

a mechanism that is separate from, and automatically detects every web page requested by or returned to, the browser application in the plurality of computing devices, and automatically performs the predetermined actions if there is a match,

wherein copies of certain portions of the rules database are stored in a table of URL patterns on the computing device, and wherein the table further stores a field associated with one or more of the URL patterns, the field comprising a field in a form associated with the web page, the predetermined action associated with the one or more URL patterns being automatically filling information in the field associated with the web page.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the actions includes entering login credentials to a remote site while hiding the credentials from the user, and wherein the stored information in the rules database includes the login credentials.

21. A system according to claim 19, wherein the mechanism includes a plug-in application for the browser application.

22. A system according to claim 21, further comprising a locally stored copy of a portion of the rules database.