Method and apparatus for managing an interactive network session
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- initiating, by a server system, an interactive session over a computer network with a computing device;
polling, by the server system for managing the interactive session, the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling comprises installing programming code on the computing device, wherein the programming code enables the server system to interact with an operating system of the computing device to determine that a user is present at the computing device and that the computing device is secured from use by other users;
determining, by the server system, that a user is present at the computing device based on the polling of the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling does not include receiving a response to a request for user input to confirm a presence of the user and does not include coupling of a physical peripheral device configured to solely confirm the presence of the user to the computing device;
determining, by the server system, that the computing device is secured from use by other users by receiving a determination that a password protection scheme has been activated by the operating system, wherein the password protection scheme includes an entry of a valid password to continue using the computing device; and
maintaining, by the server system, the interactive session in response to the determining that the user is present and the determining that the computing device is secured from use by other users.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for controlling online session inactivity timeouts between a user terminal and a server involves the server polling the user'"'"'s local terminal to determine whether the user presence at the terminal can be confirmed if there is a period of inactivity within the session. If so, or if the server can otherwise confirm that the terminal is secured from use by other users, then the user session is maintained. Otherwise, the user session is allowed to timeout due to inactivity. The server may issue an alert to the user whenever a timeout is imminent, and may restore any information entered by the user prior to the timeout, if the user later returns and validates his identification.
75 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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initiating, by a server system, an interactive session over a computer network with a computing device; polling, by the server system for managing the interactive session, the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling comprises installing programming code on the computing device, wherein the programming code enables the server system to interact with an operating system of the computing device to determine that a user is present at the computing device and that the computing device is secured from use by other users; determining, by the server system, that a user is present at the computing device based on the polling of the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling does not include receiving a response to a request for user input to confirm a presence of the user and does not include coupling of a physical peripheral device configured to solely confirm the presence of the user to the computing device; determining, by the server system, that the computing device is secured from use by other users by receiving a determination that a password protection scheme has been activated by the operating system, wherein the password protection scheme includes an entry of a valid password to continue using the computing device; and maintaining, by the server system, the interactive session in response to the determining that the user is present and the determining that the computing device is secured from use by other users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that executable by a server system for managing an interactive session to cause the server system to perform operations comprising:
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initiating, by the server system, the interactive session over a computer network with a computing device; polling, by the server system, the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling comprises installing programming code on the computing device, wherein the programming code enables the server system to interact with an operating system of the computing device to determine that a user is present at the computing device and that the computing device is secured from use by other users; determining, by the server system, that a user is present at the computing device based on the polling of the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling does not include receiving a response to a request for user input to confirm a presence of the user and does not include coupling of a physical peripheral device configured to solely confirm the presence of the user to the computing device; determining, by the server system, that the computing device is secured from use by other users by receiving a determination that a password protection scheme has been activated by the operating system, wherein the password protection scheme includes an entry of a valid password to continue using the computing device; and maintaining, by the server system, the interactive session in response to the determining that the user is present and the determining that the computing device is secured from use by other users.
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15. A server system comprising:
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a processor for managing an interactive session, a non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor, the non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to cause the server system to perform operations comprising; initiating the interactive session over a computer network with a computing device; polling the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling comprises installing programming code on the computing device, wherein the programming code enables the server system to interact with an operating system of the computing device to determine that a user is present at the computing device and that the computing device is secured from use by other users; determining that a user is present at the computing device based on the polling of the computing device outside of the interactive session, wherein the polling does not include receiving a response to a request for user input to confirm a presence of the user and does not include coupling of a physical peripheral device configured to solely confirm the presence of the user to the computing device; determining that the computing device is secured from use by other users by receiving a determination that a password protection scheme has been activated by the operating system, wherein the password protection scheme includes an entry of a valid password to continue using the computing device; and maintaining the interactive session in response to the determining that the user is present and the determining that the computing device is secured from use by other users.
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Specification