Restricting use of a digital item stored in a client computer by sending an instruction from a server computer via a network
First Claim
1. A method comprising the following steps performed by a server computer system:
- establishing an account with the server computer system for each of a plurality of users, said each of the plurality of users capable of establishing a connection with the server computer system via their respective client computers;
receiving a first instruction that the digital item stored on the first client computer should be restricted, wherein the first instruction is received at the server computer system from a second client computer;
receiving one or more identification parameters from the first client computer;
determining at the server computer system that use of a digital item on a first client computer should be restricted based on (a) the first instruction, and (b) one or more identification parameters received from the first client computer; and
sending a message to the first client computer, the message including a second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are method, system and article of manufacture for restricting use of a digital item stored in a client computer by sending an instruction from a server computer via a network. The server computer is configured to hold accounts for a plurality of users, each of which of the plurality of users may access the server computer via respective client computers. The server computer receives an instruction from a second client computer, and the server computer sends a message to the first client computer that the digital item should be restricted based on an identification parameter—such as type of the first client computer, user identifier, authorization key, an internet address, time of day, day of week, or an expiration date—received from the first client computer, whereupon the first client computer disables, deletes or locks a file on the first client computer.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method comprising the following steps performed by a server computer system:
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establishing an account with the server computer system for each of a plurality of users, said each of the plurality of users capable of establishing a connection with the server computer system via their respective client computers; receiving a first instruction that the digital item stored on the first client computer should be restricted, wherein the first instruction is received at the server computer system from a second client computer; receiving one or more identification parameters from the first client computer;
determining at the server computer system that use of a digital item on a first client computer should be restricted based on (a) the first instruction, and (b) one or more identification parameters received from the first client computer; andsending a message to the first client computer, the message including a second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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one or more processors; one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors; a network interface device coupled to the one or more processors to interface with the Internet; one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices containing processor-executable code, said processor-executable code capable of performing the following method steps executed by the one or more processors; sending one or more identification parameters to a server computer system; receiving from the server computer system a message, said message including a second instruction to restrict use of a digital item at the client computer; and in response to the message received from the server computer system, restricting access to the digital item, wherein the server computer system is configured; to receive a first instruction to restrict a user of the client computer from using the digital item, wherein the first instruction is received at the server computer system from a second client computer; to receive one or more identification parameters from the client computer; to determine at the server computer system that use of a digital item by the client computer should be restricted based on (a) the first instruction, and (b) one or more identification parameters received from the client computer; and to send to the client computer the message, said message including the second instruction to restrict the use of the digital item on the client computer; wherein the server computer system is configured to establish an account with the server computer system for each of a plurality of users, said each of the plurality of users being capable of establishing a connection with the server computer system via their respective client computers. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A server computer system, comprising:
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one or more processors; one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors; a network interface device coupled to the one or more processors to interface with the Internet; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices containing processor- executable code, said processor-executable code capable of performing the following method steps executed by the one or more processors; establishing an account with the server computer system for each of a plurality of users, said each of the plurality of users capable of establishing a connection with the server computer system via their respective client computers; receiving a first instruction that the digital item stored on the first client computer should be restricted, wherein the first instruction is received at the server computer system from a second client computer; receiving one or more identification parameters from the first client computer; determining at the server computer system that use of a digital item on a first client computer should be restricted based on (a) the first instruction, and (b) one or more identification parameters received from the first client computer; and sending a message to the first client computer, the message including a second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices comprising processor- executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions capable of causing one or more processors of a server computer system to perform the following method steps; establishing an account with the server computer system for each of a plurality of users, said each of the plurality of users capable of establishing a connection with the server computer system via their respective client computers; receiving a first instruction that the digital item stored on the first client computer should be restricted, wherein the first instruction is received at the server computer system from a second client computer; receiving one or more identification parameters from the first client computer; determining at the server computer system that use of a digital item on a first client computer should be restricted based on (a) the first instruction, and (b) one or more identification parameters received from the first client computer; and sending a message to the first client computer, the message including a second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices containing processor- executable code, said processor-executable code capable of performing the following method steps executed by one or more processors; sending one or more identification parameters to a server computer system; receiving from the server computer system a message, said message including a second instruction to restrict use of a digital item at the client computer; and in response to the message received from the server computer system, restricting access to the digital item, wherein the server computer system is configured; to receive a first instruction to restrict a user of the client computer from using the digital item, wherein the first instruction is received at the server computer system from a second client computer; to receive one or more identification parameters from the client computer; to determine at the server computer system that use of a digital item by the client computer should be restricted based on (a) the first instruction, and (b) one or more identification parameters received from the client computer; and to send to the client computer the message, said message including the second instruction to restrict the use of the digital item on the client computer; wherein the server computer system is configured to establish an account with the server computer system for each of a plurality of users, said each of the plurality of users being capable of establishing a connection with the server computer system via their respective client computers. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification