Restricting use of a digital item stored in a client computer by sending an instruction from a server computer via a network

• US 9,349,021 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Web 2.0 Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Pennar Software Corporation
• Inventors: Chaganti, Naren, Chaganti, Sitapathi Rao, Chaganti, Damayanti
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US14/248,723
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

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.

Claims

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. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an identifier of the first client computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an identifier of a user operating the first client computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an authorization key received from the first client computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more identification parameters is a type of the first client computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an Internet address from which the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first instruction is received from an authorized user of the digital item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first instruction includes a designation of a time when the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the designation of the time includes a designation of a time of day, a day of week or an expiration date.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item includes a command to delete a file from the first client computer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item includes a command to disable a file from being accessed by a user of the first client computer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second instruction to restrict the first client computer from use of the digital item includes a command to lock the digital item from being accessed on the first client computer.

13. A system comprising:

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.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an identifier of the first client computer.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an identifier of a user operating the first client computer.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an authorization key received from the first client computer.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more identification parameters is a type of the first client computer.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more identification parameters is an Internet address from which the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first instruction is received from an authorized user of the digital item.

20. A server computer system, comprising:

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.

21. The server computer system as in claim 20, wherein the one or more identification parameters is (a) an identifier of the first client computer;

(b) an identifier of a user operating the first client computer;

(c) an authorization key received from the first client computer;

(d) a type of the first client computer;

or (e) an Internet address from which the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

22. The server computer system as in claim 20, wherein the first instruction is received from an authorized user of the digital item.

23. The server computer system as in claim 20, wherein the first instruction includes a designation of a time when the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

24. The server computer system as in claim 23, wherein the designation of the time includes a designation of a time of day, a day of week or an expiration date.

25. The server computer system as in claim 20, wherein the second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item includes (a) a command to delete a file from the first client computer;

(b) a command to disable a file from being accessed by a user of the first client computer;

or (c) a command to lock a file from being accessed on the first client computer.

26. An article of manufacture, comprising:

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.

27. The article of manufacture as in claim 26, wherein the one or more identification parameters is (a) an identifier of the first client computer;

(b) an identifier of a user operating the first client computer;

(c) an authorization key received from the first client computer;

(d) a type of the first client computer;

or (e) an Internet address from which the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

28. The article of manufacture as in claim 26, wherein the first instruction is received from an authorized user of the digital item.

29. The article of manufacture as in claim 26, wherein the first instruction includes a designation of a time when the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

30. The article of manufacture as in claim 29, wherein the designation of the time includes a designation of a time of day, a day of week or an expiration date.

31. The article of manufacture as in claim 26, wherein the second instruction to restrict the first client computer from using the digital item includes (a) a command to delete a file from the first client computer;

(b) a command to disable a file from being accessed by a user of the first client computer;

or (c) a command to lock a file from being accessed on the first client computer.

32. An article of manufacture, comprising:

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.

33. The article of manufacture as in claim 32, wherein the one or more identification parameters is (a) an identifier of the first client computer, (b) an identifier of a user operating the first client computer, (c) an authorization key received from the first client computer, (d) a type of the first client computer, or (e) an Internet address from which the first client computer accesses the server computer system.

34. The article of manufacture as in claim 32, wherein the first instruction is received from an authorized user of the digital item.