METHOD, SOFTWARE PROGRAM, AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND THE TRANSFER THEREOF

• US 20070118889A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Fredell
• Original Assignee: Thomas Fredell
• Inventors: Fredell, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, software program, and system for managing access to information and the transfer thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, software program, and system for managing, via the Internet, access to information and the transfer thereof.

Claims

1. A method for granting a user access to information, comprising:

connecting to an intermediary server using a client processor;

transferring client login authentication data provided by the intermediary server to a host server after the user has connected to the intermediary server; and

granting the user access to information associated with the host server when the client login authentication data is transferred to the host server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the client login authentication data to the host server further comprises first transferring the client login authentication data to the client processor from the intermediary server and then transferring the client login authentication data to the host server from the client processor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the client processor includes a client software program, the client software program is used to transfer the login authentication data from the intermediary server, and the client software program is used to transfer the login authentication data to the host server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the intermediary server includes a first server software program for communicating with the client software program and the host server includes a second server software program for communicating with the client software program.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the client software program comprises a web browser, the first server software program comprises a first web server software program for providing a first website, and the second server software program comprises a second web server software program for providing a second website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the client login authentication data to the host server further comprises transferring the client login authentication data to the host server from the intermediary server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the client processor includes a client software program, the intermediary server includes a first server software program, and the host server includes a second server software program, and wherein the client software program communicates with the first server software program to connect the client processor with the intermediary server and the first server software program communicates with the second server software program to transfer the client login authentication data to the host server from the intermediary server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the client software program comprises a web browser, the first server software program comprises a first web server software program for providing a first website, and the second server software program comprises a second web server software program for providing a second website.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the client processor is selected from the group including:

a) a computer;

b) a wireless telephone; and

c) a Personal Digital Assistant.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of logging-in to the intermediary server by providing, from the client processor, at least one authentication credential associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of logging-in further comprises receiving the authentication credential and determining if the authentication credential matches a correct authentication credential for the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, when the authentication credential matches the correct authentication credential, distinct login authentication data is transferred in dependence upon the authentication credential provided by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein access to specific information forming a subset of all information associated with the host server is dependent upon the distinct login authentication data transferred to the host server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the specific information includes at least one electronic document.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each electronic document is in the form of a computer file.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein access to the electronic document includes the right to perform at least one of the actions selected from the group including:

a) reviewing the electronic document;

b) modifying the electronic document; and

c) deleting the electronic document.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein distinct login authentication data is transferred from each of a number of intermediary servers.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein access to specific information forming a subset of all information associated with the host server is dependent upon the distinct login authentication data transferred to the host server.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the specific information includes at least one electronic document.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each electronic document is in the form of a computer file.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein access to the electronic document includes the right to perform at least one of the actions selected from the group including:

a) reviewing the electronic document;

b) modifying the electronic document; and

c) deleting the electronic document.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the login authentication data is transferred via the world wide web.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the login authentication data is transferred in an encrypted format.

26. A system for granting a user access to information, comprising:

means for connecting to an intermediary server using a client processor;

means for transferring client login authentication data provided by the intermediary server to a host server after the user has connected to the intermediary server; and

means for granting the user access to information associated with the host server when the client login authentication data is transferred to the host server.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for transferring client login authentication data provided by the intermediary server to the host server after the user has connected to the intermediary server further comprises a client software program running on the client processor, and wherein the client software program is used to transfer the login authentication data from the intermediary server to the client processor and then on to the host server.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the intermediary server includes a first server software program for communicating with the client software program and the host server includes a second server software program for communicating with the client software program.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the client software program comprises a web browser, the first server software program comprises a first web server software program for providing a first website, and the second server software program comprises a second web server software program for providing a second website.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for transferring client login authentication data provided by the intermediary server to the host server after the user has connected to the intermediary server further comprises a client software program running on the client processor, a first server software program running on the intermediary server, and a second server software program running on the host server, and wherein the client software program communicates with the first server software program to connect the client processor with the intermediary server and the first server software program communicates with the second server software program to transfer the client login authentication data to the host server from the intermediary server.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the client software program comprises a web browser, the first server software program comprises a first web server software program for providing a first website, and the second server software program comprises a second web server software program for providing a second website.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the client processor is selected from the group including:

a) a computer;

b) a wireless telephone; and

c) a Personal Digital Assistant.

33. The system of claim 26, further comprising means for logging-in to the intermediary server by receiving, from the client processor, a professed password associated with the user.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for logging-in further comprises means for receiving the professed password and determining if the professed password matches a correct password for the user.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein, when the professed password matches the correct password, distinct login authentication data is transferred in dependence upon the professed password provided by the user.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein access to specific information forming a subset of all information associated with the host server is dependent upon the distinct login authentication data transferred to the host server.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the specific information includes at least one electronic document.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein each electronic document is in the form of a computer file.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein access to the electronic document includes the right to perform at least one of the actions selected from the group including:

a) reviewing the electronic document;

b) modifying the electronic document; and

c) deleting the electronic document.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein distinct login authentication data is transferred from each of a number of intermediary servers.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein access to specific information forming a subset of all information associated with the host server is dependent upon the distinct login authentication data transferred to the host server.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the specific information includes at least one electronic document.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein each electronic document is in the form of a computer file.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein access to the electronic document includes the right to perform at least one of the actions selected from the group including:

a) reviewing the electronic document;

b) modifying the electronic document; and

c) deleting the electronic document.

47. The system of claim 26, wherein the login authentication data is transferred via the world wide web.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the login authentication data is transferred in an encrypted format.

49. A method for implementing a website sign-on procedure, comprising:

installing on an intermediary server a means for transferring login authentication information from the intermediary server to a client processor;

installing on a host server a means for transferring the client login authentication information to the host server from the client processor; and

installing on the host server a means for granting the user access to information associated with the host server when the client login authentication information is transferred to the host server.

50. A method for implementing a website sign-on procedure, comprising:

installing on an intermediary server a means for communicating with a client processor;

installing on a host server a means for transferring client login authentication information to the host server from the intermediary server after the client processor communicates with the intermediary server; and

installing on the host server a means for granting the user access to information associated with the host server when the client login authentication information is transferred to the host server.