Online personal library

• US 20110197159A1
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Web 2.0 Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Pennar Software Corporation
• Inventors: Chaganti, Damayanti, Chaganti, Sitapati Rao, Chaganti, Naren
• Granted Patent: US 8,978,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/14 Travel agencies
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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

Abstract

The disclosure is directed toward a secure method and system for creating a library on a server computer, and releasing such information to authorized requesters. Several types of information are stored for release to different entities with appropriate authorization. Any modifications or updates are automatically notified to any authorized requesters. The requester optionally provides information about to whom and where to notify changes or updates. Sending a message to an electronic mail box may accomplish such change or update notification. A frequent unauthorized requester of information is tagged as “junk” requester, to whom no further information will be released. Items that are restricted as to their use can be shared by users via a license-pooling method disclosed herein.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of recording a user'"'"'s preference in an online repository connected to a communication network, the method comprising the following steps performed by a client computer:

presenting at least one user-selectable area on a client computer, said at least one user-selectable area being configured to receive a selection of the user'"'"'s preference; and

responsive to the user'"'"'s selection of the user-selectable area, sending a message to the online repository indicating the user'"'"'s preference.

3. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

displaying information regarding a product or a service so that the user may indicate a preference to the product or the service.

4. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable code is executed within a browser executing on the client computer.

5. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable code is programmed in one or more of (a) the C programming language, (b) the C++ programming language, (c) the HTML language, (d) the XML language, (e) the Dynamic HTML language, or (f) the JavaScript programming language.

6. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable code is downloaded from a server computer to a browser executing on the client computer.

7. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable code is installed as a plug-in program associated with a browser executing on the client computer.

8. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

causing an event to be generated upon the user'"'"'s selection of the user-selectable area.

9. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein the user'"'"'s selection is made by (a) clicking a pointing device coupled to the computer, (b) typing at least one character on a keyboard coupled to the computer, (c) allowing a timer to expire, (d) speaking at least one voice command into a microphone coupled to the computer, or (e) touching at least one area on a touch-sensitive screen coupled to the computer.

10. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable code is embedded in a browser executing on the client computer.

11. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable code is configured to use information from a cookie.

12. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 2, wherein the preference is to (a) web bookmark;

(b) a product;

(c) a service;

(d) a web page, (e) a news article, (f) a document, (g) an e-book, (h) a piece of music, (i) a video clip, (j) a movie, (k) an image, or (l) a photograph.

13. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for receiving a user'"'"'s preference to a product or a service, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to enable the computer to present a user-selectable area in a browser-controlled window, the user-selectable area being designed to receive a selection of a user'"'"'s preference to a product or a service;

computer readable program code configured to enable the computer to receive a selection of a user on said browser-controlled window; and

computer readable program code configured to enable the computer to send an indication of the user'"'"'s selection to a server computer.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to cause the computer to associate at least one of a plurality of security levels with the user'"'"'s preference, thereby enabling the release of the user'"'"'s preference to an authorized requester.

15. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a client computer, cause the client computer to perform a method of sending a user'"'"'s likes or dislikes, the method comprising the step of:

responsive to a user'"'"'s selection of a user-selectable area presented on the client computer, sending to a server computer for storage in a database coupled to the server computer (a) the user'"'"'s identification information and (b) the user'"'"'s preference.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

sending to the server computer information authorizing storage of the user'"'"'s preference in the user'"'"'s online repository.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user-selectable area is configured on a browser-controlled window.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

sending to the server computer information that associates one or more security levels with the user'"'"'s preference.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the preference is to (a) web bookmark;

(b) a product;

(c) a service;

(d) a web page, (e) a news article, (f) a document, (g) an e-book, (h) a piece of music, (i) a video clip, (j) a movie, (k) an image, or (l) a photograph.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the user'"'"'s selection is made by (a) clicking a pointing device coupled to the computer, (b) typing at least one character on a keyboard coupled to the computer, (c) allowing a timer to expire, (e) speaking at least one voice command into a microphone coupled to the computer, or (f) touching at least one area on a touch-sensitive screen coupled to the computer.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

generating at least one event in the client computer responsive to the selection by a user; and

responsive to the at least one event, invoking an event handler function to process the event.

22. A computer readable storage medium storing a set of encoded instructions that, when executed by a client computer, cause the client computer

(a) to display a first user-selectable area in a browser-controlled window,

(b) to generate a first event upon the user'"'"'s selection of the first user-selectable area, and

(c) responsive to the first event, to send one or more messages containing an indication of the user'"'"'s preference to a first server computer system.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the user'"'"'s preference is to a product, a service, a web page, a news article, a document, a spread sheet, a presentation, an e-book, a piece of music, a piece of video, a movie, a graphical image, a photograph, or a three-dimensional image.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein a portion of the set of encoded instructions is configured to execute within a browser.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein a portion of the set of encoded instructions is programmed in (a) the HTML language, (b) the XML language, (c) the Dynamic HTML language, or (d) the JavaScript programming language.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein a portion of the set of encoded instructions (a) is downloaded from a second server computer system, or (b) is installed as a plug-in program, or (c) uses information stored in a cookie stored on the client computer.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the user'"'"'s selection is made by (a) clicking a pointing device coupled to the computer, (b) typing at least one character on a keyboard coupled to the computer, (c) allowing a timer to expire, (e) speaking at least one voice command into a microphone coupled to the computer, or (f) touching at least one area on a touch-sensitive screen coupled to the computer.

28. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for execution by a client computer, the computer program product comprising;

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to display a digital item, said digital item associated with a user-selectable area;

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to receive a selection from a user; and

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to send the user'"'"'s selection to the user'"'"'s online repository.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the digital item is a web page, a news article, a document, a spread sheet, a presentation, an e-book, a piece of music, a piece of video, a movie, a graphical image, a photograph, or a three-dimensional image.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to send the user'"'"'s identification information or the user'"'"'s password to enable storing the user'"'"'s preference in the user'"'"'s online repository.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to retrieve the user'"'"'s identification from a cookie; and

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to send to an online repository the user'"'"'s identification information.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to receive an event generated in a browser;

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to invoke an event handler function upon receiving a pre-defined event generated in the browser; and

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to open a connection to the user'"'"'s online library, whereby the user'"'"'s preference is sent to the user'"'"'s online library.

33. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

computer program devices operating in the computer system and configured to open an out-of-band connection to an online repository, the out-of-band connection being enabled to send the user'"'"'s preference to the online repository.