Method and system for providing access to computer resources

• US 7,353,281 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Price, Mark T., New, John C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIDDIQI, MOHAMMAD A
• Application Number:
  US09/923,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/219, 713/172, 713/201, 713188-193, 713/185, 725/1, 717/172, 717174-178
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method and computer system for providing access to computer resources on a computer system and includes generating a token containing encrypted user information including credit, authorization, and authentication information. A request is initiated to open an encrypted computer resource stored on the computer system, and execution of a remote application manager component on the computer system is also initiated. The remote application manager component decrypts the token and authenticates a user using authentication information stored in the token. Whether the user is authorized and has sufficient credit are then verified. When the user is approved, the requested computer resource is decrypted and opened. Use of the computer resource is monitored to determine whether the user has sufficient credit to continue using the computer resource. A notification is provided when the monitored usage of the opened computer resource has exceeded the credit.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to computer resources on a computer system, comprising:

under control of a client system,

providing user information to a server system, the user information including authentication, authorization, and credit information for a user of the client system;

receiving from the server system, a token including encrypted information generated from the user information provided by the client system;

a remote application manager component; and

at least one computer resource, each computer resource being encrypted and the particular computer resources received being determined from the authorization information contained in the provided user information;

under control of the remote application manager component on the client system,

decrypting at the client system the token in response to a request to initiate execution of one of the computer resources;

authenticating the user of the client computer system;

verifying whether the user is authorized to use the requested computer resource;

verifying whether the user has sufficient credit contained in the token to use the requested computer resource;

when the user is authenticated, authorized, and has sufficient credit, decrypting and initiating execution of the requested computer resource; and

monitoring the usage of the executing computer resource and providing a notification when the monitored usage has exceeded the user'"'"'s credit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the token is stored on a smart card that the remote application module component accesses to retrieve and decrypt the token.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a request to initiate execution of one of the computer resources comprises clicking on an application icon.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the token and each computer resource have been encrypted using the public key encryption methodology.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each computer resource comprises an application module.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each application module comprises an entire executable application program that is stored in encrypted form on the computer system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the usage of the executing computer resource comprises monitoring how long the user has been using the computer resource.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a notification when the monitored usage of the opened computer resource has exceeded the credit comprises displaying a visual message to the user instructing the user to save his work and indicating his credit has been depleted.

9. A method for providing access to computer resources on a computer system including client and server systems, comprising:

under control of a client system,

providing user information to a server system, the user information including authentication, authorization, and credit information for a user of the client system;

under control of a server system,

generating a token including encrypted information generated from the user information provided by the client system;

sending the token to the client system;

sending a remote application manager component to the client system;

sending at least one computer resource to the client system, each computer resource that is sent being encrypted;

under control of the remote application manager component on the client system,

initiating execution of the remote application manager component in response to a request to initiate execution of the computer resource;

decrypting at the client system the token and authenticating a user of the client computer system;

verifying at the client system whether the user is authorized to use the computer resource;

verifying at the client system whether the user has sufficient credit contained in the token to use the computer resource;

when the user is authenticated, authorized, and has sufficient credit, decrypting and initiating execution of the computer resource; and

monitoring the usage of the executing computer resource at the client system and providing notification when the monitored usage has exceeded the user'"'"'s credit.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the token is stored on a smart card that the remote application module component accesses to retrieve and decrypt the token.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein a request to initiate execution of one of the computer resources comprises clicking on an application icon.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the token and each computer resource have been encrypted using the public key encryption methodology.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein each computer resource comprises an application module.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein each application module comprises an entire executable application program that is stored in encrypted form on the computer system.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein monitoring the usage of the executing computer resource comprises monitoring how long the user has been using the computer resource.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein providing a notification when the monitored usage of the opened computer resource has exceeded the credit comprises displaying a visual message to the user instructing the user to save his work and indicating his credit has been depleted.