Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-17
2001-03-27
Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 2785)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209103
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to network security in general and particularly to methods and apparatus for preventing unauthorized reuse of text, images, and software transmitted via networks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sending text, images, and software via communications networks, particularly computer networks, is known. In one well known network protocol, the Hypertext Transport Protocol or HTTP, best known as a transport protocol for the Internet-based World Wide Web or WWW, a computer terminal or “client” corrected to a network, such as the Internet, typically sends a request using software known as a “browser” to a server also connected to the network. Such requests may be for “Web pages,” documents constructed using Hypertext Markup Language or HTML and stored at the server, which are then rendered by the client browser into text and/or images. Other requests may be for software applications such as “applets” which are executed by an application engine at the client. Upon receiving a request, the server sends that which was requested to the client.
Preventing unauthorized reuse of text, images, and software provided via networks is difficult given the current state of the art. Text is usually provided in text-editable format which may be copied and reused at the client. While text may be converted to a graphic image at the server and thus provided in a non-text-editable format to the client, this is not practicable both due to the increased storage requires to store text as graphic images on the server, as well as the dynamic nature of requests such as search queries where the text results are not known until the query is executed and, therefore, the text cannot be converted to a graphic ahead of time. Images may be captured at the client from the client's video buffer and reused. Software applications including applets may be decompiled and reused a later date where a time-limited or access-limited use was originally intended.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide improved methods and apparatus for preventing unauthorized reuse of text, images, and software transmitted via networks. Text documents, and particularly HTML documents, from which text can be copied are rendered into non-text-editable graphical images at the server upon receiving a request from a client. Graphic images are rendered into a number of sub-images at the server upon receiving a request from a client. The sub-images are then sent to the requesting client together with an applet for displaying the sub-images in a manner that is visually perceived to substantially resemble the graphical image but which cannot be copied simply by taking a snapshot of the client's video buffer. Software applications including applets are provided with an embedded password that may be authenticated by a server to allow access to information for a limited time or under limited conditions. The password is invalidated at a predetermined time of based upon certain conditions, thus preventing future reuse and access to server information.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing textual information in a network environment, the method including receiving a request via a network for text-editable textual information, converting the text-editable textual information into a non-text-editable textual format on line upon receiving the request, and sending the non-text-editable textual information via the network.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the converting step includes converting the text-editable textual information into a non-text-editable graphical representation of the text-editable textual information.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the converting step includes converting the text-editable textual information into the non-text-editable graphical representation the graphical representation includes at least one hyperlink.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method further includes displaying the non-text-editable textual information via a computer terminal display.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the receiving step includes receiving the request from a computer terminal connected to the network at a server connected to the network, the converting step is performed at the server, and the sending step includes the server sending the non-text-editable textual information to the computer terminal via the network.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for providing graphical information in a network environment, the method including receiving a request via a network for a graphical image, rendering the graphical image into a plurality of sub-images on line upon receiving the request, the sub-images are displayable in a manner that is visually perceived to substantially resemble the graphical image, and displaying the plurality of sub-images in the manner on a display via a video buffer the video buffer includes no more than one of the sub-images in its entirety at any given time.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the rendering step includes rendering the graphical image into a plurality of color separations of the graphical image.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the rendering step includes rendering the graphical image into a plurality of sub-images the any of the plurality of sub-images includes an interference pattern.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method further includes sending the plurality of sub-images via the network.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the displaying step includes displaying the plurality of sub-images via a computer terminal display.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the receiving step includes receiving the request from a computer terminal connected to the network at a server connected to the network, the rendering step is performed at the server, the method further includes sending the plurality of sub-images to the computer terminal via the network, and the displaying step includes displaying the plurality of sub-images via a computer terminal display.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for limiting the operational life of software in a network environment, the method including providing a software application with an associated password to a client via a network, receiving a request for information from the software application via the network, the request including the associated password, authenticating the password, providing the information to the software application via the network while the associated password is valid, and invalidating the password coincident with an invalidation event.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the invalidating step includes invalidating the password at a predetermined time.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the invalidating step includes invalidating the password after a predetermined elapsed time from when the request was received.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the invalidating step includes invalidating the password upon the detection of a loss of communication with the client.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the providing step includes providing the software application in the form of an applet.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the providing step includes providing the password assembled with the software application.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the pr
Guedaliah David
Schreiber Daniel
Alchemedia Ltd.
Beausoliel, Jr. Robert W.
Bonzo Bryce
Fenwick & West LLP
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