Limited-use browser and security system

A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

• downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• downloading content from the source to the local computer system;
• presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;
• as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by intercepting a message posted to the browser window;
• and
• hiding the downloaded content if the browser is not a foreground application.

A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

• downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• downloading content from the source to the local computer system;
• presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;
• and
• as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by clearing a commonly shared inter-application memory that can contain the downloaded content.

A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

• downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• downloading content from the source to the local computer system;
• presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;
• and
• as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by hiding a user menu selection that affects the downloaded content corresponding to the disallowed user function.

A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

• downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• downloading content from the source to the local computer system;
• presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;
• as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by intercepting a keyboard message that affects the downloaded content;
• and
• discarding the keyboard message if it corresponds to the disallowed user function.

A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

• downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• downloading content from the source to the local computer system;
• presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;
• as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system a disallowed user function when the downloaded content is within the browser window by monitoring a context for a device;
• and
• discarding a user action directed to the device when the context matches the downloaded content.

A method for controlling access to information presented by a web browser executing on a local computer system connected to a computer network, wherein content is downloaded from a source over the computer network to the web browser, the method comprising:

• downloading, from the source to the local computer system, authorization information that configures the web browser to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• downloading content from the source to the local computer system;
• presenting the downloaded content within a browser window of the web browser;
• and
• as determined by the source in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the local computer system when the downloaded content is within the browser window, a user function that provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the content.

A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions to cause a client digital processing system to perform a method comprising:

• receiving from a server digital processing system, authorization information that configures a browser window client executing on the client digital processing system to process content in a manner determined by the server digital processing system;
• receiving protected content from the server digital processing system;
• presenting the protected content within the browser window client executing on the client digital processing system;
• and
• as determined by the server digital processing system in accordance with the authorization information, disabling at the client digital processing system disallowed user functions when the protected content is in the browser window, wherein the disallowed user function comprises a user function which, when allowed, provides for non-ephemeral reproduction of the protected content.

A system for controlling reproduction of content downloaded from a source over a network to a client computer system comprising:

• means for receiving from the source, authorization information that configures a web browser executing in the client computer system to process content in a manner determined by the source;
• means responsive to the authorization information for modifying the web browser to prevent the web browser from being used to reproduce, in at least one form, content received by the web browser;
• means for receiving at the client computer system the downloaded content to be protected;
• and
• means for displaying in the web browser the protected content.

In a local computer system operatively connectable to a source of content and capable of executing a web browser and a viewer program that runs within the web browser, the viewer program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

• (A) downloading the viewer program from the source;
• (B) receiving from the source function authorization data indicating which of the viewer functions may be performed at the local computer system on the content;
• (C) receiving content from the source;
• (D) presenting the content with the viewer program;
• and
• (E) disabling at the local computer system selected viewer functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

A computer program product for use with a local computer system operatively coupled to a source of content, the local computer system capable of executing a web browser and a viewer program that runs within the web browser, the viewer program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:

• (A) program code for downloading the viewer program from the source to the local computer system;
• (B) program code for receiving, at the local computer system and from the source, function authorization data indicating which of the viewer functions may be performed at the local computer system on the content;
• (C) program code for receiving content from the source at the local computer system;
• (D) program code for presenting the content with the viewer program;
• and
• (E) program code for disabling at the local computer system selected viewer functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

Apparatus for use with a local computer system operatively coupled to a source of content, the local computer system capable of executing a web browser and a viewer program that runs within the web browser, the viewer program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, the apparatus comprising:

• (A) a processor;
• (B) a memory coupled to the processor;
• (C) a network interface coupled to the processor and the memory;
• (D) program logic for downloading the viewer program from the source to the local computer system;
• (E) program logic for receiving, at the local computer system and from the source, function authorization data indicating which of the viewer functions may be performed at the local computer system on the content;
• (F) program logic for receiving, at the local computer system, content from the source;
• (G) program logic for presenting the content with the viewer program;
• and
• (H) program logic for disabling at the local computer system selected viewer functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

In a local computer system operatively connected to a source of content and capable of executing a presentation program, the presentation program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

• (A) receiving, at the local computer system, a document containing function authorization data and content from the source, the function authorization data specifying which presentation program functions are enabled and disabled;
• (B) displaying the content with the presentation program;
• (C) monitoring user command input to the presentation program;
• and
• (D) selectively enabling at the local computer system presentation program functions in accordance with the function authorization data received from the source.

In a local computer system operatively connected to a source of content and capable of executing a presentation program, the presentation program having a plurality of functions related to presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

• (A) receiving, at the local computer system, a document containing authorization information and content from the source, the authorization information specifying which presentation program functions are enabled and disabled;
• (B) displaying the content with the presentation program;
• (C) monitoring user command input to the presentation program;
• and
• (D) using the authorization information to enable at the local computer system less than all of the presentation program functions while the content is being presented.

In a local computer system operatively connected to a source of content and capable of executing a presentation program, the presentation program capable of presenting the content from the source, a method comprising:

• (A) running the presentation program in a web browser executing on the local computer system;
• (B) receiving, at the local computer system, a document containing authorization information and content from the source, the authorization information specifying which presentation program functions are enabled and disabled;
• (C) displaying the content with the presentation program;
• and
• (D) using the authorization information to control the presentation program to prevent non-ephemeral reproduction of the content being displayed with the presentation program.