초록 ▼

A system and method for managing the use and access of digital data objects. According to the invention, control rights associated with a digital data object activate an external control object and an intercept application to intercept and monitor communications between a hosting application and a d

A system and method for managing the use and access of digital data objects. According to the invention, control rights associated with a digital data object activate an external control object and an intercept application to intercept and monitor communications between a hosting application and a document server application associated with the creation of the digital data object. These intercepting and monitoring functions are performed without affecting or changing the hosting application or the document server application. The external control object activates an intercept application which mimics the functions of the document server application and performs user actions on the digital data object as authorized by the external control object according to the control rights associated with the digital object. By intercepting and monitoring user actions on a digital data object, the invention can control access and use of the digital data object.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of editing by user action of digital objects created in a document server application in data communication with a hosting application, the method comprising:providing an intercept application which intercepts an editing user action of a digital object sent from a hosting application to

1. A method of editing by user action of digital objects created in a document server application in data communication with a hosting application, the method comprising:providing an intercept application which intercepts an editing user action of a digital object sent from a hosting application to a document server application;providing an external control agent which monitors the editing user action intercepted by the intercept application;registering the intercept application with an operating system;designating an application associated with the creation of a digital object as the document server application;designating the intercept application as an active document server of the digital object;providing rules of usage of the digital object;activating the external control agent to open the digital object and to read the rules that arm associated with the digital object;sending the editing user action from the intercept application to the external control agent whereby the editing user action is monitored by the external control agent;opening the digital object using the intercept application; andperforming the editing user action on the digital object according to the rules of usage. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hosting application and the document server application communicate via a predefined communication channel. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the editing user action comprises auditing a plurality of editing user actions taken on the digital object by recording the type and frequency of the plurality of user actions. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the editing user action comprises computing the efficiency of the hosting application or the document server application for performing certain editing user actions. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising augmenting information to the editing user action. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises displaying advertisements upon particular application communications. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises executing a help program on specific application communications. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises rendering audible or visual feedback to the editing user action implemented on the digital object or the document server application. 9. The method of claim 5, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises archiving a history of editing user actions implemented on the digital object or the document server application. 10. The method of claim 5, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises customizing a user assistance program based on information related to the editing user action and collected by the control object, wherein the user assistance program can render audible or visual feedback to a user when one or more pre-defined editing user actions are repeated. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the hosting application comprises an Internet browser application. 12. A program storage device storing instructions for a computer to perform the method comprising:providing an intercept application which intercepts an editing user action of a digital object sent from a hosting application to a document server application;providing an external control agent which monitors the editing user action intercepted by the intercept application;registering the intercept application with an operating system;designating an application associated with the creation of a digital object as the document server application;designating the intercept application as the active document server of the digital object;providing rules of usage of the digital object;activating the external control agent to open the digital object and to read the rules that are associated with the digital object;sending the editing user action from the intercept application to the external control agent whereby the editing user action is monitored by the external control agent;opening the digital object using the intercept application; andperforming the editing user action on the digital object according to the rules of usage. 13. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein the hosting application comprises an Internet browser application. 14. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein the hosting application and the document server application communicate via a predefined communication channel. 15. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein monitoring the editing user action comprises auditing a plurality of editing user actions taken on the digital object by recording the type and frequency of the plurality of user actions. 16. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein monitoring the editing user action comprises computing the efficiency of the hosting application or the document server application for performing certain editing user actions. 17. The program storage device of claim 12, further comprising augmenting information to the editing user action. 18. The program storage device of claim 17, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises displaying advertisements upon particular application communications. 19. The program storage device of claim 17, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises executing a help program on specific application communications. 20. The program storage device of claim 17, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises rendering audible or visual feedback to the editing user action implemented on the digital object or the document server application. 21. The program storage device of claim 17, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises archiving a history of editing user actions implemented on the digital object or the document server application. 22. The program storage device of claim 17, wherein augmenting information to the editing user action comprises customizing a user assistance program based on information related to the editing user action and collected by the control object, wherein the user assistance program can render audible or visual feedback to a user when one or more predefined user actions are repeated.