The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 29, 1998
Efrem Lipkin, Berkeley, CA (US);
Theodore C Goldstein, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for providing a first computer program module with the ability to access a service from a second computer program module. The method includes receiving the first computer program module--for example, at a third party computer system, and determining whether the first computer program module has been digitally signed by an authority having power to confer access for the service. If so, the method provides the first computer program module with access to the service. A variation on this embodiment includes verifying that the first computer program module includes a chain of certificates establishing a chain of authorization for the service. This verification process includes verifying that a first certificate in the chain is signed by an entity that is originally authorized to confer access for the service, and verifying that subsequent certificates in the chain are signed by entities that have been delegated authorization to confer access for the service. In a further variation on the above embodiment, the act of providing the first computer program module with access to the service, includes providing the first computer program module with a permit that allows the first computer program module to perform a restricted set of operations on the service.