Method and system for managing access to information and the transfer thereof
The present invention relates to a method and system for managing access to information and the transfer thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for managing, via at least one intermediary server, access to information and the transfer thereof.
1. A method for granting a first user and a second user access to information, comprising:
connecting to a first one of a plurality of intermediary servers using a first client processor, wherein the first one of the intermediary servers is associated with a first company;
connecting to a second one of the plurality of intermediary servers using a second client processor, wherein the second one of the intermediary servers is associated with a second company, and wherein the first company and the second company are distinct from one another;
transferring first client login authentication data provided by the first one of the intermediary servers to a host server after the first user has connected to the first intermediary server;
transferring second client login authentication data provided by the second one of the intermediary servers to the host server after the second user has connected to the second intermediary server;
granting the first user access to information associated with the host server when the first client login authentication data is transferred to the host server; and
granting the second user access to information associated with the host server when the second client login authentication data is transferred to the host server;
wherein access by the first user to specific information forming a subset of all information associated with the host server is dependent upon: (a) the distinct client login authentication data associated with the first user; and (b) the distinct company associated with the first intermediary server to which the first client processor had connected; and
wherein access by the second user to specific information forming a subset of all information associated with the host server is dependent upon: (a) the distinct client login authentication data associated with the second user; and (b) the distinct company associated with the second intermediary server to which the second client processor had connected.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transferring the first and second client login authentication data to the host server further comprises first transferring the respective client login authentication data to the respective client processor from the respective intermediary server and then transferring the respective client login authentication data to the host server from the respective client processor.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second client processors includes a client software program, each client software program is used to transfer the respective client login authentication data from the respective intermediary server, and each client software program is used to transfer the respective client login authentication data to the host server.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second intermediary servers includes a first server software program for communicating with the respective client software program and the host server includes a second server software program for communicating with the respective client software program.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each client software program comprises a web browser, each first server software program comprises a first web server software program for providing a first website, and the second server software program comprises a second web server software program for providing a second website.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transferring the first and second client login authentication data to the host server further comprises transferring the respective client login authentication data to the host server from the respective intermediary server.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second client processors includes a client software program, each of the first and second intermediary servers includes a first server software program, and the host server includes a second server software program, and wherein the respective client software program communicates with the respective first server software program to connect the respective client processor with the respective intermediary server and the respective first server software program communicates with the second server software program to transfer the respective client login authentication data to the host server from the respective intermediary server.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each client software program comprises a web browser, each first server software program comprises a first web server software program for providing a first website, and the second server software program comprises a second web server software program for providing a second website.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second client processors is selected from the group including: a) a computer; b) a wireless telephone; and c) a Personal Digital Assistant.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of logging-in to each of the first and second intermediary servers by providing, from the respective client processor, at least one authentication credential associated with the respective user.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of logging-in further comprises receiving the respective authentication credential and determining if the respective authentication credential matches a correct authentication credential for the respective user.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, when the respective authentication credential matches the correct authentication credential, distinct login authentication data is transferred in dependence upon the respective authentication credential provided by the respective user.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specific information includes at least one electronic document.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each electronic document is in the form of a computer file.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the computer file includes one of at least text data, binary data, still image data, moving image data, and audio data.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein access to the electronic document includes the right to perform at least one of the actions selected from the group including: a) reviewing the electronic document; b) modifying the electronic document; and c) deleting the electronic document.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second client login authentication data is transferred via the world wide web.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first and second client login authentication data is transferred in an encrypted format.