System and user interface supporting concurrent application initiation and interoperability

Abstract

A system and associated communication protocol enables Internet compatible applications to be integrated into any process involving concurrent operation of applications. A system employed by a first application for supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications involves an entitlement processor for authorizing user access to the first application in response to validation of user identification information. The system also involves a communication processor for communicating a session initiation request to a managing application to initiate generation of a session identifier particular to a user initiated session and for use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications to uniquely identify the user initiated session in response to validation of user identification information. The managing application also initiates generation of an encryption key particular to a user initiated session for common use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications in encrypting data associated with a personal record.

1 . A system employed by a first application for supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications, comprising: 
 an entitlement processor for authorizing user access to said first application in response to validation of user identification information; and    a communication processor for initiating generation of, 
 a session identifier particular to a user initiated session and for use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications to uniquely identify said user initiated session and  
 an encryption key for use by said first application in encrypting personal record parameters conveyed in URL data, 
 in response to validation of user identification information wherein  
 
 said communication processor includes said personal record parameters in different types of command messages communicated to applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.  
   
     
     
         2 . A system employed by a first application for supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications, comprising: 
 an entitlement processor for authorizing user access to said first application in response to validation of user identification information; and    a communication processor for initiating generation of, 
 a session identifier particular to a user initiated session and for use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications to uniquely identify said user initiated session and  
 an encryption key for use by said first application in encrypting personal record parameters conveyed in URL data and said communication processor includes said includes encrypted personal record parameters in different types of command messages communicated to applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.  
   
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 said encryption key is for common use by said plurality of concurrently operating applications in encrypting data associated with a personal record in data fields of a URL string.    
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 said communication processor also communicates additional parameters to a managing application for storage, said additional parameters including one or more of, (a) an authentication service identifier, (b) a language identifier, (c) a URL to direct a browser to a starting application upon termination of a session, (d) a URL for use in acquiring a web page providing a logon menu to support user initiation of another session, (e) a URL to be contacted upon a predetermined event and (f) an identification of a type of said predetermined event.    
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1 , including 
 an input processor for receiving said session identifier and an associated encryption key from said managing application.    
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 5 , including 
 an encryption processor for use in encrypting medical data associated with a patient medical record.    
     
     
         7 . A system employed by a managing application for supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications, comprising: 
 an input processor for receiving from a first application a session initiation request to initiate generation of a session identifier;    a session identifier generator for generating a session identifier particular to a user initiated session and for use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications to uniquely identify said user initiated session;    an encryption key generator for generating an encryption key for use by said first application in encrypting personal record parameters conveyed in URL data, said encryption key generator randomly generating an encryption key particular to said user initiated session, in response to said session initiation request, said encryption key being for common use by said plurality of concurrently operating applications in encrypting data associated with a personal record; and    a communication processor for including at least one of, (a) encrypted personal record parameters and (b) said session identifier, in different types of command messages communicated to applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.    
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein 
 said encryption key generator randomly generates an encryption key particular to said user initiated session, in response to said session initiation request.    
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 said encryption key is for common use by said plurality of concurrently operating applications in encrypting data associated with a personal record.    
     
     
         10 . A system employed by a managing application for supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications, comprising: 
 an input processor for receiving from a first application a session initiation request to initiate generation of a session identifier;    a session identifier generator for generating a session identifier particular to a user initiated session and for use by a plurality of concurrently operating applications to uniquely identify said user initiated session; and    a communication processor for, 
 communicating said session identifier to said first application and  
 including said generated session identifier in different types of command messages communicated to applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.  
   
     
     
         11 . A system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of Internet compatible applications, comprising: 
 a browser application providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information and commands for a plurality of Internet compatible applications and for providing user identification information to a first application for validation;    a managing application for generating, 
 a session identifier particular to a user initiated session and  
 an encryption key for use by said first application in encrypting personal record parameters conveyed in URL data, in response to receiving a session initiation request from a first application and for communicating said session identifier to said first application; and  
   a communication processor for including at least one of, (a) encrypted personal record parameters and (b) said session identifier, in different types of command messages communicated to applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.    
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 said encryption key is also to be used in encrypting and decrypting a session identifier conveyed in URL data.    
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 11 , wherein said managing application includes 
 said encryption key generator randomly generates an encryption key particular to said user initiated session, in response to said session initiation request.    
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 said encryption key is for common use by said plurality of concurrently operating applications in encrypting data associated with a personal record.    
     
     
         15 . A system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of Internet compatible applications, comprising: 
 a browser application providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information and commands for a plurality of Internet compatible applications and for providing personal record parameters to a first application;    a managing application for generating a session identifier particular to a user initiated session in response to receiving a session initiation request from a first application and for communicating said session identifier to said first application; and    a communication processor for including at least one of, (a) personal record parameters and (b) said session identifier, in different types of command messages communicated to said plurality of Internet compatible applications.