Providing One Party with Access to an Account of Another Party

Abstract

A first party is provided with access to an account of a second party by inputting identification information for the account of the second party, and receiving account information for the account of the second party based on the identification information. The account of the second party is accessed based on the account information.

1 . A computer-implemented method for providing a first party access to an account of a second party, comprises:
 receiving from the first party identification information of the first party that is used to access the account of the second party;   retrieving by one or more computers account information for the account of the second party based on the identification information of the first party; and   generating a user interface that renders on a display device the account information of the account of the second party.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the account information defines a right of the first party to access computer programs associated with the account. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the account information in a text file;
 wherein the first party accesses the account by:
 requesting access to the account; 
 receiving an interrogation into the text file from software that controls access to the account; and 
 receiving access to the account if the software determines, based on the interrogation, that the first party is entitled to access the account. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first party inputs the identification information on a Web page accessed by a Web browser; and   the text file comprises an Internet cookie.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inputting information identifying the first party;   receiving access information that corresponds to the information identifying the first party, the access information defining a right of the first party to access a program which includes the account of the second party; and   accessing the program based on the access information;   wherein inputting, receiving the account information, and accessing are performed from the program.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein access to the program by the first party is governed by the access information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying information from the account. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising changing a parameter of the account. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 verifying that the first party is entitled to access the account of the second party based on the identification information of the first party.   
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for providing a first party access to an account of a second party, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a computer to:
 receive from the first party identification information of the first party that is used to access the account of the second party;   retrieve account information for the account of the second party based on the identification information of the first party; and   generate a user interface that renders on a display device the account information of access the account of the second party.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the account information defines a right of the first party to access computer programs associated with the account. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program of  claim 13 , further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:
 store the account information in a text file;   request access to the account;   receive an interrogation into the text file from software that controls access to the account; and   receive access to the account if the software determines, based on the interrogation, that the first party requesting access is entitled to access the account.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first party inputs the identification information on a Web page accessed by a Web browser; and   the text file comprises an Internet cookie.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 13 , further comprising instructions that cause the computer to:
 input information identifying the first party;   receive access information that corresponds to the information identifying, the first party, the access information defining a right of the first party to access a second program which includes the account of the second party; and   access the second program based on the access information;   wherein inputting, receiving the account information, and accessing arc executed from the second program.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program of  claim 17 , wherein access to the second program by the first party is governed by the access information. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program of  claim 13 , further comprising instructions to cause the computer to display information from the account. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 13 , further comprising instructions to cause the computer to change a parameter of the account. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 13  further comprising instructions to:
 verify that the first party is entitled to access the account of the second party based on the identification information of the first party.   
     
     
         22 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for providing a first party access to an account of a second party, comprising:
 a memory which stores computer instructions; and   a processor which executes the instructions to (i) receive from the first party identification information of the first party that is used to access the account of the second party, (ii) retrieve account information for the account of the second party based on the identification information of the first party, and (iii) generate a user interface that renders on a display device the account information of the account of the second party.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the account information defines a right of the first party to access computer programs associated with the account. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the processor executes instructions to (i) store the account information in a text file, (ii) request access to the account, (iii) receive an interrogation into the text file from software that controls access to the account, and (iv) receive access to the account if the software determines, based on the interrogation, that the first party requesting access is entitled to access the account. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the first party inputs the identification information on a Web page accessed by a Web browser; and   the text file comprises an Internet cookie.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the processor executes instructions to (i) input information identifying the first party, (ii) receive access information that corresponds to the information identifying the first party, the access information defining a right of the first party to access a program which includes the account of the second party: and (iii) access the program based on the access information; and   inputting, receiving the account information, and accessing are performed from the program.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein access to the program by the first party is governed by the access information. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the processor executes instructions to display information from the account. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising changing a parameter of the account. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the processor further executes instructions to: verify that the first party is entitled to access the account of the second party based on the identification information of the first party. 
     
     
         34 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the account of the second party is accessed over an intranet running HTTP. 
     
     
         38 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein the account of the second party is accessed over an intranet running HTTP. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the account of the second party is accessed over an intranet running HTTP. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining, by one or more computers, that the account of the second party is accessible to the first party.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating a user interface further comprises:
 generating a user interface, for the first party, that renders on a display device the account information of the account of the second party that is the same as the account information of the account of the second party that would he displayed for the second party were the second party to access the account.   
     
     
         42 . The computer program of  claim 13 , wherein instructions that cause a computer to generate a user interface further comprise instructions that cause a computer to:
 generate a user interface, for the first party, that renders on a display device the account information of the account of the second party that is the same as the account information of the account of the second party that would be displayed for the second party were the second party to access the account.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the instructions to generate a user interface further comprise the instructions to:
 generate a user interface, for the first party, that renders on a display device the account information of the account of the second party that is the same as the account information of the account of the second party that would be displayed for the second party were the second party to access the account.