CN101156145A - Using Mozilla's Personal Computing Environment System - Google Patents

Abstract

A smart card enabled mobile personal computing environment system stores a user's personalized, fully functional, computing environment in a smart card. The user specifies information required to configure the client to the user's preferred personal computing environment. The user's personal computing environment data is also used for interfacing with the user's Web browser. As the user browses the Web, the Web pages are analyzed to determine if the Web page is a logon or registration form. If the form is a registration form, the system fills in the form using the user's information from the user's personal computing environment data. If the form is a logon form, the system either captures the user's user name and password if the system has not recorded them, or inserts the user name and password in the form if the information for the Web page is in the user's personal computing environment data.

Description

Using Mozilla's Personal Computing Environment System

Background technique

Current computing environments often require users to carry a laptop or notebook portable computer with them in order to maintain a fully functional, truly personal computing environment as the user moves from one place to another. Because laptop and notebook computers, despite being physically small, are quite large and heavy, mobile computer users are constantly looking for smaller and lighter devices that can provide and maintain their personal computing environment .

An example of such a smaller and lighter device that has recently gained significant commercial popularity is the Personal Digital Assistant ("PDA"). However, although PDAs are smaller and lighter than laptop or notebook computers and provide a personalized computing environment, they currently cannot provide the full functionality of desktop, laptop or notebook portable computers.

For example, when a PDA is removed from an environment in which a computer user has a fully functional computing environment, the PDA must first be loaded with an up-to-date image of the data for the relevant portion of the environment, e.g., address book, calendar, email, etc. Similarly, when the PDA is returned to a full-featured computing environment, data in the PDA that has changed since leaving the full-featured computing environment must be transferred and/or synchronized from the PDA back to the user's regular computer, and vice versa.

Desktop computers with Internet access are ubiquitous in industrialized countries around the world. Computer users, when traveling, can often gain access to such a computer and use the computer's Internet access to communicate worldwide. With sufficient data and proper configuration, such a computer could, in principle, provide a fully functional personal computing environment to mobile computer users. However, establishing a fully functional computing environment for a mobile computer user in a remote or temporary location (eg, at an airport kiosk or overnight boarding house) requires the error-free entry of large amounts of extremely detailed information to configure the local computer.

The amount of information required to configure a local computer so that it provides a mobile computer user with a fully functional, personal computing environment is disproportionately large compared to the benefits gained. Accordingly, there currently does not exist any convenient hardware and software that would enable mobile computer users to move from computer to computer anywhere in the world with their personalized, fully functional computing environment.

At present, smart cards are mainly used to facilitate financial transactions. However, because smart cards include at least a limited amount of non-volatile readable and writable memory, and may also include a programmable processor, they inherently have the ability to be used for applications other than financial transactions. Storing data on a smart card, accessing that data, and activating the smart card's processor to execute a computer program all require the smart card to be interconnected with some type of reader/terminal. This characteristic of smart cards limits the potential for expanding their use in mobile computing applications, generally because an infrastructure does not currently exist to support the use of smart cards for applications other than financial transactions.

It would be advantageous to provide a personal computing environment using Mozilla which allows a user to store and transfer his personal computing environment in a smart card and to configure the computing environment of a computer using a smart card. It would be more advantageous to provide a personal computing environment using Mozilla which automatically interfaces with the user's browser to fill out login and registration forms (forms) using the user's personal computing environment data on the smart card.

Contents of the invention

The present invention provides a personal computing environment using Mozilla. The system allows a user to store, transfer, and configure his personal computing environment through a smart card. Additionally, the present invention automatically interfaces with the user's browser to populate login and registration forms using the user's personal computing environment data on the smart card.

Embodiments of the present invention store a user's personalized, fully functional computing environment on a smart card. A user information database is set up, which resides on the server and includes user records for a plurality of users. Each user record includes personal computing environment data. The amount of data in a user record is usually larger than the storage capacity of a smart card.

Embodiments allow a user to specify information needed to configure a client to the user's preferred personal computing environment. If the correct personal computing environment data does not reside on the smart card, the client queries the server for the required information and updates the smart card with the new data. If the smart card memory is full, the client will remove old directories (index) from the smart card in a least recently used method until there is enough space to add new data.

User's personal computing environment data is also used in connection with the user's web browser. As users browse the web, web pages are analyzed to determine whether the web page is a login or registration form. If the form is a registration form, the system populates the form with the user's information from the user's personal computing environment data. If the form is a login form, the system obtains the user's username and password if they are not already recorded by the system, or if the system finds the username and password for the web page in the user's personal computing environment data, the system Insert username and password into the form.

The user can also manage his personal computing environment data stored on the smart card and the user information database. Allows a user to increase the size of his user records to store more information and to create groups of personal computing environment data.

The server gives the client access to the user's records through a secure website. The user accesses his data through a secure website, adds, modifies, and/or deletes information, and transfers the data to his smart card.

Multiple servers with backup copies of the user information database are used in case of any server failure. Based on the user's usage patterns, one of the servers is designated as the user's primary local server. Clients perform load balancing among the servers as they get data, and if the primary server fails or is otherwise inaccessible, the client will automatically switch to another server.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Description of drawings

1 is a flow chart showing the execution flow of a client-to-server exchange when a user specifies a directory required by his personal computing environment according to the present invention;

2 is a flow chart showing the execution flow of the exchange from the client to the server when the user specifies the directory required by his personal computing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a scheme for managing user's personal computing environment data between a server database and a smart card according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a block schematic diagram showing a user's directory accessible on a client and a server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the exchange of a user's directory between a client and a server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a schematic block diagram showing the exchange of data between the user's smart card, client, server, and backup server when the user directory is deleted according to an embodiment of the present invention;

7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a situation when a server responsible for a specific user is switched when the user is relocated according to an embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a block schematic diagram of a task-oriented viewpoint (viewpoint) of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing client and server tasks for a server-based data management system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a block schematic diagram of a task-oriented view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing client and server tasks for a client-based data management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a block schematic diagram of a task-oriented view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing a configuration module connected with Mozilla according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

The present invention relates to a personal computing environment using Mozilla. The system according to the invention allows a user to store, transfer, and configure his personal computing environment through a smart card. Additionally, the present invention automatically interfaces with the user's browser to fill out login and registration forms using the user's personal computing environment data on the smart card.

The present invention provides a mobile computer user with a system that is very compact yet allows the user to carry enough machine-readable data to easily create his fully functional mobile personal computing environment anywhere in the world.

One of the difficulties encountered when dealing with Mozilla-based browsers is how components perform data transactions with external programs. Another difficulty is how to control browser events. Embodiments of the present invention address both of these difficulties and combine the solutions to provide a method for third parties that develop external programs to control Mozilla-based browsers.

Embodiments of the present invention store sufficient information in the smart card to allow the representation of a mobile computer user's personalized, fully functional computing environment. The information provided by the mobile personal computing environment may vary from system to system. However, the amount of information stored in the smart card is sufficient to establish a consistent computing environment for the user. Information such as operating system preferences, favorite websites, email addresses, credit card information, ISP information, program preferences, program environment, etc. is stored on the smart card.

Referring to FIG. 1 , when a user starts using a client computer, he activates the client computer program of the present invention by automatic launch 101 at boot-up or by manual launch 102 . The smart card reader/terminal is connected to or resides in the user's computer and reads the user's smart card. The client computer program retrieves the directory 103 from the smart card. A user specifies to the present invention, through the user interface of the present invention, the data 104 required to set up at least a portion of his mobile personal computing environment.

The present invention checks the smart card to determine if the specified data exists 105 in the smart card's local memory. If the specified data is in the smart card's memory, the invention retrieves the data from the smart card for subsequent use 106 by the invention. If the specified data is not in the smart card's memory, the present invention accesses, via the Internet or other means, a secure server that stores additional data that more fully characterizes the mobile computer user's personalized, fully functional computing environment 108. The invention then retrieves the specified data from the server for subsequent use 109 by the invention and updates smart card data 110 . If the data is not on the server 108, it is new data 111 from the user that must be recorded and used to access the Internet.

Referring to FIG. 2 , having retrieved the required data from a smart card, a server, or directly from a user, the client computer program uses the data to construct a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) 201, and if possible, collects information for immediate and direct access to the Internet site. Required username, password, and Internet site bookmark data that constitute at least some portion 202 of the mobile computer user's mobile personal environment.

Using the data structured in this way, the present invention then creates a URL command and sends it to the Internet 203 . The URL, user name, password, and Internet site bookmark data, if complete, then allow the mobile computer user to log on to a designated Internet site 204 and immediately enter a designated page 205 on that Internet site. If some information is wrong or incomplete, interacting with the Internet site accessed by the URL, the mobile computer user can enter a user name, password, and Internet page data as required to access the desired Internet page 207, 208, or can access the desired Internet page 207, 208 through A Graphical User Interface (GUI) providing drag and drop functionality provides this information 210, 211.

Referring to Fig. 3, in order to initialize or update the catalog stored on the smart card, the user activates the client computer program 301, 302 of the present invention, instructs the program to access the server storing additional information, which characterizes the mobile computer user, through the Internet or other methods. Personalized, full-featured computing environment 303 of . The server allows the user to change the data 304 characterizing his personalized mobile personal environment, for example, to add new Internet sites to his environment. After the user specifies the changes to be made in his mobile personal environment, the server links to the specified Internet site and determines the directory 305 for the updates to be stored on the smart card.

After linking to the specified Internet site and updating the computing environment information 306 stored on the server, the invention attempts to update the directory 307 stored on the smart card of the user connected to his computer. If the smart card memory is full 309, a record is deleted from those stored in the smart card until the smart card has enough free storage space to store the updated directory 311, and then the updated directory is written 310 in the smart card's memory. Otherwise, if the smart card memory is not full 309, the updated directory is stored 310 on the smart card immediately. In addition to storing the updated directory on the smart card, the server also maintains in its database an updated directory 308, which characterizes the mobile computer user's mobile personal environment.

If the amount of unused storage in the server's database is sufficient for storing the updated catalog 312, the information is stored 313 in the database. Otherwise, the server first offers the user an opportunity to allocate more server storage space for his directory 314 . If the user declines to provide additional storage space, the server deletes a record from the database until the server has enough free storage space to store the updated directory 316 . The server then adds 315 the updated catalog to the catalog stored in the database. If the user accepts to provide additional storage space 314, the new directory is added 315 to the server's database. A mobile computer user is able to initially specify and as needed update the data characterizing his mobile personal environment.

Allows a user to create multiple directory groups when storing more information on the server than is available on the user's smart card. The user can then choose between different sets of information to download onto his smart card. For example, a user may set up his smart card for use in his personal mobile computing environment in his US office, foreign office, or even at home. This allows the user to characterize each individual and distinct computer system he uses.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that although the personal computer environment of a mobile computer user has been specifically described above, any other type of information, such as personal data, financial data, operating system, computer personality, video and/or audio data, etc. , is also easy to replace its position.

Referring to Figure 4, the present invention provides an infrastructure that allows the use of smart cards for applications other than financial transactions. The smart card 404 is interconnected with a smart card reader/terminal capable of communicating over the Internet, extranet, or intranet 402 . Using means 401, a computer user specifies features for certain computing functions. Assuming the card reader/terminal is connected to the user's personal computer, the directory for the specified computing function is stored in the memory 403 of the computer. Also, the directory is stored in the smart card 404 and in a server accessible through the Internet, extranet, or intranet 402 , 405 , 406 .

Referring to Figure 5, typically a smart card stores only a small portion of a computer user's general directory because smart cards have only a limited amount of storage. The addition of another directory causes the least recently used directory to be deleted from the smart card's memory 504 when those directories completely fill the available smart card memory 504 . However, since the server can in principle store more directories 505 than the memory card 504 , directories deleted from the smart card 504 can remain stored and accessible at the servers 502 , 506 . In this manner, the smart card 504 carries at least a portion 503, 505 representing computing functions specified by individual computer users, thereby making these functions available to computer users 506 worldwide at any suitably programmed smart card reader/terminal. visited.

Referring to Figure 6, in the course of accessing pre-designated computer functions, a smart card 604 is placed in an appropriately programmed smart card reader/terminal 601 and the directory stored in the smart card 604 is transferred to the reader/terminal or host device memory 603. If the requested directory does not exist in the smart card's memory 604, the device 601 accesses the server 602 via the Internet, extranet, or intranet 607 to retrieve the directory 606 stored there. Since the particular directory was retrieved from the server 602 as the most recently used directory, the device 601 transfers the directory to the device's memory 603 and replaces the least recently used directory 605 in the smart card's memory 604 with the most recently used directory. As mentioned above, if a new catalog is added to the server database 606 when the database 606 is full, the system either deletes the least recently used catalog 608 or, if possible, gives the user the option to allocate more server storage space for his records.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention adds a backup server 609 that includes a consistent copy of the entire user database 606 served by the primary server 602 . If the primary server 602 fails, the backup server 609 takes over. The database 610 and external interface 611 of the backup server are the same as those of the main server 602 .

Also, using load balancing multiple servers can be used together to handle a large number of client requests. The client can perform its own load balancing among the servers by using, for example, the response time (RTT) from each server to determine the best choice. If the primary server serving the user fails and is otherwise inaccessible, the client will automatically switch to another server.

Referring to FIG. 7, in order to effectively utilize server resources distributed in different locations around the world, the present invention records the locations in the world from which a user accesses his mobile personal environment. Logging this data allows the server to reasonably determine that the user has moved from one place to another, such as from the United States to Japan. For example, if a user who previously accessed his mobile personal environment 704 primarily from the United States 701, 702, 703 suddenly starts accessing this environment 704, 709 exclusively from Japan 706, 707, 708 for an extended time interval, e.g., one or two month, then server 704 may reasonably determine that the user has moved from the United States to Japan. If the server 704 determines that the user has relocated his residence and if there is another server 709 that is physically located close to the user's new residence, a system that acts on both servers 704, 709 will remove the user's mobile personal environment directory 705 from the newer location. The distant server 704 transfers to the closer server 709.

The present invention allows mobile computer users to carry on a single smart card all the information needed to characterize their mobile personal environment and quickly set up their mobile personal environment anywhere in the world.

Referring to Figure 8, a high level task view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The user inserts his smart card 805 into a smart card reader connected to or resident in the client computer. The configuration client system module 806 reads the smart card 805 through the read/write smart card module 803 . The configure client system module 806 either automatically configures the client computer as the user's personal computing environment according to the user's preferred settings, or queries the user through the user interface 802 for information required by the smart card 805 to configure the user's personal computing environment (as described above ).

A user can also manage directories stored on his smart card 805 and server database 811. The server interface module 801 communicates with a secure server including user information. Communication is through a secure website provided by the Manage User Information module 807 on the server. The manage user information module 807 displays a directory of users stored on the server database 811 . A user requests his catalog through a secure website. His directory is retrieved from the server database 811 by the lookup user information module 810 . The find user information module 810 passes the directory information to the manage user information module 807 . The directory residing on the user's smart card 805 is sent to the manage user information module 807 through the server interface 801 . The compare user information module correlates and compares any differences between the two resources by comparing the smart card directory with the user's directory from the server database 811 by the compare user information module 808 . The manage user information module 807 displays information to the user through a secure web page.

A user can create (for new users), add, delete, and update his catalog through the user interface module 802 connected to the secure web page. The server database 811 directory is updated through the update user record module 809 . The smart card directory is updated by the management user information module 807 through the server interface 801 . The server interface 801 sends the update information to the update smart card module 804 . The update smart card module 804 writes information into the smart card 805 through the read/write smart card module 803 .

In the case of multiple servers, the server database 811 is stored in other servers as backup. The management server database module 812 updates the server database 811 with information from other servers. Any new updates to the server database 811 initiated locally are sent by the management server database module 812 to other servers.

Additionally, any transfer of user directory records from one server to a more local server (in the event the user relocates to another location) is performed by the administrative server database module 812 .

Referring to Figure 9, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown, which performs the same basic functions as shown in Figure 8, except that the client has a server connection, which is likely to be temporary in nature, such as a dial-up modem connection. The operational difference between Figure 8 and Figure 9 is when the user manages his smart card and his directory on the server database. The client is connected to the client interface module 908 on the server through the management user information module 901 residing on the client. The client interface 908 collects user directories for the manage user information module 901 . The lookup user information module 910 retrieves a user's record from the server database 911 .

Once the user's directory is retrieved by the manage user information module 901, the client can be disconnected from the server and the user manages his directory offline with the client. The compare user information module 907 operates in the same manner as described above. The information obtained from the server database 911 and the smart card 905 is displayed to the user through the user interface 902 . After the user has updated his directory and any changes to the user's record on the server database 911 are required, the client reconnects with the server's client interface 908 . The update user record module 909 updates the server database 911 with any changes.

Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention encrypts the entire server database 911. Each user record is individually encrypted so that if one user record is accessed and decrypted by a hacker, the other user records will not be compromised in any way. The actual encryption of user records is performed by the client. The manage user information module 901 retrieves the user's encrypted record from the server. If this fails, the user must create a new record for access. The server uses the smart card 905 ID lookup, and retrieves the user's record through the lookup user information module 910 . The server doesn't know what the contents of the record are, only that the record belongs to the user (much like a safe deposit box). The records are sent back to the client through the client interface module 908 .

Manage user information module 901 uses smart card 905 encryption key information stored in smart card 905 to decrypt user records. Each smart card is unique, and the encryption key exists only on the special smart card and not on the server. Once the user has made any changes to the directory in the record, the manage user information module 901 encrypts the user record using the encryption key on the smart card 905 and sends the record back to the server. Client interface module 908 sends the encrypted record to update user record module 909, which replaces the user record in server database 911 with the newly encrypted user record.

This method ensures that there is a one-to-one mapping of user records to smart cards; each user record in the server database 911 can only be decrypted by a particular smart card. It is also ensured that the server database 911 is secure and cannot be easily compromised. An intruder would have to physically have every smart card present to compromise the entire database.

If the user loses his smart card, there is a process by which the smart card can be morphed or recreated. The user inserts a new smart card 905 into the client system. The system, through the user interface module 902, enables the user to enter his personal information in the same manner as when he first created his original smart card. The new smart card 905 is then initialized and the encryption keys recreated. The ID of the new smart card is sent from the user interface module 902 to the client interface module 908 through the manage user information module 901 . The update user record module 909 removes the original smart card's ID from the user record on the server database 911 and replaces it with the new smart card's ID. Once this is done, the user interface module 902 then places the encryption key into the new smart card 905 via the read/write smart card module 903 . The user's smart card has now been remanufactured, and the original smart card is invalidated.

The server has the ability to simultaneously execute the server functions shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 . This enables the server to handle secure network access and clients with transient server connections.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that although the client and server functions are described separately above, both the client and the server may reside on the same physical machine.

Mozilla interface

Embodiments of the present invention support browsers based on the Mozilla web engine, such as Netscape 6.xx and above, Mozilla, Compuserve, and others.

This embodiment increases the security protection for web browsing. The user inserts his smart card into a connected smart card reader. The present invention follows the user through the user's web browsing session and looks for forms that need to be filled with the user's personal information, such as login, registration, and e-commerce forms. The user's personal information is stored on the user's smart card.

Forms are analyzed by the system to identify the type of form displayed and the information that needs to be filled in the form.

The system uses the information on the user's smart card to perform login and form filling. This enables users to switch between computers without having to worry about remembering or entering personal information. The user is also assured that his personal information is always with him as long as he carries his smart card (or smart credit card, etc.).

The system changes Mozilla's original compressed (depressed) file, "comm.jar". This file includes many script files. Script files were added to the Mozilla documentation, and some existing script files were modified. Additions and modifications allow the system to control Mozilla events. For example, "navigator.xul" is modified so that when Mozilla is loaded, it will run the system's programs and load the system's components (nsPlatiMozui). The files "Navigator.js", "contentAreaClick.js", "browser.js", etc. are modified such that the system can control the event and set the data it needs.

Components were added to the Mozilla engine. The component is named "nsPlatiMozui" and it is an XPCOM (Cross-Platform COM) object. Components use the XPIDL interface and provide some properties and functionality that Mozilla will use. After a component is registered to Mozilla's registry by using regxpcom.exe, it can be used by Mozilla. When Mozilla is loaded at runtime, Mozilla will also load the component (nsPlatiMozUi.dll).

Referring to Figure 10, the task-level interaction between the system and Mozilla is shown. The nsPlatiMozui component 1007 is designed to communicate with the Mozilla-based browser 1005 and configuration client module 1003 . Mozilla allows third parties to add some components internally to extend Mozilla's features. However, components work as part of Mozilla, so it is difficult to perform data processing with external programs.

nsPlatiMozui component 1007 solves the problem. The nsPlatiMozui component 1007 loads another DLL that provides shared storage components. The configuration client module 1003 also loads the DLL, so the configuration client module 1003 can use the shared storage space to perform data processing with the nsPlatiMozui component. The nsPlatiMozui component uses hidden windows to interact with the configuration client module 1003 and Mozilla 1005.

The nsPlatiMozUi component 1007 is an XPCOM (cross-platform com) component. Its dynamic link library is named "nsPlatiMozUi.dll". After the nsPlatiMozUi component 1007 is registered using regxpcom.exe, it is then available to the Mozilla browser.

The nsPlatiMozUi component 1007 also loads another dynamic link library named "PlatiMozUi.dll" component 1006. This DLL provides a shared memory space that can be used by the configuration client module 1003, nsPlatiMozUi.dll, and other programs. PlatiMozUi.dll 1006 also loads a resource analysis engine (“PlatiAnaSrc.dll”) to analyze the HTML source code of web pages for Mozilla browser 1005.

Once the configuration client module 1003 is loaded, the configuration client module 1003 will use the functionality of the PlatiMozUi.dll 1006 to place its window handles into the shared memory space.

When the Netscape 6.xx or higher browser 1005 is loaded, the script file in "comm.jar" will be executed to load the nsPlatiMozUi component 1007. nsPlatiMozui component 1007 loads PlatiMozUi.dll 1006.

When the browser 1005 completes the user's navigation, the script file in "comm.jar" will check whether there is a form in the web page and what the type of the form is.

If the form is a login form or a registration form, the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 uses the functionality of the PlatiMozUi.dll 1006 to check the processing of the configuration client modules in the shared storage space. If the configuration client module 1003 is not loaded, the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 will do nothing, otherwise, the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 launches a hidden window.

The hidden window sends an instructional message to the window configuring the client module. The message differs depending on what type (format) of the form the form is, for example, a login or registration form. The configuration client module 1003 works when it receives the message, or checks whether the configuration client module 1003 has recorded the account information for the website, or sends the user's information back to the nsPlatiMozui component 1007. The configuration client module 1003 sets data indicating user information and status in the shared storage space through a hidden window. The hidden window puts data into the shared storage space 1004 when it receives a message from the configuration client module 1003 .

If the form is a registration form, the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 fills in the user's information, such as the user's first and last name, in the form it obtained from the shared storage space 1004 . If the form is a login form, then either the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 obtains them if the configuration client module 1003 has not recorded the user's username and password, or the configuration client module 1003 has recorded the user's username and password (nsPlatiMozui In case the component 1007 finds the username and password in the shared storage space 1004), the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 inserts them into the form.

If the nsPlatiMozui component 1007 obtains the user name and password of the user, it sends the information to the window of the configuration client module, and transmits the information to the configuration client module 1003 via the shared storage space 1004 . The configuration client module 1003 transmits the user's username and password from the shared storage space 1004 to the read/write smart card module 1002 . The read/write smart card module 1002 saves the information to the smart card 1001 if desired by the user.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that although a Mozilla-based browser is described above, other types of browsers can be similarly used to achieve the same result.

The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and changes. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (18)

1. A method comprising: reading the user's personal computing environment data from a smart card in communication with the client device; Provide browser monitoring means on said client end, be used for monitoring the activity based on Mozilla's web browser; Wherein, the browser monitoring device determines whether the webpage accessed by the user is a form and determines the format of the form; and Fields in the form are analyzed and automatically populated with the user's personal computing environment data in the fields in the form. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser monitoring device uses a dynamic link library (dll) interface to the Mozilla-based browser to communicate with the browser. 3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, if the form is a registration form, the autofilling step populates the form using the user's information from the user's personal computing environment data in the field. 4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are not in the user's personal computing environment data, The autofill step obtains the user's username and password. 5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are in the user's personal computing environment data, The autofill step inserts the user's username and password into fields in the form. 6. A device comprising: a reading device for reading the user's personal computing environment data from the smart card in communication with the client device; Browser monitoring means, on said client, for monitoring the activity of a Mozilla-based web browser; Wherein, the browser monitoring device determines whether the webpage accessed by the user is a form and determines the format of the form; and Autofill means for analyzing fields in said form and automatically filling said fields in said form using said user's personal computing environment data. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the browser monitoring means uses a dynamic link library (dll) interface to the Mozilla-based browser to communicate with the browser. 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, if the form is a registration form, the auto-fill means populates the form using the user's information from the user's personal computing environment data in the field. 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are not in the user's personal computing environment data, The auto-fill device obtains the username and password of the user. 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are in the user's personal computing environment data, The autofill inserts the user's username and password into fields in the form. 11. A method comprising: reading the user's personal computing environment data from a smart card in communication with the client device; monitoring the user's web browser on the client device for web pages accessed by the user; Wherein, the monitoring step determines whether the web page is a form and determines the format of the form; and The fields in the form are automatically populated with the user's personal computing environment data. 12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, if the form is a registration form, the autofill step populates the form using information from the user's personal computing environment data of the user in the field. 13. The method of claim 11 , wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are not in the user's personal computing environment data, The autofill step obtains the user's username and password. 14. The method of claim 11 , wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are in the user's personal computing environment data, The autofill step inserts the user's username and password into fields in the form. 15. A device comprising: a reading device for reading the user's personal computing environment data from the smart card in communication with the client device; monitoring means for monitoring, on the client device, the user's web browser for web pages accessed by the user; Wherein, the monitoring means determines whether the webpage is a form and determines the format of the form; and Autofill means for automatically filling in fields in said form using said user's personal computing environment data. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein, if the form is a registration form, the autofill means populates the form using the user's information from the user's personal computing environment data in the field. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are not in the user's personal computing environment data, The auto-fill device obtains the username and password of the user. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein, if the form is a login form, if the user's username and password for the web page are in the user's personal computing environment data, The autofill inserts the user's username and password into fields in the form.

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