Intelligent disabling of browser plugins

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016357583-A1
Application number	US-201514864770-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 7, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for disabling one or more plugins associated with a browser application are provided. In one exemplary method, a plugin is installed on an electronic device, and the device receives data from a data source, where that data is associated with the installed plugin. Whether the installed plugin meets a disabling criteria is determined. In accordance with a determination that that the installed plugin meets a disabling criteria: performance of a function with the installed plugin is foregone; and it is reported to the data source that the installed plugin is not installed on the electronic device. In accordance with a determination that the installed plugin does not meet the disabling criteria, the function is performed with the installed plugin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display, cause the electronic device to:
while a plugin is installed on the device, receive first data from a data source, the first data associated with the installed plugin; in response to receipt of the first data from the data source while the plugin is installed on the device, determine if the installed plugin meets a disabling criteria; in accordance with a determination that the installed plugin meets a disabling criteria:
forego performance of a function with the installed plugin; and
report to the data source that the installed plugin is not installed on the electronic device;
in accordance with a determination that the installed plugin does not meet the disabling criteria, perform a function with the installed plugin.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first data is a query from the data source about the presence of the plugin.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first data is an instruction to perform a function with the installed plugin.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
after the report to the data source that the installed plugin is not installed on the electronic device, while a browser application is installed on the device, receive second data different from the first data from the data source, the second data including an instruction to perform a second function incompatible with the installed plugin; and perform the second function with the browser application.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
after the report to the data source that the installed plugin is not installed on the electronic device, while a second plugin is installed on the device, receive second data different from the first data from the data source, the second data including an instruction to perform a second function incompatible with the installed plugin; and perform the second function with the second plugin.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
wherein the second data includes an instruction to perform a second function with a second installed plugin distinct from the first installed plugin:
perform the second function with the second plugin.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
wherein the installed plugin meets the disabling criteria:
receive from the data source instructions corresponding to a request to install the installed plugin on the device;
in response to receipt of the instructions corresponding to a request to install the installed plugin on the device, display an affordance for activating the installed plugin;
receive an input corresponding to selection of the affordance,
in response to receipt of the input corresponding to selection of the affordance, perform the function with the installed plugin.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
after receipt of the input corresponding to selection of the affordance, enable performance of instructions to perform a function with the installed plugin that are received from the data source, while continuing to forgo performance of the function with the installed plugin for data from other data sources.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the installed plugin is a multimedia player.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
wherein the installed plugin meets the disabling criteria:
install an updated version of the installed plugin;
in response to installation of the updated version of the installed plugin, alter the disabling criteria so that the installed plugin does not meet the disabling criteria.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
receive input from a user identifying at least one plugin as meeting the disabling criteria.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
wherein the installed plugin meets the disabling criteria:
receive user input corresponding to a request to alter the disabling criteria; and
in response to receipt of user input corresponding to a request to alter the disabling criteria, alter the disabling criteria.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
wherein the electronic device further comprises a browser application in which the installed plugin is installed:
close the browser application;
in response to closure of the browser application, store a version number of the installed plugin;
restart the browser application;
in response to the restart of the browser application; obtain the version number of the installed plugin;
determine whether the version number of the plugin stored in response to the closing differs from the version number of the plugin obtained in response to the restarting;
in accordance with a determination that the version of the plugin stored in response to the closure is different from the version of the plugin obtained in response to the restarting, determine that the installed plugin does not meet the disabling criteria;
in accordance with a determination that the version of the plugin stored in response to the closure is the same as the version of the plugin obtained in response to the restarting, determine that the installed plugin meets the disabling criteria.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors of the electronic device, cause the device to:
determine whether an installer associated with the installed plugin is running; responsive to a determination that an installer is running, determine whether the installer is running as root;

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Decker Kevin
• Shultz Conrad
• Falkenburg Steven
• Adler Darin
• MONDELLO Richard
• Federighi Craig M
• Coffman Patrick L
• Berlin Jessie

Classifications

• G06F21/51

  at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability · CPC title

• G06F8/62

  Uninstallation · CPC title

• G06F9/44526 Primary

  Plug-ins; Add-ons · CPC title

• G06F9/44505

  Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files · CPC title