Control access to function of information device

• US 10,049,194 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Tohru, Oishi, Yutaka, Takayama, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Dada, Beemnet
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUNDRY, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US14/953,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20170154172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication

Abstract

A control system for controlling access to a protected function of an information device is disclosed. The control system includes a communication device configured to communicate with the information device entering an area. The control system also includes a database configured to store a relationship between the information device and a registered user. The control system further includes a control computer communicably coupled to the communication device. The control computer is configured to identify a user entering the area with the information device. The control computer is also configured to determine whether or not to permit access to the protected function based on the identified user and the registered user for the information device. The control computer is further configured to control the information device via the communication device so as to unlock or lock the protected function based on a result of determination whether or not to permit access.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling access to a protected function of an information device, comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate with the information device entering an area, the information device having a current information device identifier;

a database configured to store a relationship between the information device and a registered user;

a control computer communicably connected to the communication device, the control computer being configured to;

send to the information device, each time the information device exits the area, a next information device identifier that is different than the current information device identifier, the next information device identifier being for the information device to store, each time the information device exits the area, as an updated information device identifier in place of the current information device identifier;

identify the information device each time the information device enters the area based on receiving from the information device the updated information device identifier that was sent by the control computer to the information device a most recent time when the information device exited the area;

identify a user entering the area with the information device;

determine whether or not to permit access to the protected function based on the identified user and the registered user for the information device; and

control the information device via the communication device so as to unlock or lock the protected function based on a result of determination whether or not to permit access.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the user entering a predetermined section by passing through the area is subjected to identification and the protected function of the information device entering the predetermined section with the user is controlled to be unlocked in response to determining that the access is to be permitted.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein a user exiting from a predetermined section by passing through the area is subjected to identification and the protected function of the information device exiting from the predetermined section with the user is controlled to be locked.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises:

a transmit device in communication with the control computer, the transmit device being configured to transmit a confirmation signal so as to extend an effective time during which access to the protected function is permitted while the information device is in a predetermined section where the information device enters by passing through the area.

5. The control system of claim 4, wherein the registered user includes an owner, the transmit device being further configured to:

terminate the confirmation signal to extend the effective time for the information device related to the owner in response to detecting exit of the owner from the predetermined section.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the registered user includes a plurality of necessary owners, and access to the protected function is denied if any one of the necessary owners is out of a predetermined section.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the registered user includes a plurality of owners, and access to the protected function is permitted if any one of the owners is staying in a predetermined section.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the registered user includes one or more white-listed users, and access to the protected function is denied if any user other than the one or more white-listed users is staying in a predetermined section.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the registered user includes one or more black-listed users, and access to the protected function is denied if any one of the one or more black-listed users is staying in a predetermined section.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises:

an alarm device in communication with the control computer, the alarm device being configured to alarm if the information device exits from a predetermined section by passing through the area even though owner is staying in the predetermined section and/or to alarm if owner exit from the predetermined section even though the information device related to the owner is staying in the predetermined section.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein the protected function is a secured storage region on the information device, identification of the user is performed by using an identification badge assigned to the user and the communication device is a wireless communication device.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein the communication device includes a plurality of communication devices, each being provided in each section among a plurality of sections, the database is further configured to store relationship between the information device and an allowable section, and access to the protected function is denied if the information device is not staying in a corresponding allowable section.

13. A method for controlling, by a control computer, access to a protected function of an information device, where the information device has a current information device identifier, the method comprising:

sending to the information device, each time the information device exits an area, a next information device identifier that is different than the current information device identifier, the next information device identifier being for the information device to store, each time the information device exits the area, as an updated information device identifier in place of the current information device identifier;

identify the information device each time the information device enters the area based on receiving from the information device the updated information device identifier that was sent by the control computer to the information device a most recent time when the information device exited the area;

identifying a user entering an area with the information device;

determining whether or not to permit access to the protected function based on the identified user and a registered user in relation to the identifier; and

transmitting a control signal to the information device by the communication device so as to unlock or lock the protected function based on a result of determination whether or not to permit access.

14. An information device having a current information device identifier, comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate with a control computer in entering an area;

a protected module, access to the protected module being controlled by the control computer;

a lock control module configured to block access to the protected module if the protected module is locked; and

an interface module for accessing the protected module via the lock control module;

wherein the lock control module is further configured to;

receive, from the control computer via the communication device each time the information device exits the area, a next information device identifier that is different than the current information device identifier, the next information device identifier being for the information device to store, each time the information device exits the area, as an updated information device identifier in place of the current information device identifier;

send, to the control computer via the communication device for the control computer to use to identify the information device each time the information device enters the area, the updated information device identifier that was sent by the control computer to the information device a most recent time when the information device exited the area;

receive a control signal from the control computer by the communication device; and

unlock or lock the protected module in response to receiving the control signal.

15. The information device of claim 14, wherein the information device further comprises:

a counter module configured to count down an effective time during which access to the protected module is permitted in response to being powered on;

wherein the lock control module is further configured to refresh the counter module in response to receiving a confirmation signal, the confirmation signal being transmitted from a transmit device communicably connected to the control computer while the information device is in a predetermined section where the information device enters by passing through the area.