Controlling the distribution of information

• US 20030115481A1
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Baird, Jeffrey C., Blair, Timothy P., Baird, Roger T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,475,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control

Abstract

A source generates a request to receive a document. A determination is made regarding an authorization level associated with the source of the request. Another determination is made as to an authorization level required to view the requested document. If the source of the request is authorized to receive the requested document, the requested document is transmitted to the source of the request. If the source of the request is not authorized to receive the requested document, the unauthorized portions of the requested document are redacted and the redacted version of the requested document is transmitted to the source of the request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a document;

identifying a source of the request;

determining an authorization level associated with the source of the request;

determining an authorization level required to view the requested document;

if the source of the request is authorized to receive the requested document, transmitting the requested document to the source of the request; and

if the source of the request is not authorized to receive the requested document, redacting unauthorized portions of the requested document and transmitting the redacted version of the requested document to the source of the request.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the requested document includes determining a plurality of required authorization levels, wherein each required authorization level is associated with a different portion of the requested document.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein redacting unauthorized portions of the requested document includes deleting the unauthorized portions of the requested document.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein redacting unauthorized portions of the requested document includes visually blurring the unauthorized portions of the requested document.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the requested document includes an image, and wherein the image has an associated required authorization level.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the requested document includes an audio file, and wherein the audio file has an associated required authorization level.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein identifying a source of the request includes identifying a user ID associated with the source of the request.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the requested document includes determining an authorization level required to view the complete requested document.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the requested document includes determining an authorization level required to view at least a portion of the requested document.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a document;

determining an authorization level required to view the received document;

determining an authorization level associated with a current user;

if the current user is authorized to view the complete received document, displaying the received document; and

if the current user is not authorized to view the complete received document, redacting unauthorized portions of the received document and displaying the redacted version of the document.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the received document includes determining a plurality of authorization levels, wherein each of the plurality of authorization levels is associated with a different portion of the received document.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein redacting unauthorized portions of the received document includes deleting the unauthorized portions of the received document.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein redacting unauthorized portions of the received document includes visually blurring the unauthorized portions of the received document.

14. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the received document contains an image, and wherein the image has an associated authorization level required to view the image.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising displaying the image if the current user is authorized to view the image.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising redacting the image if the current user is not authorized to view the image.

17. A computer-readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

identifying a source of a request for a document;

determining an authorization level associated with the source of the request;

determining an authorization level required to view the requested document;

if the source of the request is authorized to receive the requested document, transmitting the requested document to the source of the request; and

if the source of the request is not authorized to receive the requested document, redacting unauthorized portions of the requested document and transmitting the redacted version of the requested document to the source of the request.

18. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the requested document includes determining a plurality of required authorization levels, wherein each required authorization level is associated with a different portion of the requested document.

19. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 wherein redacting unauthorized portions of the requested document includes deleting the unauthorized portions of the requested document.

20. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 wherein redacting unauthorized portions of the requested document includes visually blurring the unauthorized portions of the requested document.

21. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 wherein identifying a source of the request includes identifying a user ID associated with the source of the request.

22. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the requested document includes determining an authorization level required to view the complete requested document.

23. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 wherein determining an authorization level required to view the requested document includes determining an authorization level required to view at least a portion of the requested document.