User objects for authenticating the use of electronic data

• US 20040230826A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Krickhahn, Frank, Vaupel, Juergen, Birkhoelzer, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,540,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes

Abstract

An electronic data processing facility is for the processing of electronic data by changing users. The data processing facility runs an operating system for configuring the data processing facility and an application program for editing the data. It includes a data store for storing the data and a documentation memory for storing documentation data for documenting access to the data. It also includes a user object memory for storing user objects for authentication and documentation. The user object memory contains documentation user objects which can be stored in the documentation memory at the level of the application program for the purpose of documenting access to the data, and an authentication user object which can be assigned a right to access the data at the level of the operating system and which can be assigned a plurality of documentation user objects which are authenticated for this right as a result.

Claims

1. An electronic data processing facility adapted to run an operating system for configuring the data processing facility and an application program for editing data, comprising:

a data store for storing the data;

a documentation memory for storing documentation data for documenting access to the data; and

a user object memory for storing user objects for authenticating and documenting access to the data, the user object memory being further for storing documentation user objects storable in the documentation memory at the level of the application program for the purpose of documenting access to the data, and for storing an authentication user object which is assignable a data access right at the level of the operating system and which is assignable to a plurality of documentation user objects for authenticating the data access right to the documentation user objects.

2. The electronic data processing facility as claimed in claim 1, wherein a security check is performed, to identify a user prior to accessing the data, and wherein a documentation user object and an authentication user object are assignable to a user on the basis of a result of the security check.

3. The electronic data processing facility as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one of a device for checking biometric data, a device for checking at least one of a mechanical and electronic key and a device for checking a chip card, to perform the security check.

4. The electronic data processing facility as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user object memory is connected to the data processing facility via a connection suitable for data communication.

5. A method for the processing of electronic data by a user using an electronic data processing facility, adapted to run an operating system for configuring the data processing facility and an application program for editing the data, comprising:

identifying the user as a documentation user object;

identifying the user as an authentication user object;

assigning the authentication user object a right to access data at the level of the operating system; and

storing data access operations for documentation purposes, in connection with a documentation user object at the level of the application program, wherein a plurality of users are identifyable by the same authentication user object and are authenticatable for the same data access right.

6. A storage medium on which information is stored, adapted to interact with an electronic data processing facility in order to carry out the method as claimed in claim 5.

7. An electronic data processing facility adapted to run an operating system for configuring the data processing facility and an application program for editing data, comprising:

means for storing the data;

means for storing documentation data for documenting access to the data; and

means for storing user objects for authenticating and documenting access to the data, for storing documentation user objects storable in the documentation memory at the level of the application program for the purpose of documenting access to the data, and for storing an authentication user object which is assignable a data access right at the level of the operating system and which is assignable to a plurality of documentation user objects for authenticating the data access right to the documentation user objects.

8. The electronic data processing facility as claimed in claim 7, wherein a security check is performed, to identify a user prior to accessing the data, and wherein a documentation user object and an authentication user object are assignable to a user on the basis of a result of the security check.

9. The electronic data processing facility as claimed in claim 8, further comprising at least one of means for checking biometric data, means for checking at least one of a mechanical and electronic key and means for checking a chip card, to perform the security check.

10. The electronic data processing facility as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means for storing user objects is connected to the data processing facility via a connection suitable for data communication.

11. A method for the processing of electronic data using an electronic data processing facility, adapted to run an operating system for configuring the data processing facility and an application program for editing the data, comprising:

identifying the user as a documentation user object;

identifying the user as an authentication user object;

assigning the authentication user object a data access right at the level of the operating system; and

storing data access operations in connection with a documentation user object at the level of the application program; and

identifying a plurality of users by the same authentication user object to thereby authenticate the plurality of users for the same data access right.

12. A storage medium on which information is stored, adapted to interact with an electronic data processing facility in order to carry out the method as claimed in claim 11.