Role-based portal to a workplace system

• US 20050108396A1
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bittner, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method includes storing a plurality of role data entries on a storage device coupled to a computer system, each role data entry corresponding to an assigned role of at least one of a plurality of individuals, each role corresponding to an enterprise with which the individual is associated and corresponding to a set of resources accessible through the computer system, receiving at the computer a resource request from one of the individuals, determining whether the requested resource is included in the set of accessible resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual, and selectively permitting access to the requested resource if the resource is determined to be in the set of resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of role data entries on a storage device coupled to a computer system, each role data entry corresponding to an assigned role of at least one of a plurality of individuals, each role corresponding to an enterprise with which the individual is associated and corresponding to a set of resources accessible through the computer system;

assigning a common set of information to a plurality of assigned roles, each role corresponding to at least one individual;

receiving at the computer a resource request from one of the individuals;

determining whether the requested resource is included in the set of accessible resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual;

selectively permitting access to the requested resource if the resource is determined to be in the set of resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual;

detecting a change to an item in the common set of information; and

sending a message to at least one of the other plurality of individuals to indicate the detected change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an up-dated display window that reflects the detected change to the item of information.

3. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of role data entries on a storage device coupled to a computer system, each role data entry corresponding to an assigned role of at least one of a plurality of individuals, each role corresponding to an enterprise with which the individual is associated and corresponding to a set of resources accessible through the computer system;

assigning a common set of information to a plurality of assigned roles, each role corresponding to at least one individual, wherein access to the common set of information is controllable by a first individual assigned a controlling role;

receiving at the computer a resource request from one of the individuals;

determining whether the requested resource is included in the set of accessible resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual; and

selectively permitting access to the requested resource if the resource is determined to be in the set of resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual.

4. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of role data entries on a storage device coupled to a computer system, each role data entry corresponding to an assigned role of at least one of a plurality of individuals, each role corresponding to an enterprise with which the individual is associated and corresponding to a set of resources accessible through the computer system;

receiving at the computer a resource request from one of the individuals;

determining whether the requested resource is included in the set of accessible resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual;

selectively permitting access to the requested resource if the resource is determined to be in the set of resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual; and

displaying a customized display window including at least one item of the set of resources accessible to the individual.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized display window corresponds to a previously customized display window.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a change to an item in the common set of information; and

sending a message to at least one of the other plurality of individuals to indicate the detected change.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying an up-dated display window that reflects the detected change to the item of information.

8. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of role data entries on a storage device coupled to a computer system, each role data entry corresponding to an assigned role of at least one of a plurality of individuals, each role corresponding to an enterprise with which the individual is associated and corresponding to a set of resources accessible through the computer system;

assigning a common set of information to a plurality of assigned roles, each role corresponding to at least one individual;

controlling access by the plurality of individuals to the common set of information by a first individual;

receiving at the computer a resource request from one of the individuals;

determining whether the requested resource is included in the set of accessible resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual; and

selectively permitting access to the requested resource if the resource is determined to be in the set of resources corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual.

9. A system comprising:

a first computer coupled to a storage device, the storage device holding a plurality of role data entries, each role data entry corresponding to an assigned role of at least one of a plurality of individuals, each role corresponding to a subset of information accessible through the first computer;

a common set of information assigned to a plurality of assigned roles, each role corresponding to at least one individual;

a user device coupled to communicate with the first computer, the user device having a display device displaying a role-based portal window, the role-based portal window usable to send a request to the first computer for an item of information; and

a role-based filter application executable by the first computer to determine whether the item of information requested is included in the subset of accessible information corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual, the role-based filter application to determine if that item of information is included in the subset of information corresponding to the assigned role of the requesting individual, and the role-based filter application executable to detect a change to an item in the common set of information by a first one of the plurality of individuals and send a message to at least one user device corresponding to a second of the plurality of individuals to indicate the detected change.