System and method for role based access control of a document processing device

• US 20050172151A1
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shahindoust, Amir, Yeung, Michael, Krishna, Girish R., Kodimer, Marianne L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

A system and method for controlling access to a document processing device based on roles assigned to user groups. Each group of users has certain functions for which they are authorized to use the document processing device. The device compares a username and password with correlating information stored in an authentication server. The server transmits a list of functions for which the user is authorized to employ the device. The device then compares the requested function with the authorized functions to determine if the user is allowed to utilize the document processing device for the requested function. The document processing device then performs the authorized requested function.

Claims

1. A system for role-based control of a document processing device comprising:

means adapted for acquiring user data representative of an identity of a user of a document processing device;

means adapted to receive device access data representative of device access privileges associated with each of a plurality of users;

comparison means adapted for comparing user data with the device access data;

means adapted for generating permission matrix data as a result of a comparison of the comparison means, the permission matrix data including data representative of allowable usage of the document processing device by a user associated with the user data; and

means adapted for communicating the permission matrix data to the document processing device to allow for control thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the permission matrix data includes selected permissions associated with at least one of printing, copying, faxing and scanning.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the permission matrix data includes data allowing access to all available functions when the user data is representative of an administrative mode.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the means adapted for acquiring user data comprise:

means adapted to prompt a user for user data representative of the identity of the user; and

means adapted to receive user data representative of the identity of the user.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the user data representative of the identity of a user comprise at least one of user name and user password.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means adapted for transmitting acquired user data to an authentication server;

means adapted for transmitting device access data to the authentication server;

wherein the authentication server compares the user data with the device access data to generate the permission data matrix.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user data and the device access data are stored in an associated database.

8. A method for role-based control of a document processing device comprising the steps of:

acquiring user data representative of an identity of a user of a document processing device;

receiving device access data representative of device access privileges associated with each of a plurality of users;

comparing user data with the device access data;

generating permission matrix data as a result of a comparison of the comparison means, the permission matrix data including data representative of allowable usage of the document processing device by a user associated with the user data; and

communicating the permission matrix data to the document processing device to allow for control thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the permission matrix data includes selected permissions associated with at least one of printing, copying, faxing and scanning.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the permission matrix data includes data allowing access to all available functions when the user data is representative of an administrative mode.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein acquiring user data comprises the steps of:

prompting a user for user data representative of the identity of the user; and

receiving user data representative of the identity of the user.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the user data representative of the identity of a user comprise at least one of user name and user password.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

transmitting acquired user data to an authentication server;

transmitting device access data to the authentication server;

wherein the authentication server compares the user data with the device access data to generate the permission data matrix.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the user data and the device access data are stored in an associated database.

15. A computer-readable medium for role-based control of a document processing device comprising:

means adapted for acquiring user data representative of an identity of a user of a document processing device;

means adapted to receive device access data representative of device access privileges associated with each of a plurality of users;

comparison means adapted for comparing user data with the device access data;

means adapted for generating permission matrix data as a result of a comparison of the comparison means, the permission matrix data including data representative of allowable usage of the document processing device by a user associated with the user data; and

means adapted for communicating the permission matrix data to the document processing device to allow for control thereof.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the permission matrix data includes selected permissions associated with at least one of printing, copying, faxing and scanning.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the permission matrix data includes data allowing access to all available functions when the user data is representative of an administrative mode.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the means adapted for acquiring user data comprise:

means adapted to prompt a user for user data representative of the identity of the user; and

means adapted to receive user data representative of the identity of the user.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the user data representative of the identity of a user comprise at least one of user name and user password.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising:

means adapted for transmitting acquired user data to an authentication server;

means adapted for transmitting device access data to the authentication server;

wherein the authentication server compares the user data with the device access data to generate the permission data matrix.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the user data and the device access data are stored in an associated database.

22. A computer-implemented method for role-based control of a document processing device comprising the steps of:

acquiring user data representative of an identity of a user of a document processing device;

receiving device access data representative of device access privileges associated with each of a plurality of users;

comparing user data with the device access data;

generating permission matrix data as a result of a comparison of the comparison means, the permission matrix data including data representative of allowable usage of the document processing device by a user associated with the user data; and

communicating the permission matrix data to the document processing device to allow for control thereof.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 wherein the permission matrix data includes selected permissions associated with at least one of printing, copying, faxing and scanning.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein the permission matrix data includes data allowing access to all available functions when the user data is representative of an administrative mode.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 wherein acquiring user data comprises the steps of:

prompting a user for user data representative of the identity of the user; and

receiving user data representative of the identity of the user.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 wherein the user data representative of the identity of a user comprise at least one of user name and user password.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 further comprising:

transmitting acquired user data to an authentication server;

transmitting device access data to the authentication server;

wherein the authentication server compares the user data with the device access data to generate the permission data matrix.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 22 wherein the user data and the device access data are stored in an associated database.