Role-Based Graphical User Interfaces

• US 20110265188A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: SiMa, Yun-Rui, Dong, Yingtao, Ramaswamy, Sanjay H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,789,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• 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 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A role-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) may be provided. First, information associated with an application user may be received. A role associated the application user may be then determined. The role may then be analyzed to determine which application elements are permitted to the user and which application elements are restricted from the application user. Next, the permitted application elements may be loaded with permissible GUI elements visible and restricted GUI elements hidden. The permissible GUI elements may be associated with the application elements permitted to the application user, while the restricted GUI elements may be associated with the application elements restricted from the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing a role-based Graphical User Interface (GUI), the method comprising:

receiving information associated with an application user;

determining a role associated with the application user;

analyzing the role to determine at least one first application element permitted to the application user and at least one second application element restricted from the application user; and

loading the at least one first application element, wherein loading the at least one first application element comprises,

displaying at least one permissible GUI element associated with the at least one first application element permitted to the user, and

restricting at least one restricted GUI element associated with the at least one second application element restricted from the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information associated with the application user comprises receiving user identity information from at least one of the following:

an application login, a system login, and a network associated with the application user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the role associated with the application user comprises determining at least one of the following:

a permitted application component and a restricted application component associated with the role.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein analyzing the role comprises consuming Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) metadata associated with at least one of the following:

the permitted application component and the restricted application component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the role to determine the at least one first application element permitted to the application user and the at least one second application element restricted from the application user comprises analyzing application components associated with at least one of the following:

at least one first application function the application user is allowed to perform and at least one second application function the application user is restricted from performing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the role to determine the at least one first application element permitted to the application user and the at least one second application element restricted from the application user comprises analyzing data objects and properties associated with the data objects.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein loading the at least one first application element further comprises loading at least one application node associated the at least one first application function the user is permitted to perform.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the at least one permissible GUI element associated with the at least one first application element permitted to the user comprises displaying data objects the application user is permitted to operate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting the at least one restricted GUI element associated with the at least one second application element comprises one of the following:

hiding the at least one restricted GUI element from display and displaying a lock icon associated with the at least one restricted GUI element.

10. A computer-readable medium having a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for providing a role-based Graphical User Interface (GUI), the method comprising:

receiving information associated with an application user;

determining a role associated with the application user;

analyzing the role to determine at least one first application element permitted to the application user and at least one second application element restricted from the application user; and

loading the at least one first application element, wherein loading the at least one first application element comprises,

displaying at least one permissible GUI element associated with the at least one first application element permitted to the user, and

restricting at least one restricted GUI element associated with the at least one second application element restricted from the user.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving the information associated with the application user comprises receiving user identity information from at least one of the following:

an application login, a system login, and a network associated with the application user.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining the role associated with the application user comprises determining at least one of the following:

a permitted application component and a restricted application component associated with the role.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein analyzing the role comprises consuming Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) metadata associated with at least one of the following:

the permitted application component and the restricted application component.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein analyzing the role to determine the at least one first application element permitted to the application user and the at least one second application element restricted from the application user comprises analyzing application components associated with at least one of the following:

at least one first application operation the application user is allowed to perform, at least one second application operation the application user is restricted from performing, at least one first data object the application user is allowed to view, and at least one second data object the application user is restricted from viewing.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein analyzing the role to determine the at least one first application element permitted to the application user and the at least one second application element restricted from the application user comprises analyzing data objects and properties associated with the data objects.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein loading the at least one first application element further comprises loading at least one application node associated the at least one first application function the user is permitted to perform.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein displaying the at least one permissible GUI element associated with the at least one first application element permitted to the user comprises displaying data objects the application user is permitted to operate.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein restricting the at least one restricted GUI element associated with the at least one second application element comprises one of the following:

hiding the at least one restricted GUI element from display and displaying a lock icon associated with the at least one restricted GUI element.

19. A system for providing a role-based Graphical User Interface (GUI), the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to;

determine a type of role corresponding to a system user,

group application components associated with the type of role to form a role corresponding to the system user,

restrict certain application elements from access by the role,

assign the role to the system user,

display permitted GUI elements associated with permitted application elements, and

hide restricted GUI elements associated with restricted application elements.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the permitted application elements and the restricted application elements are derived from the grouped application components.