USER PROFILE-BASED DEVICE ACCESS CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20130086700A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHO, Hyungrae, Lee, Kangmin, Kharsim, Yousef, OH, Seckmin, Kweon, Jihyeon
• Granted Patent: US 9,338,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/36
• 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: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for configuring electronic devices is provided. The method includes collecting, at a device management apparatus, user information regarding a user within a predetermined area; and controlling access to an electronic device based on the user information.

Claims

1. A method for configuring electronic devices, the method comprising:

collecting, at a device management apparatus, user information regarding a user within a predetermined area; and

controlling access to an electronic device based on the user information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access comprises:

categorizing the user information into a usage level; and

restricting the access to the electronic devices according to the usage level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access comprises restricting the access to the electronic device by cutting off power to the corresponding electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access comprises disabling a part of a user interface for controlling the corresponding electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access comprises hiding an icon representing the corresponding electronic device on a user interface for controlling the corresponding electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling access comprises when a plurality of user information is collected, restricting the access to the electronic devices according to a hierarchical relationship among the user information.

7. A device management apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a blocking unit for blocking access to an electronic device;

a communication unit for collecting user information; and

a control unit for controlling the blocking unit based on the user information.

8. The device management apparatus of claim 7, wherein, when a plurality of user information is collected, the control unit restricts the access to the electronic devices according to a hierarchical relationship among the user information.

9. The device management apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit categorizes the user information into a level and restricts the access to the electronic devices according to the level.

10. The device management apparatus of claim 7, wherein the blocking unit comprises:

a switch control module for controlling power supply to the electronic device; and

a user interface module for supporting controlling of access restriction to a specific electronic device.

11. The device management apparatus of claim 7, wherein the blocking unit cuts off power supply to the electronic device.

12. The device management apparatus of claim 7, wherein the blocking unit disables a part of a user interface for controlling the electronic device.

13. The device management apparatus of claim 7, wherein the blocking unit hides an icon representing the electronic device on a user interface for controlling the corresponding electronic device.

14. The device management apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

an audio processing unit for outputting an alarm sound when an access attempt to an access-restricted electronic device is detected.

15. A terminal for controlling access to electronic devices, the terminal comprising:

a storage unit for storing user information including a predetermined usage level;

a display unit for displaying a list of electronic devices; and

a control unit for controlling the display unit to display the list of electronic devices to which access is restricted according to the user information.

16. The terminal of claim 15, further comprising:

a communication unit for sending the user information to a device management apparatus.

17. The terminal of claim 15, wherein, when a plurality of user information is collected, the control unit restricts access to the electronic devices based on a hierarchical relationship among the user information.

18. The terminal of claim 15, wherein the control unit categorizes the user information into a usage level and restricts the access to the electronic devices based on the usage level.

19. An electronic device access control system, the system comprising:

a terminal for providing user information including respective usage levels;

a device management apparatus for checking the usage level of the user information provided by the terminal and restricts access to electronic device according to the usage level; and

an electronic device to which access is restricted under the control of the device management apparatus.

20. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for executing a method for configuring electronic devices, the method comprising:

collecting, at a device management apparatus, user information regarding a user within a predetermined area; and

controlling access to an electronic device based on the user information.