Access restrictions as a means of configuring a user interface and making an application secure

• US 5,432,934 A
• Filed: 07/26/1993
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gensym Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gensym Corporation
• Inventors: Levin, Michael, Hyde, Benjamin A., David, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/097,405
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 395/650, 395/700, 395/725, 364/DIG. 1 MS File
• US Class Current: 726/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An access restriction interface system for use in a computer system of the sort comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, wherein the access restriction system is adapted to limit user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus. Preferably the access restriction system comprises a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned; at least one class hierarchy for items and attributes of items positioned in one or more of the workspaces, the class hierarchy being characterized by a base class and one or more lower level classes; user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of the workspaces and implemented in the workspace hierarchy; and class restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of the classes and implemented in the class hierarchy.

Claims

1. In a computer system comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus, said access restriction interface system comprising:

(a) a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned;

(c) at least one class hierarchy for items and attributes of items positioned in one or more of said workspaces, said class hierarchy being characterized by a base class and one or more lower level classes related to one another according to a class tree structure in which said lower level classes are subclasses of said base class and constitute hierarchal branches of said class tree structure, whereby each item in a class has the attributes of that class and the attributes of all higher level classes; and

(d) class restrictions selectively assignable to said base class and said lower level classes, said class restrictions being implemented in said class hierarchy so as to apply to the particular class to which it is assigned and to all hierarchal subclasses of that class.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(e) a proprietary mode construct characterized by proprietary workspace restrictions selectively assignable to workspaces and adapted to function as a mode filter for rendering a selected workspace inaccessible to all users.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(f) an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions and said class restrictions so as to render said user restrictions and class restrictions incapable of being reversed.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(e) an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions and said class restrictions so as to render said user restrictions and class restrictions incapable of being reversed.

5. In a computer system comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus, said access restriction interface system comprising:

(a) a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned; and

(c) a proprietary mode construct characterized by proprietary workspace restrictions selectively assignable to workspaces and adapted to function as a mode filter for rendering a selected workspace inaccessible to all users.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(d) an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions so as to render said user restrictions incapable of being reversed.

7. In a computer system comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus, said access restriction interface system comprising:

(a) a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned; and

(c) an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions so as to render said user restrictions incapable of being reversed.

8. In a computer system comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus, said access restriction interface system comprising:

(a) means for establishing a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) means for establishing user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned;

(c) means for establishing at least one class hierarchy for items and attributes of .items positioned in one or more of said workspaces, said class hierarchy being characterized by a base class and one or more lower level classes related to one another according to a class tree structure in which said lower level classes are subclasses of said base class and constitute hierarchal branches of said class tree structure, whereby each item in a class has the attributes of that class and the attributes of all higher level classes; and

(d) means for establishing class restrictions selectively assignable to said base class and said lower level classes, said class restrictions being implemented in said class hierarchy so as to apply to the particular class to which it is assigned and to all hierarchal subclasses of that class.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(e) means for establishing a proprietary mode construct characterized by proprietary workspace restrictions selectively assignable to workspaces and adapted to function as a mode filter for rendering a selected workspace inaccessible to all users.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(f) means for establishing an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions and said class restrictions so as to render said user restrictions and class restrictions incapable of being reversed.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(e) means for establishing an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions and said class restrictions so as to render said user restrictions and class restrictions incapable to being reversed.

12. In a computer system comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus, said access restriction interface system comprising:

(a) means for establishing a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) means for establishing user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned; and

(c) means for establishing a proprietary mode construct characterized by proprietary workspace restrictions selectively assignable to workspaces and adapted to function as a mode filter for rendering a selected workspace inaccessible to all users.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said access restriction interface system further comprises:

(d) means for establishing an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable to any of said user restrictions so as to render said user restrictions incapable of being reversed.

14. In a computer system comprising an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface apparatus, said access restriction interface system comprising:

(a) means for establishing a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) means for establishing user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned; and

(c) means for establishing an absolutely access restriction construct selectively assignable too any of said user restrictions so as to render said user restrictions incapable of being reversed.

15. (Amended) A computer-implemented method for operating a computer system of the sort comprising

a computer system having an operating environment and an application program and user interface apparatus, and an access restriction interface system for limiting user access to the computer system by restricting user input through the user interface apparatus and computer output through the user interface .apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing;

(a) a workspace hierarchy characterized by at least one top-level workspace and at least one lower level workspace on which items may be positioned, said workspaces being related to one another according to a logical workspace tree structure, with said at least one top-level workspace constituting the root of said workspace tree structure and said at least one lower level workspace constituting the branches of said workspace tree structure;

(b) user restrictions selectively assignable to one or more of said workspaces and implemented in said workspace hierarchy so as to apply to the particular workspace to which said restrictions are assigned and to lower level workspaces that are hierarchal branches of the particular workspace to which said workspace restrictions are assigned;

(c) at least one class hierarchy for items and attributes of items positioned in one or more of said workspaces, said class hierarchy being characterized by a base class and one or more lower level classes related to one another according to a class tree structure in which said lower level classes are subclasses of said base class and constitute hierarchal branches of said class tree structure, whereby each item in a class has the attributes of that class and the attributes of all higher level classes; and

(d) class restrictions selectively assignable to said base class and said lower level classes, said class restrictions being implemented in said class hierarchy so as to apply to the particular class to which it is assigned and to all hierarchal subclasses for that class; and

(2) creating a plurality of user restrictions assigned to one or more of said workspaces, and creating a plurality of class restrictions assigned to one or more of said classes, so as to establish an access restriction interface system for said computer system.