Client-server system for controlling access rights to certain services by a user of a client terminal
First Claim
1. A client-server system comprising a client terminal and a server that provides at least one service to said client terminal,wherein said client terminal comprises:
- transmission means for transmitting an instruction by a user using said client terminal to said server, the instruction including a user identifier of said user and a request to said server for providing a service being available by said server; and
wherein said server comprises;
control table storage means for storing a control table indicating relationship among a process control rule, a user identifier and a service being made available by said server, means for retrieving said process control rule from said control table storage means according to said transmitted user identifier and said service requested, and service supply control means for controlling a supply of said service based on said retrieved process control rule and transmitting a request of an approval of providing said service to a terminal used by a user specified by said user identifier and identification information in said identification information storage means, when said process control rule indicates a need of approval, to another client terminal used by a user listed in said control rule.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A client-server system is provided in which access to a service by a user can properly be controlled, even if an approval by another user is required for receiving the service. First, the server 2 executes a log-in processing by using a user identifier and password transmitted from the client terminal 2, and a user control file 202. Next, the server 2 executes a service control by using a service supply request transmitted from the client terminal 1 and a service control file 42 provided with the server. When the server determines that an approval by another user is required for providing the service, the server executes the approval request to the client terminal 1 that the concerned user uses. When the reply to the approval request is affirmative, the server executes the processing in accordance with the foregoing service supply request. When the reply is negative, the server informs to the user who made the foregoing service supply request that the approval is rejected.
146 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A client-server system comprising a client terminal and a server that provides at least one service to said client terminal,
wherein said client terminal comprises: -
transmission means for transmitting an instruction by a user using said client terminal to said server, the instruction including a user identifier of said user and a request to said server for providing a service being available by said server; and
wherein said server comprises;
control table storage means for storing a control table indicating relationship among a process control rule, a user identifier and a service being made available by said server, means for retrieving said process control rule from said control table storage means according to said transmitted user identifier and said service requested, and service supply control means for controlling a supply of said service based on said retrieved process control rule and transmitting a request of an approval of providing said service to a terminal used by a user specified by said user identifier and identification information in said identification information storage means, when said process control rule indicates a need of approval, to another client terminal used by a user listed in said control rule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
service supplying means for executing a service;
wherein said service supply control means instructs said service supplying means to supply a service specified by said request.
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3. A client-server system according to claim 2:
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wherein said server further comprises identification information storage means for storing identification information of users using said client-server system so as to correspond with identification information of said client terminals; and
wherein said client-server system further comprises another client terminal comprising;
means for receiving said request from said service supply control means;
means for displaying said request of approval of providing said service specified by said user identifier; and
means for receiving decision transmitting said decision of the user using said another client terminal to said service supply control means.
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4. A client-server system as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
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said service supply control means transmits identification information of a plurality of users to said client terminal, when said process control rule retrieved by said means for retrieving indicates that an approval is required and lists a plurality of identification information of users for an approval;
said client terminal further comprises input means which receives an input of a selection information by said user using said client terminal for selecting at least one out of said identification information transmitted by said service supply control means; and
said transmission means further transmits said selection information to said server; and
said service supply control means transmits the request to the terminal specified by said selection information and identification information in said identification information storage means; and
said identification information retrieval means retrieves an identification information of a client terminal specified in correspondence with an identification information of a user specified by said selection information.
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5. A client-server system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said server further comprises a temporary identification storage means for temporarily storing an identification information of said user, and when an identification information of said user specified by said approval condition is not stored in said identification information storage means;
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said identification information retrieval means retrieves an identification information of a client terminal specified in correspondence with an identification information of said user from said identification information storage means, when said identification information storage means receives the identification of said user specified by said process control rule.
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6. In a system having a server and a plurality of client terminals connected via a communications network, a method of providing services to one user making a service request, the method comprising the steps of:
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evaluating the service request and determining if said one user can receive the service requested;
determining if prior approval of another one or more users is needed;
if approval is needed, providing the requested service to the one user if appropriate approval is granted from said another one or more users is needed; and
obtaining approval by sending an approval request to the another one or more users upon consulting a file containing information about the location of the another one or more users. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A storage medium for storing a program for performing the steps of:
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evaluating a service request made by a user of a client terminal;
determining if the service request requires prior approval of one or more other users of different client terminals;
if approval is required, sending an approval request to said one or more other users;
if approval is given, providing the service corresponding to the service request to the user making the service request; and
after evaluating the service request made by the user, consulting a control table having a user control file listing the user authority levels of a plurality of users using the client terminal from which the service request is made. - View Dependent Claims (12)
after consulting the user control file of the control table, consulting the control table for a service file indicating which services are available to the user and if prior approval is needed for any service.
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13. A server for providing at least one service to a client terminal, the server comprising:
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control table storage means for storing a control table to indicate, as to each of at least said one service, a correspondence between identification information of a plurality of users using said client terminal or level information of the users specified by the concerned identification information and an approval condition to specify the presence of an approval for receiving the concerned service supply and in case of an approval being required an identification information of at least one user who can give the concerned approval, and service supply control means for controlling a supply of at least said one service to said client terminal;
wherein said service supply control means comprises;
approval condition retrieval means for retrieving an approval condition specified in correspondence with an identification information of the concerned client terminal or a level information of a user specified by the concerned identification information from said control table storage means, as to a service supply request of a service transmitted from said client terminal, and service supply execution means for executing a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request, when an approval condition detected by said approval condition retrieval means indicates that an approval is not required, and when the approval condition thereby detected indicates that an approval is required, executing a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request after receiving an approval by a user having an identification information of a user specified by the concerned approval condition. - View Dependent Claims (14)
identification information storage means for storing identification information of users using the concerned client terminals, transmitted from each of a plurality of said client terminals, so as to correspond with identification information of the concerned client terminal, identification information retrieval means for retrieving, when an approval condition detected by said approval condition retrieval means indicates that an approval is required, an identification information of a client terminal specified in correspondence with an identification information of a user specified by the concerned approval condition from said identification information storage means, and informing means for informing that a user at a client terminal that transmitted said service supply request executed the concerned service supply request to a client terminal specified by an identification information of a client terminal detected by said identification information retrieval means; and
wherein said service supply execution means executes a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request, when an approval condition detected by said approval condition retrieval means indicates that an approval is required, and only when an approval consent information indicating to approve a processing in accordance with said service supply request is transmitted from a client terminal specified by an identification information of a client terminal detected by said identification information retrieval means.
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15. A client-server system comprising at least one client terminal, a first server for providing at least one service to said client terminal, and a second server for controlling said first server, wherein said second server comprises:
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control table storage means for storing a control table to indicate, as to each of at least said one service, a correspondence between identification information of a plurality of users using said client terminal or level information of the users specified by the concerned identification information and an approval condition to specify the presence of an approval for receiving the concerned service supply and in case of an approval being required an identification information of at least one user who can give the concerned approval, and service supply control means for controlling a supply of at least said one service to said client terminal;
wherein said client terminal comprises;
input means for receiving an instruction by a user using the concerned client terminal, such as an input of an identification information of a user and a service supply request of a service that said server provides, and transmission means for transmitting an instruction by said user that said input means received to said second server;
and wherein said service supply control means comprises;
approval condition retrieval means for retrieving an approval condition specified in correspondence with an identification information of the concerned user or a level information of a user specified by the concerned identification information from said control table storage means, as to a service specified by said service supply request by a user using the concerned client terminal, transmitted from said client terminal, and first server control means for controlling said first server to execute a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request, when an approval condition detected by said approval condition retrieval means indicates that an approval is not required, and when the approval condition thereby detected indicates that an approval is required, controlling said first server to execute a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request after receiving an approval by a user having an identification information of a user specified by the concerned approval condition.
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16. A client terminal comprising:
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input means for receiving an instruction by a user using the concerned client terminal, such as an input of an identification information of a user and a service supply request of a service that a server provides, transmission means for transmitting an instruction by said user that said input means received to said server, and display means for displaying an information relating to a service supply request made by a user of another client terminal, informed from said server; and
the client terminal receiving a service that said server provides, wherein said input means also receives, as to a service supply request displayed on said display means made by a user at another client terminal, an input of an approval required for said server executing a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request in accordance with a control table having a user control file listing user authority levels.
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17. A storage medium for storing a program for performing the steps of:
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evaluating a service request made by a user of a client terminal;
determining if the service request requires prior approval of one or more other users of different client terminals;
if approval is required, sending an approval request to said one or more other users;
if approval is given, providing the service corresponding to the service request to the user making the service request; and
after evaluating the service request made by the user, consulting a control table having a service file indicating which services are available to the user and if prior approval is needed for any service.
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Specification