Method and system for implementing universal login via web browser

• US 6,505,238 B1
• Filed: 08/19/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tran, Trung Minh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELMAN, BRADLEY E
• Application Number:
  US09/377,640
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208, 709/217, 709/219, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4523 using lightweight directory access protocol [LDAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet

Abstract

A method is described for allowing remote login to a user'"'"'s personal workstation. The workstation is a client terminal connected to a server within a network. The method comprises the steps of searching, from a remote location, for a login web page of the network via a web browser and entering a series of login credential information into a particular login request area on the web page. In response to correctly entering the login credential information into the login request area, the user is provided with a graphical user interface (GUI) of the particular user'"'"'s network terminal and full access to the personal network information such as software applications stored in the memory of the client terminal. (i.e. simulating the user'"'"'s client terminal GUI and providing full access to locally stored software and functional elements of the user'"'"'s client terminal). In a preferred embodiment, the login credential information includes the server site, the user identification, and the user'"'"'s security password. The search for the particular web page and user'"'"'s workstation using the login credential information is managed by a directory access protocol.

Claims

1. A method for remote access to a user'"'"'s client terminal environment on a network from a remote data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

organizing a network into a directory tree hierarchical structure utilizing a directory access protocol, wherein said hierarchical structure comprises a lower level having at least one client terminal and associated client terminal environment with localized software applications, wherein said organizing step utilizes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and includes creating a hierarchical address structure differentiated by one or more levels of addresses from among organization name, geographic location, department, and individual client terminal having a user identification (userid) and user password;

opening, in response to a remote user input from a web browser, a particular level of said hierarchical structure of said network corresponding to an amount of address and credential information entered by said remote user input, wherein said credential information includes a user identification (userid) and user password;

checking said userid and password against a list of userids located within said directory tree hierarchical structure for a match of said credential information, wherein said check is completed on a particular server when sufficient credential information is provided by said user to identify with which server within the hierarchy said userid is affiliated;

simulating said user client terminal environment only when sad used and password matches those found in said directory tree hierarchical structure; and

providing said remote user with access to said user'"'"'s client terminal environment in response to an input by said remote user of a lower level credential information on said web browser, wherein said lower level credential information provides authorized access to said client terminal environment of a particular user via said directory access protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said open step includes the steps of:

detecting a user'"'"'s input of a LOGIN request on said web browser;

opening, in response to said detecting step, a LOGIN GUI to enable said user to enter specific login information;

searching an Internet for a network web page having a specific address utilizing said directory access protocol when said specific login information is entered, wherein said search is directed to a particular server based on particular address information entered by said user; and

opening said network web page on said web browser when said network web page is found.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said detecting step includes the step of creating a LOGIN button on said web browser, wherein said LOGIN button opens a LOGIN dialog box in response to a selection of said LOGIN button by a user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said first opening step includes the steps of:

prompting said user to enter credential information not previously entered;

when said user has entered credential information,

opening a web page corresponding to a level of credential information entered; and

providing a portion of a LOGIN dialog box for entry of any credential information not yet entered that is required to access said client terminal environment.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said searching step further including the steps of searching through said directory tree hierarchical structure for a match of said credential information; and

said opening step includes the step of opening said client terminal environment on said web browser when a match of said credential information is found.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said checking step is monitored by a timeout condition, and further comprising the steps of:

terminating a search on a particular server of an organization if said credential information is not matched within a predetermined time to a credential stored on said particular server; and

conducting said search on a next server within said organization.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said checking step further includes the step of prompting the user of said web browser to enter the correct credential information when a match of said credential information is not found in said list of userids.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said simulating step further includes the steps of:

displaying a user'"'"'s network terminal GUI on said web browser; and

allowing said user to manipulate, via said simulated client GUI, any software applications and databases accessible in said user'"'"'s client terminal environment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, in response to a determination that said access is a remote access, said simulating step further comprises the step of prompting said user for additional security information prior to simulating said client terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of sending a wake-on-LAN to power-up said client terminal when said client terminal is in an off state.

11. A system for remote access to a users client terminal environment on a network connected to the Internet, said system comprising:

means for organizing a network into a directory tree hierarchical structure utilizing Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), wherein said hierarchical structure comprises a lower level having at least one client terminal and associated client terminal environment with localized software applications, wherein further said organizing means includes means for creating a hierarchical address structure differentiated by one or more levels of addresses from among organization name, geographic location, department, and individual client terminal having a user identification and user password;

means for opening, in response to a remote user input via a web browser and said Internet, a particular level web page stored on a server of said network within said hierarchical structure, corresponding to an amount of address and credential information initially entered by said remote user input, wherein said credential information includes a user identification (userid) and user password;

means for checking said userid and password against a list located within said directory tree hierarchical structure for a match of said credential information, wherein said check is completed on a particular server when sufficient credential information is provided by said user to identify with which server within the hierarchy said userid is affiliated;

means for simulating said user client terminal environment only when said userid and password matches those found in said directory tree hierarchical structure; and

means for providing said remote user with access to said user'"'"'s client terminal environment in response to an input by said remote user of a lower level credential information on said web browser, wherein said lower level credential information provides access to said client terminal environment of a particular user via LDAP.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said opening means includes:

means for checking said web browser for an input of a network home page address;

means for searching said Internet for said network home page address utilizing said directory access protocol when an input is detected, wherein said search is directed to a particular server based on particular address information entered by said user; and

means for opening said network web page on said web browser when said web page is found.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said detecting means includes means for creating a LOGIN button on said web browser, wherein said LOGIN button opens a LOGIN GUI in response to a selection of said LOGIN button by a user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said network address also includes credential information, said opening means further including:

means, for when said user has entered credential information,

for opening a web page corresponding to a level of credential information entered; and

means for providing a portion of a LOGIN GUI for entry of any credential information not yet entered that is required to access said client terminal environment.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said network address also includes credential information, said searching means further including:

means for searching through said directory tree hierarchical structure for a match of said credential information;

means for opening said client terminal environment on said web browser when a match of said credential information is found.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said checking means further includes means for prompting the user of said web browser to enter the correct credential information when a match of said credential information is not found in said directory tree hierarchical structure.

17. The system of claim 11, said simulating means includes:

means for displaying a user'"'"'s network terminal GUI on said web browser; and

means for allowing said user to manipulate via said simulated client GUI any software applications stored locally and on the network server and databases and accessible in said user'"'"'s client terminal environment.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, in response to a determination that said access is a remote access, said simulating means further comprises means for prompting said user for additional security information prior to simulating said client terminal.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for sending a wake-on-LAN to power-up said client terminal environment when said client terminal is in an off state.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein said checking means is monitored by a timeout condition, and further comprising:

means for terminating a search on a particular server of an organization if said credential information is not matched within a predetermined time to a credential stored on said particular server; and

means for conducting said search on a next server within said organization.

21. A computer program product for implementing remote access to a user'"'"'s client terminal environment on a network from a remote data processing system, said program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

program instructions on said computer readable medium for;

organizing a network into a directory tree hierarchical structure utilizing a directory access protocol, wherein said hierarchical structure comprises a lower level having at least one client terminal and associated client terminal environment with localized software applications, wherein further said program instructions for said organizing step utilizes a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and includes program instructions for creating a hierarchical address structure differentiated by one or more levels of addresses from among organization name, geographic location, department, and individual client terminal having a user identification (userid) and user password;

opening, in response to a remote user input from a web browser, a particular level of said hierarchical structure of said network corresponding to an amount of address and credential information entered by said remote user input, wherein said credential information includes a user identification (userid) and user password;

checking said userid and password against a list of userids located within said directory tree hierarchical structure for a match of sad credential information, wherein said check is completed on a particular server when sufficient credential information is provided by said user to identify with which server within the hierarchy said userid is affiliated;

simulating said user client terminal environment only when said userid and password matches those found in said directory tree hierarchical structure; and

providing said remote user with access to said user'"'"'s client terminal environment in response to an input by said remote user of a lower level credential information on said web browser, wherein said lower level credential information provides authorized access to said client terminal environment of a particular user via said directory access protocol.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said program instructions for said opening step includes program instructions for:

detecting a user'"'"'s input of a LOGIN request on said web browser;

opening, in response to said detecting step, a LOGIN GUI to enable said user to enter specific login information;

searching an Internet for a network web page having a specific address utilizing said directory access protocol when said specific login information is entered, wherein said search is directed to a particular server based on particular address information entered by said user; and

opening said network web page on said web browser when said network web page is found.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said program instructions for said detecting step includes program instructions for creating a LOGIN button on said web browser, wherein said LOGIN button opens a LOGIN dialog box in response to a selection of said LOGIN button by a user.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said program instructions for said first opening step includes instruction for:

prompting said user to enter credential information not previously entered;

when said user has entered credential information,

opening a web page corresponding to a level of credential information entered; and

providing a portion of a LOGIN dialog box for entry of any credential information not yet entered that is required to access said client terminal environment.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein:

said program instructions for said searching step further including program instructions for searching through said directory tree hierarchical structure for a match of said credential information; and

said program instructions for said opening step includes program instructions for opening said client terminal environment on said web browser when a match of said credential information is found.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said program instructions for said checking step is monitored by a timeout condition, and further comprising program instructions for:

terminating a search on a particular server of an organization if said credential information is not matched within a predetermined time to a credential stored on said particular server; and

conducting said search on a next server within said organization.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said program instructions for said checking step further includes program instructions for prompting the user of said web browser to enter the correct credential information when a match of said credential information is not found in said list of userids.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said program instructions for said simulating step further includes program instructions for:

displaying a user'"'"'s network terminal GUI on said web browser; and

allowing said user to manipulate, via said simulated client GUI, any software applications and databases accessible in said user'"'"'s client terminal environment.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said program instructions for said simulating step further comprises program instructions for prompting said user for additional security information prior to simulating said client terminal, in response to a determination that said access is a remote access.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising program instructions for sending a wake-on-LAN to power-up said client terminal when said client terminal is in an off state.