Process for simultaneous user access using access control structures for authoring systems

• US 6,976,078 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keller, Neal M., Ungar, Lisa M., Icken, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/566,320
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/229, 710/36, 710/107, 713200-213, 340/5.8, 340/5.86
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

The field of distributed authoring systems, and more particularly the implementing of authoring controls within the authoring system. Moreover, the authoring system is provided a process for access by simultaneous users, which employs control structures through an access control engine for dynamically selecting content and display components of an authoring system.

Claims

1. A method for enabling simultaneous user access for an access control engine within an authoring system, and to enable said authoring system to dynamically reflect and respond to changes within said authoring system, wherein Boolean logic changes dynamically in response to multiple roles and existing attributes and values to enable single pass access, wherein said method comprises:

a) having a single individual enter said authoring system by forwarding a request to said access control engine using information selected from roles, Boolean logic, attributes and values obtained from both an active user table and access control structure table;

b) checking and discovering other active users and associated roles in said authoring system from said active user table and retrieving Boolean logic(s), attributes and values from said access control structure table;

c) transforming and performing conflict resolution on said individual'"'"'s request using information selected from Boolean logic, attributes and values based on the state of said other active users'"'"' attributes and values; and

d) forwarding said transformed logic, attributes, values and roles to said access control engine for said single individual to access said authoring system.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method allows selective serial, partial and overlapping access as authors interact.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single role or multiple roles are affiliated with one or more authors and attributes.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user access changes dynamically and transforms in response to the multiple roles and existing attributes and values when another author interacts within the authoring system.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein roles interact with control structures, existing relationships with other authors, and Boolean logic to generate dynamic selection of content and display components.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein single or multiple attributes with one or more values are names associated with authors, content, display components, roles and control structures for customized access.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an attribute is useable to implement field level access with logic and is useable to define multiple author relationships, and wherein the same attribute or attributes and Boolean logic are useable as either document or field level access as well as for customizing relationships between authors.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an attribute is useable to implement field level access with logic and is useable to define multiple author relationships, and wherein the same attribute or attributes and Boolean logic are useable as either document or field level access as well as for customizing relationships between authors.

8. A method which is readable by machine tangibly embodying a program of instruction executable by the machine for enabling simultaneous user access for an access control engine within an authoring system, and to enable said authoring system to dynamically reflect and respond to changes within said authoring system, wherein Boolean logic changes dynamically in response to multiple roles and existing attributes and values to enable single pass access, wherein said method comprises:

e) having a single individual enter said authoring system by forwarding a request to said access control engine using information selected from roles, Boolean logic, attributes and values obtained from both an active user table and access control structure table;

f) checking and discovering other active users and associated roles in said authoring, system from said active user table and retrieving Boolean logic(s), attributes and values from said access control structure table;

g) transforming and performing conflict resolution on said individual'"'"'s request using information selected from Boolean logic, attributes and values based on the state of said other active users'"'"' attributes and values; and

h) forwarding said transformed logic, attributes, values and roles to said access control engine for said single individual to access said authoring system.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said method allows selective serial, partial and overlapping access as authors interact.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a single role or multiple roles are affiliated with one or more authors and attributes.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the user access changes dynamically and transforms in response to the multiple roles and existing attributes and values when another author interacts within the authoring system.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein roles interact with control structures, existing relationships with other authors, and Boolean logic to generate dynamic selection of content and display components.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein single or multiple attributes with one or more values are names associated with authors, content, display components, roles and control structures for customized access.