Using electronic security value units to control access to a resource

• US 7,013,296 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Columbia Innovation Enterprise, Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Yemini, Yechiam, Florissi, Danilo, Dailianas, Apostolos
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worjloh, Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US09/589,496
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: 705 50- 79, 705/1, 713/201, 380/201, 709/229
• US Class Current: 705/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A network utilizes electronic security value units to prevent unauthorized access to resources in the network. The network includes at least a resource manager and an electronic bank server (e.g., the local resource bank). The resource manager determine a pricing strategy in electronic security value units for a group of one or more resources in the network. The electronic bank server selectively distributing electronic security value units to a client in the network, where the electronic security value units are unique to a group of one or more resources. Accordingly, access to a resource in the group, by the client, is determined by at least the above pricing strategy and by an amount of electronic security value units distributed to the client.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an amount of access to a resource in an electronic system to prevent unauthorized access to said resource, wherein a manager of said resource controls said amount of access, said method comprising the steps of:

creating electronic security value units associated with said resource under the control of said manager to pay for accessing said resource;

creating a pricing strategy, by said manager, for said resource in a denomination of electronic security value units;

determining a budget, by said manger, for at least one component of said electronic system to access said resource by payment of said electronic security value units;

selectively distributing said electronic security value units by said manager to said component of said electronic system in accordance with said budget; and

controlling access of said component to said resource based on said pricing strategy established for said resource and based on an amount of payment by said component, of one or more of said electronic security value units previously distributed to said component in accordance with said budget,

wherein said pricing strategy is dynamically adjustable at any time such that said amount of said payment required for said component to access said resource may be changed at any time by said manager.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

denying said component access to said resource when said component pays an amount of said electronic security value units less than said price established for said resource.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selectively distributing electronic security value units further comprises the step:

determining whether to distribute any of said electronic security value units to said component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of controlling access is further based on limiting the number of accesses to said resource, by said component, regardless of the amount of said electronic security value units paid by said component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of controlling access is further based on said manager limiting the rate of accesses to said resource by said component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic security value units may be used to access a group of one or more resources in said electronic system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said price is particular to said component, such that said price is different for other components of said electronic system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic system is a network, and said component is a client in said network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said budget may be dynamically adjusted at any time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic security value units are unique to said resource.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of selectively distributing said electronic security value units includes the step of distributing one or more of electronic security value instruments, said electronic security value instruments comprising a quantity of said electronic security value units.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said budget is allocated on a per resource basis.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said budget is allocated on a per component basis.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic security value units indirectly identify said component accessing said resource.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said resource is an interface or group of interfaces in an electronic system.

16. A computer in electronic system that controls access to a resource in the electronic system using an electronic security value instrument created under the control of a manager, wherein said computer comprises:

at least one processor for use in analyzing both a first field in said instrument that indicates a quantity of electronic security value units in said instrument and a second field in said instrument that indicates said resource in said electronic system that said component may access by payment of said electronic security value instrument,

wherein said computer uses the electronic security value instrument to control access by said component to said resource based on a price in electronic security value units established for said resource, said quantity of electronic security value units in said instrument as indicated by said first field, and said resource that may be accessed by payment of said electronic security value instrument as indicated by said second field.

17. The computer of claim 16, wherein said electronic security value instrument further comprises a third field providing an identifier of said electronic security value instrument.

18. The electronic security value instrument of claim 16, wherein said electronic security value units indirectly identify said component accessing said resource.

19. An electronic system which uses electronic security value units to prevent unauthorized access to an interface in the system, said system comprising:

a resource manager for determining a pricing strategy in electronic security value units for a group of one or more interfaces for a group of one or more resources in said system; and

an electronic bank server for selectively distributing electronic security value units, under the control of said manager, to a component in said system, said electronic security value units being unique to said group of one or more resources,

wherein access to a particular resource in said group of one or more resources by said component is determined by said pricing strategy and requires an amount of payment by said component before said access is granted, wherein said payment consists of said electronic security value units previously distributed to said component,

wherein said access to said resources is controlled at said one or more interfaces to one or more resources and said one or more interfaces is one of a hardware access point and a software access point,

wherein said pricing strategy is dynamically adjustable at any time such that said amount of said payment required for said component to access said particular resource may be changed at any time by said manager.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said interface comprises an application program interface.

21. A method for associating electronic security value units with access by a component of an electronic system to a resource of said system, said association being performed by a manager of said resource, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a price, in said electronic security value units, of said resource, said price being established by said manager;

(b) selectively distributing a budget by said manager, in said electronic security value units, to said component, said budget being an amount of said security electronic security value units;

(c) controlling, by said manager, of access to said resource by said component, based on said price and on an amount of payment from said component, wherein said payment is at least a portion of said budget distributed to said component, and wherein said price of said resource is dynamically adjustable at any time such that said amount of said payment required for said component to access said resource may be changed at any time by said manager; and

(d) determining the number of accesses that can be accomplished by said component to said resource based on said budget and said price.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said budget can be dynamically adjusted at any time.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said resource can comprise a group of resources, each resource of said group having a respective price, and wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of determining the number of accesses that can be accomplished by said component to each said resource of said group.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said component can comprise a group of components, each component of said group having a respective budget, and wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of determining the number of accesses that can be accomplished by each said component of said group of components to said resource.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

denying said component access to said resource when said payment from said component is less than said price established for said resource.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of controlling access is further based on limiting the number of accesses to said resource by said component, regardless of the amount of said payment.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein said price is particular to said component, such that said price is different for other components of said electronic system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said step of establishing a price is based on said budget and a limit on said number of accesses to said resource by said component.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of selectively distributing said budget is based on said price and a limit on said number of accesses to said resource by said component.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein said resource comprises an application program interface, wherein said step of controlling access to said resource is performed at said application program interface.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein said component is charged for multiple accesses of said resource.

32. A method for controlling access to an interface in an electronic system to prevent unauthorized access to said interface, wherein a manager of said interface controls said access, said method comprising the steps of:

selectively distributing electronic security value units, by said manager, to a component of said electronic system; and

controlling access to said interface based on a price in electronic security value units established by said manager for said interface and based on an amount of payment by said component, wherein said payment comprises one or more of said electronic security value units previously distributed to said component and said payment is made electronically over said electric system,

wherein said interface is one of a hardware access point and a software access point,

wherein said price of said interface is dynamically adjustable at any time such that said amount of said payment required for said component to access said interface may be changed at any time by said manager.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said interface comprises an application program interface.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

allocating a budget for one of a component and a group of components to access said resource by said payment of said electric security value units,

wherein said step of selectively distributing said electronic security value units comprises selectively distributing said electronic security value units in accordance with said budget.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising dynamically controlling said budget.