Variable domain resource data security for data processing systems

• US 8,590,011 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc. (ESW Capital, LLC)
• Inventors: Loyens, Jon, Legault, Jacy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yalew, Fikremariam A
• Application Number:
  US11/064,633
• Time in Patent Office: 3,190 Days
• Field of Search: 713/166, 726/1, 726/3, 726/28
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

The variable domain data access control system and method described herein use the same variable domain to describe a data security model and a variable domain data model, such as a product configuration model. A variable domain is a set of resource data that can be described using a logical relationship data structure. The variable domain utilizes logical relationship expressions, such as a Boolean logic language, to define resource data in terms of parts, rules and/or attributes, and any other property that can be accessed for viewing, manipulation, or other purposes. The data security model represents an access control list (ACL) that includes security attributes as resource data and uses the same data structure and logical relationship expressions as an associated variable domain data model. An application, such as a configuration engine, can be used to create controlled access to the variable domain data model using the data security model.

Claims

1. A method of providing controlled, electronic access to variable domain data stored in a data processing system, the method comprising:

performing using a computer system;

receiving information from a principal that includes information identifying the principal;

performing one or more logical relationship operations on a data security model and a variable domain data model using security attributes of the data security model to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the variable domain model comprises a product configuration model, and performing the one or more logical operations comprises executing a configuration engine to perform an intersection between configuration spaces defined by a data security model and a product configuration model, wherein data included in any overlap of the configuration spaces is used to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal; and

granting the principal access to the resource data in accordance with the determined level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the principal comprises an entity that has controlled access to the resource data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the product configuration model comprises configuration parts, configuration rules, resource data, attributes, and logical relationships.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the data security model and the product configuration model separately utilize a common logical relationship data structure, and the logical data relationship structure includes logical relationship expressions that define data within the data security model and the product configuration model.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the logical relationship data structure includes intra-model data interrelationships defined using Boolean logic.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of resource data access granted to the principal comprises rights to view the resource data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of resource data access granted to the principal comprises rights to modify at least one member of the group consisting of:

the resource data, variable domain data model attributes, and logical relationships used to describe the resource data.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing display data to allow the resource data to be displayed on an electronic monitor, wherein a display of the resource data includes an indication of the level of resource data access granted to the principal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the display data provided to allow the resource data to be displayed on the electronic monitor comprises data to allow the resource data to be displayed in a grid framework wherein the resource data for which a level of resource data access has been granted to the principal are visually distinguishable from the resource data for which a level of resource data access has not been granted to the principal.

9. A data processing system to provide controlled, electronic access to variable domain data stored in a data processing system, the data processing system comprises:

a processor; and

a storage medium coupled to the processor and having data encoded therein, the data comprising processor executable code for;

receiving information from a principal that includes information identifying the principal;

performing one or more logical relationship operations on a data security model and a variable domain data model using security attributes of the data security model to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein variable domain model comprises a product configuration model, and performing the one or more logical operations comprises executing a configuration engine to perform an intersection between configuration spaces defined by a data security model and a product configuration model, wherein data included in any overlap of the configuration spaces is used to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal; and

granting the principal access to the resource data in accordance with the determined level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the principal comprises an entity that has controlled access to the resource data.

10. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the product configuration model comprises configuration parts, configuration rules, resource data, attributes, and logical relationships.

11. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein the data security model and the product configuration model separately utilize a common logical relationship data structure, and the logical data relationship structure includes logical relationship expressions that define data within the data security model and the product configuration model.

12. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the logical relationship data structure includes intra-model data interrelationships defined using Boolean logic.

13. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the level of resource data access granted to the principal comprises rights to view the resource data.

14. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the level of resource data access granted to the principal comprises rights to modify at least one member of the group consisting of:

the resource data, variable domain data model attributes, and logical relationships used to describe the resource data.

15. The data processing system of claim 9 wherein the encoded data further comprises code for:

providing display data to allow the resource data to be displayed on an electronic monitor, wherein a display of the resource data includes an indication of the level of resource data access granted to the principal.

16. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the display data provided to allow the resource data to be displayed on the electronic monitor comprises data to allow the resource data to be displayed in a grid framework wherein the resource data for which a level of resource data access has been granted to the principal are visually distinguishable from the resource data for which a level of resource data access has not been granted to the principal.

17. A computer storage device comprising data embedded therein to cause a computer system to provide controlled, electronic access to variable domain data stored in a data processing system, wherein the embedded data comprises processor executable code for:

receiving information from a principal that includes information identifying the principal;

performing one or more logical relationship operations on a data security model and a variable domain data model using security attributes of the data security model to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the variable domain model comprises a product configuration model, and performing the one or more logical operations comprises executing a configuration engine to perform an intersection between configuration spaces defined by a data security model and a product configuration model, wherein data included in any overlap of the configuration spaces is used to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal; and

granting the principal access to the resource data in accordance with the determined level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the principal comprises an entity that has controlled access to the resource data.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the product configuration model comprises configuration parts, configuration rules, resource data, attributes, and logical relationships.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 wherein the data security model and the product configuration model separately utilize a common logical relationship data structure, and the logical data relationship structure includes logical relationship expressions that define data within the data security model and the product configuration model.

20. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the logical relationship data structure includes intra-model data interrelationships defined using Boolean logic.

21. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the level of resource data access granted to the principal comprises rights to view the resource data.

22. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the level of resource data access granted to the principal comprises rights to modify at least one member of the group consisting of:

the resource data, variable domain data model attributes, and logical relationships used to describe the resource data.

23. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the encoded data further comprises code for:

providing display data to allow the resource data to be displayed on an electronic monitor, wherein a display of the resource data includes an indication of the level of resource data access granted to the principal.

24. The storage medium of claim 23 wherein the display data provided to allow the resource data to be displayed on the electronic monitor comprises data to allow the resource data to be displayed in a grid framework wherein the resource data for which a level of resource data access has been granted to the principal are visually distinguishable from the resource data for which a level of resource data access has not been granted to the principal.

25. A computer system to provide controlled, electronic access to variable domain data stored in a data processing system, the system comprising:

means for receiving information from a principal that includes information identifying the principal;

means for performing one or more logical relationship operations on a data security model and a variable domain data model using security attributes of the data security model to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the variable domain model comprises a product configuration model, and performing the one or more logical operations comprises executing a configuration engine to perform an intersection between configuration spaces defined by a data security model and a product configuration model, wherein data included in any overlap of the configuration spaces is used to determine a level of resource data access to be granted to the principal; and

means for granting the principal access to the resource data in accordance with the determined level of resource data access to be granted to the principal, wherein the principal comprises an entity that has controlled access to the resource data.