Method for setting up an access level for use of a software system, and computer program products and processor devices thereof

• US 9,239,914 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Energy Limited
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Savo, Isak
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL, KALISH K
• Application Number:
  US13/888,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/4, 726/17, 726 26- 30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/30 Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• 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: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A method for setting up an access level for use of a software system including different levels of user accesses. The method includes the steps of: using a first user login to log in to the software system, the first user login having a first access level including a first set of permissions; using a second user login to log in to the software system, the second user login having a second access level including a second set of permissions; and combining the permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions in the software system, thereby setting up the access level for the use of the software system, the access level including the combined permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions. The invention also relates to computer program products and processor means.

Claims

1. A method for setting up an access level for use of a software system comprising different levels of user accesses, the method comprising the steps of:

using a first user login for a first user to log in to the software system, the first user login having a first access level comprising a first set of permissions for control of the software system,

using a second user login for a second user to log in to the software system, the second user login having a second access level comprising a second set of permissions for control of the software system,

combining the permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions in the software system, thereby setting up the access level for the use of the software system, the access level comprising the combined permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions allowing the first and second users to access programs or retrieve information from the control system with their respective sets of permissions now available simultaneously,

wherein the software system comprises a control system for controlling a power plant,

each permission in the first and second sets of permissions controls an operation of the control system for controlling the power plant, the access levels of each permission comprising read only and alter, and

a first work task using the control system for controlling the power plant requires a permission that is in the first set of permissions but is not in the second set of permissions, and a second work task using the control system for controlling the power plant requires a permission that is in the second set of permissions but is not in the first set of permissions, the first and second work tasks able to be performed simultaneously to control the power plant using the combined permissions.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user login comprises using a first user name and a first password, and the second user login comprises using a second user name and a second password;

or the first user login and the second user login comprises using a respective identification card;

or the first user login and the second user login comprises using a biometric authentication device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising a step of, after completion of the step of using a first user login, clicking on a button to thereby make available a login procedure for the step of using a second user login.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software system comprises one of:

an economy program, an e-mail or calendar program;

Software Configuration Management systems;

document database;

information database;

websites or single webpages.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of permissions comprises access to a first set of computer programs or information, and the second set of permissions comprises access to a second set of computer programs or information.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of combining the permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions in the software system comprises taking the union thereof.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions comprise permission levels within a particular computer program.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the different levels of user accesses comprise:

read only, alter, and delete.

11. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first set of permissions comprises access to a first set of computer programs, and the second set of permissions comprises access to a second set of computer programs, at least one computer program in the second set of computer programs is not in the first set of computer programs.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software system comprises an operative system of a computer.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access level allows the first and second users to access programs in order to solve work tasks in a collaborative manner.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software system comprises a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition system used to perform the first and second work tasks to control the power plant, the performance of the first and second work tasks based on information retrieved from the Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition system, retrieval of the information requiring both the first and second permissions.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software system comprises at least one of:

an economy program;

a calendar program.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the software system comprises a calendar program.

8. A computer program product for setting up an access level for use of a software system comprising different levels of user accesses, the computer program product comprising computer program code stored on non-transitory computer readable media and executing on a processor of a computer to cause the computer to:

accept a first user login for a first user to log in to the software system, the first user login having a first access level comprising a first set of permissions for control of the software system,

accept a second user login for a second user to login to the software system, the second user login having a second set of permissions for control of the software system, and

combine the permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions in the software system, thereby setting up the access level for the use of the software system, the access level comprising the combined permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions allowing the first and second users to access programs or retrieve information from the control system with their respective sets of permissions now available simultaneously,

wherein the software system comprises a control system for controlling a power plant,

each permission in the first and second sets of permissions controls an operation of the control system for controlling the power plant, the access levels of each permission comprising read only and alter, and

a first work task using the control system for controlling the power plant requires a permission that is in the first set of permissions but is not in the second set of permissions, and a second work task using the control system for controlling the power plant requires a permission that is in the second set of permissions but is not in the first set of permissions, the first and second work tasks able to be performed simultaneously to control the power plant using the combined permissions.

9. A processor device for setting up an access level for use of a software system stored on non-transitory computer readable media comprising different levels of user accesses, the processor device comprising:

a hardware processor having the software system executing thereon,

a first user login for a first user to log in to the software system, the first user login having a first access level comprising a first set of permissions for control of the software system,

a second user login for a second user to log in to the software system, the second user login having a second access level comprising a second set of permissions for control of the software system,

wherein the permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions are combined in the software system, thereby setting up the access level for the use of the software system, the access level comprising the combined permissions of the first set of permissions and the second set of permissions allowing the first and second users to access programs or retrieve information from the control system with their respective sets of permissions now available simultaneously,

the software system comprises a control system for controlling a power plant,

each permission in the first and second sets of permissions controls an operation of the control system for controlling the power plant, the access levels of each permission comprising read only and alter, and

a first work task using the control system for controlling the power plant requires a permission that is in the first set of permissions but is not in the second set of permissions, and a second work task using the control system for controlling the power plant requires a permission that is in the second set of permissions but is not in the first set of permissions, the first and second work tasks able to be performed simultaneously to control the power plant using the combined permissions.