System, method and computer program product for managing access to systems, products, and data based on information associated with a physical location of a user

• US 9,813,425 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Harrison, Daniel Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mahfuzur
• Application Number:
  US14/997,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20160212145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• 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 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for managing access to data based on information associated with a physical location of a user. These mechanisms and methods for managing access to systems, products, or data based on information associated with a physical location of a user can enable improved data management efficiency, enhanced data management accuracy, decreased data management costs, decreased licensing costs, increased security, additional marketing opportunities, etc.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a system, an indication that a user is within a predetermined distance from a particular location;

receiving, by the system from the user, system login information;

identifying, by the system, a set of permissions corresponding to the particular location, wherein the set of permissions controls access to particular data stored by the system;

determining, by the system, that the system login information corresponds to the set of permissions;

based on the set of permissions, enabling the user to access the particular data while the user is within the predetermined distance from the particular location;

subsequent to enabling the user to access the particular data, determining, by the system, that the user is not within the predetermined distance from the particular location; and

in response to determining that the user is not within the predetermined distance, disabling the user from accessing the particular data.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the particular location is a location of a particular user that corresponds to the set of permissions.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the particular user is a supervising manager of an organization that includes the user.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the particular location is a predetermined building.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the particular location is a predetermined vehicle.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the particular location is a predetermined landmark.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of permissions corresponds to a plurality of locations including the particular location.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system, an indication that a user is within a predetermined distance from a particular location;

receiving, by the system from the user, system login information;

identifying, by the system, a set of permissions corresponding to the particular location, wherein the set of permissions controls access to particular data stored by the system;

determining, by the system, that the system login information corresponds to the set of permissions;

based on the set of permissions, enabling the user to access the particular data while the user is within the predetermined distance from the particular location;

subsequent to enabling the user to access the particular data, determining, by the system, that the user is not within the predetermined distance from the particular location; and

in response to determining that the user is not within the predetermined distance, disabling the user from accessing the particular data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the set of permissions is identified based on an identifier of the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indication that the user is within the predetermined distance is received in a transmission that includes the identifier of the user.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the set of permissions indicates that access to the particular data should be denied during particular times.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication that the user is within the predetermined distance is received in a transmission that includes a time at which the user is within the predetermined distance from the particular location.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that includes one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indication that a user is within a predetermined distance from a particular location;

receiving, from the user, system login information;

identifying a license corresponding to the particular location, wherein the license controls access to particular data;

determining that the system login information corresponds to the license;

based on the license, enabling the user to access the particular data while the user is within the predetermined distance from the particular location;

subsequent to enabling the user to access the particular data, determining that the user is not within the predetermined distance from the particular location; and

in response to determining that the user is not within the predetermined distance, disabling the user from accessing the particular data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the license indicates that only a particular number of users are allowed to access the particular data at a single time.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise receiving an identifier of the user, wherein the license is identified based on the identifier of the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the identifier of the user, that the user is not authorized to access other data, wherein the license controls access to the other data; and

denying the user access to the other data.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein identifying the license comprises selecting, based on the identifier of the user, the license from a plurality of licenses corresponding to the particular location.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a multi-tenant, on-demand database system that includes the processor and the memory.