Application programs for motion control devices including access limitations

• US 6,859,671 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automation Middleware Solutions, Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: ROY-G-BIV Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Rasmesh
• Application Number:
  US10/447,185
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 700/56, 700/86, 700/87, 713/166, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 700/56
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23195 Memory stores available, allowable, possible options, variations, alternatives of program or modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24142 Program has a protected, independent part and a free programmable part
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24159 Several levels of security, passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24168 Identify connected programmer to allow control, program entry

Abstract

A security system for controlling access to motion control systems. The security system limits access to application programming interface (API) functions. The limitations on API functions can be implemented as a denial of access to certain restricted functions and/or as a limitation on certain controlled parameters employed by certain restricted functions. The security system may allow or disallow access based on users or accounts. The security system may also be programmed to prevent access to certain functions arbitrarily as determined by a system administrator or on criteria such as the status of the system.

Claims

1. A method of generating control commands to be executed by a motion control system to move an object in a desired manner, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a plurality of functions that may be executed by the motion control system;

creating a set of accounts associated with application programs comprising at least one of the functions, where at least one user is associated with each account;

providing a motion system for generating the control commands based on the application programs;

determining a plurality of access levels;

associating each of the plurality of functions with one of the access levels;

associating each of the accounts in the set of accounts with one of the access levels;

determining from the set of accounts the access level of a given user;

comparing the access level of the given user with the access level of each function used by the given user; and

controlling the motion system to restrict the generation of control commands if the access level of at least one of the functions of a given application program created by the given user is not consistent with the access level of the account associated with the given user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of identifying at least one of the functions as a restricted function access to which is to be limited.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, in which the at least one restricted function is the ability to disable hardware limitations.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, in which the at least one restricted function is the ability to disable software limitations.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of preventing the generation of control commands if the access level of at least one of the functions of the given application program created by the given user is not consistent with the access level associated with the given user.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, in which the step of preventing the generation of control commands comprises the step of preventing the generation of control commands for the at least one of the functions of the given application program the access level of which is higher than the access level associated with the given user.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

determining limits for at least one restricted parameter associated with the at least one of the restricted functions; and

controlling the control command generating system to restrict the generation of control commands based on whether the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of preventing the generation of control commands when the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of limiting the generation of control commands based on the limits of the restricted parameter when the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of limiting the generation of control commands to the limits of the restricted parameter when the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, in which the at least one restricted parameter is at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters including minimum velocity, maximum velocity, minimum acceleration, maximum acceleration, minimum deceleration, maximum deceleration, minimum velocity, and maximum velocity.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining limits for at least one restricted parameter associated with the at least one of the restricted functions; and

controlling the control command generating system to restrict the generation of control commands based on whether the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of preventing the generation of control commands if the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of limiting the generation of control commands based on the limits of the restricted parameter if the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, in which the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of limiting the generation of control commands to the limits of the restricted parameter if the given application program contains a restricted function having a restricted parameter that is not within the limits of the restricted parameter.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, in which the at least one restricted parameter is at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters including minimum velocity, maximum velocity, minimum acceleration, maximum acceleration, minimum deceleration, maximum deceleration, minimum velocity, and maximum velocity.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, in which the step of providing a control command generating system further comprises the step of providing means for generating control commands for a plurality of application programs simultaneously for real time execution, the method further comprising the steps of:

determining which of the plurality of application programs is a first given application program, and

restricting the generation of control commands for the functions of a second given application program based on the execution of the first given application program.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, in which the step of determining which of the plurality of application programs is a first given application program comprise the step of determining which of the plurality of application programs was the first to begin execution.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the application program has called an initializing function; and

restricting the generation of control commands for the functions of a second given application program if the application has not called the initializing function.

20. A method of generating control commands to be executed by a motion control system to move an object in a desired manner, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a plurality of functions that may be executed by the motion control system;

determining which of the plurality of functions are restricted functions access to which is to be limited;

creating a set of accounts who create application programs comprising at least one of the functions, where at least one user is associated with each account;

providing a control command generating system for generating the control commands based on the application programs;

determining a plurality of access levels;

associating each of the plurality of functions with one of the access levels;

associating each of the accounts in the set of accounts with one of the access levels;

determining from the set of accounts the access level of a given user;

determining whether the access level of the particular given user is less than the access level of any restricted functions included in a given application program created by the given user; and

controlling the control command generating system to restrict the generation of control commands for any restricted functions included in the given application program if the access level of the given user is less than the access level of any restricted function included in the given application program.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, in which the restricted functions comprise:

controlled functions, where the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of preventing access to controlled functions by the given application program; and

parameter-control functions, where

parameter-control functions are functions having at least one controlled parameter having predetermined limits, and

the step of controlling the control command generating system comprises the step of restricting access to parameter-control functions if the controlled parameter of the given application program is not within the predetermined limits.

22. A method of operating a motion control system to move an object in a desired manner, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of functions that may be called to cause the motion control system to move the object;

defining a plurality of security levels;

associating each of a plurality of users with at least one of the plurality of security levels;

providing an application program that calls at least one of the functions;

associating the application program with at least one of the plurality of users; and

restricting the ability of the application program to call at least one of the functions based on the security level associated by the at least one of the plurality of users associated with the application program.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, in which the step of restricting the ability of the application program to call at least one of the functions further comprises the steps of:

modifying security settings of an underlying operating system based on the plurality of security levels; and

comparing each function called by the application program with the security settings of the underlying operating system.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, in which the step of restricting the ability of the application program to call at least one of the functions further comprises the steps of:

creating a function mask for each function, where the function masks define the security level of the function associated therewith;

creating a system security mask based on the security levels; and

comparing the function mask of each function called by the application program with the system security mask.

25. A method as recited in claim 22, in which the step of restricting the ability of the application program to call at least one of the functions further comprises the steps of:

creating a set of accounts, where each account is associated with one of the security levels and at least one of the users is associated with each of the accounts;

associating the application program with at least one of the accounts associated with the at least one of the users associated with the application program; and

restricting the ability of the application program to call at least one of the functions further based on the security level of the at least one account associated with the application program.