Mode-based access control method and device

• US 9,000,884 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Son, Kyoung-ho, Yook, Hyun-gyoo, Lee, Sung-min, Oh, Seung-jae, Han, Se-hee
• Primary Examiner(s): YANG, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US11/500,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20070039037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,163 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825, 340 51- 533, 340/1.1
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Provided is a mode-based access control method that includes: making a security mode list which indicates security setting states of devices existing in a home network; setting a specific security mode selected from the modes on the security mode list; and making the devices perform functions thereof in the specific security mode. Also, provided is a mode-based access control device includes: an authentication unit which checks information on a user and authenticates the user; a mode configuration unit which makes a security mode list indicating the security setting state of devices forming a home network; a mode setting unit which sets a specific security mode selected from modes on the security mode list; and an operating unit which causes the devices to perform functions thereof in the specific security mode.

Claims

1. A mode-based access control method comprising:

making a security mode list which indicates security setting states of devices existing in a network;

setting, by a user, a specific security mode selected from security modes on the security mode list; and

making the devices perform functions thereof in the specific security mode,

wherein the making of the security mode list comprises;

performing user authentication to check whether a user has an authority to make the security mode list;

if the user has authority to make the security mode list, editing the security mode list by adding a new security mode to the security mode list or removing an existing security mode from the security mode list;

grouping devices that each security mode can be applied to the security mode list;

setting service item values of the devices based on information on access control lists (ACL) of the devices; and

reflecting contents performed in the grouping of the devices and the setting of the service item values in the security mode list,

wherein the security mode list is modifiable by a user,

wherein the setting of the specific security mode comprises;

performing user authentication to check whether a user has an authority to set the security mode;

if the user has authority to set the security mode, selecting a security mode that the user wants to set;

synchronizing all the ACLs respectively stored in the devices to be operated in the selected security mode; and

collectively changing the security settings states of the devices based on the access control lists,

wherein the making the devices perform functions there of comprises causing the devices having the synchronized ACLs to perform functions thereof according to the service item values of the devices, and

wherein the mode-based access control method further comprises converting the specific security mode based on a result of comparing mode priorities of the security modes.

2. The mode-based access control method of claim 1,

wherein the converting the specific security mode is executed when authentication of a new user is performed or authentication of a current user is released in the network.

3. The mode-based access control method of claim 1,

wherein the setting of the service item values comprises:

setting the service items and the conditions of the service items on the basis of the devices;

setting the conditions of the service items and a list of devices having the service items on the basis of the service items included in the devices; and

setting, based on a task to be performed by a host user, a list of service items forming the task.

4. The mode-based access control method of claim 2,

wherein the converting of the specific security mode comprises:

under the conditions that all or some of the devices in the home network are set in a security mode A and are synchronized, authenticating a user B, setting all or some of the devices to a security mode B, and synchronizing the devices by the user B; and

comparing mode priorities of the security mode A and the security mode B, resetting all or some of the devices to one of the security modes having a higher mode priority, and synchronizing the devices.

5. The mode-based access control method of claim 4,

wherein the converting of the specific security mode further comprises, when the authentication of the user who sets the device to the specific security mode having a higher mode priority is released in the home network, setting the devices to the security mode having a lower mode priority in order to synchronize the devices.

6. The mode-based access control method of claim 1,

wherein the security mode list comprises:

a parent mode which is set by only a host user having unlimited authority for access to all the devices forming the home network;

a child mode which is set by a child user having limited authority for access to some of the devices, services or content provided by the devices; and

a guest mode which is set by a guest user that cannot access all the devices forming the home network but who has temporary access granted by the host user.

7. The mode-based access control method of claim 6,

wherein the guest mode has the highest mode priority, followed by the child mode and the parent mode.

15. A computer-readable recording medium comprising a program which allows a computer to execute the mode-based access control method of claim 1.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the grouping the devices that each security mode can be applied to the security mode list comprises searching for devices and adding devices corresponding to each security mode in the security mode list.

8. A mode-based access control device comprising:

an authentication unit which checks information on a user and authenticates the user;

a mode configuration unit which makes a security mode list indicating the security setting state of devices forming a home network, if the user has authority to make the security mode list;

a mode setting unit which sets, according to a user, a specific security mode selected from security modes on the security mode list, if the user has authority to set the specific security mode; and

an operating unit which causes the devices to perform functions thereof in the specific security mode,

wherein the mode configuration unit comprises;

a mode editing unit which edits the security mode list by adding a new security mode to the security mode list or by removing an existing security mode from the security mode list;

a device list administrating unit which groups devices to be operated in the modes of the security mode list;

a device access control list (ACL) editing unit which provides information on ACLs of the devices to set service item values of the devices; and

a mode list administrating unit which reflects content produced by the device ACL editing unit in the security mode list, and

wherein the security mode list is modifiable by a user,

wherein the mode setting unit selects the security mode set by the authenticated user and further comprises an SC function unit which synchronizes ACLs respectively stored in the devices to be operated in the selected security mode,

wherein the operating unit causes the device having the synchronized ACL to perform a function thereof according to the service item value of the device,

wherein the security settings states of the devices are collectively changed based on the access control lists,and

wherein the mode-based access control device further comprises a mode converting unit which converts the specific security mode based on a result of comparing mode priorities of the security modes.

9. The mode-based access control device of claim 8,

the mode converting unit converts the specific security mode when the authentication of a new user is performed or the authentication of an existing user is released.

10. The mode-based access control device of claim 8,

wherein the device ACL editing unit sets the service item values of the devices by performing:

a device-unit-setting method that sets the service items and the conditions of the service items on the basis of the devices;

a service-list-unit setting method that sets the conditions of the service items and a list of devices having the service items on the basis of the service items included in the devices; and

a task unit setting method that establishes a list of service items forming task based on the task to be performed by a host user.

11. The mode-based access control device of claim 9,

wherein, with all or some of the devices in the home network set to a security mode A, when a user B is authenticated and the user B sets all or some of the devices to a security mode B, the mode converting unit compares mode priorities of the security mode A and the security mode B and resets all or some of the devices to one of the security modes having a higher mode priority.

12. The mode-based access control device of claim 11,

wherein, when the authentication of a user who sets the specific security mode having a higher mode priority is released in the home network, the mode converting unit resets the devices to the security mode having a lower mode priority.

13. The mode-based access control device of claim 8,

wherein the security mode list comprises:

a parent mode which is set by only a host user having unlimited authority for access to all the devices forming the home network;

a child mode which is set by a child user having limited authority for access to some of the devices, services or content provided by the devices; and

a guest mode which is set by a guest user that does not have access to all the devices forming the home network except temporary access allowed by the host user.

14. The mode-based access control device of claim 13,

wherein the guest mode has the highest mode priority, followed by the child mode and the parent mode.