System and method for providing access privileges for users in a performance ...

(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ACCESS PRIVILEGES FOR USERS IN A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM

(75) Inventors: Michael C. Powers, Irving, TX (US);

Douglas A. Sudberry, Grapevine, TX
(US); James A. Eiler, Irving, TX (US);
Robert S. Bennett, Franklin, TN (US);
Clifford R. Phillips, Bedford, TX (US)

(73) Assignee: e-Talk Corporation, Irving, TX (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 529 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/110,109

(22) Filed: Jul. 1, 1998

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Provisional application No. 60/084,794, filed on May 8, 1998.

(51) Int. CI.7 G06F 17/60

(52) U.S. CI 709/203; 705/11

(58) Field of Search 705/11, 7; 707/9,

707/10; 709/203, 217

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,476,535 A 10/1984 Loshing et al 364/480

4,951,249 A * 8/1990 McClung et al 364/900

5,241,621 A 8/1993 Smart 395/51

5,263,157 A * 11/1993 Janis 395/600

5,276,901 A * 1/1994 Howell et al 707/9

5,315,504 A * 5/1994 Lemble 364/400

5,321,621 A 6/1994 Sainen 364/470

(Continued)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

EP 0 587 290 A2 7/1993

EP 0 644 510 A2 9/1994

GB 2221068 A 1/1990

WO WO 97/31320 8/1997

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Access Control for Collaborative Environments", Shen et al, CSCW 1992.*

"A Model of Authorization for Next Generation Database Systems", Rabitti et al, ACM 1991.*

"Naming and Grouping Privileges to Simplify Security Management in Large Databases", Bldwin, IEEE 1990.*

"Towards an Authorization Mechanism for User-Role Based Security in an Object-Oriented Design Model", Demurjian et al, IEEE 1993.*

"First ACM Workshop on Role-Based Access Control", Proceedings ACM, 1995, 11-131.*

"Management policy service for distributed systems", Marriott et al, IEEE 1996.*

"Attribute Support for Inter-Domain Use", Zurko, IEEE 1992.*

"An Integrated Access Control in Heterogeneous Distributed Database Systems", Kang et al., IEEE 1992.*

"From EDI to Electronic Commerce", Sokol, McGraw-Hill, 1994. pp. 102, 103-109, 142-145.*

Primary Examiner—Kevin J. Teska

Assistant Examiner—-William Thomson

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Baker Botts L.L.P.

Access privileges for a user are provided in a performance evaluation system by storing an organizational structure for an enterprise, a view and a class of services for the user. The organizational structure includes a plurality of levels and a plurality of members assigned to the levels. The view specifies the levels and the members of the organizational structure to which the user is allowed access. The class of services specify services of the performance evaluation system that the user is allowed to perform. The user has access privileges to perform services within the class of services for levels and members within the view.

19 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,335,346 A * 8/1994 Fabbio 711/163

5,410,646 A * 4/1995 Tondevold et al 707/507

5,423,034 A * 6/1995 Cohen-Levy et al 395/600

5,446,903 A * 8/1995 Abraham et al 710/240

5,469,576 A * 11/1995 Dauerer et al 713/200

5,500,795 A 3/1996 Powers et al 364/401

5,539,906 A * 7/1996 Abraham et al 395/600

5,551,880 A 9/1996 Bonnstetter et al.

5,684,964 A 11/1997 Powers et al 395/211

5,692,179 A * 11/1997 Ueda 395/609

5,694,590 A * 12/1997 Thuraisingham et al 707/9

5,701,453 A * 12/1997 Maloney et al 707/2

5,701,484 A * 12/1997 Artsy 709/303

5,720,033 A * 2/1998 Deo 713/200

5,726,914 A 3/1998 Janovski et al.

5,729,734 A * 3/1998 Parker et al 707/9

5,745^687 A * 4/1998 Randell 709/201

5,765,138 A * 6/1998 Aycock et al 705/7

5,784.452 A 7/1998 Carney

5,787,175 A * 7/1998 Carter 380/25

5,826,268 A * 10/1998 Schaefer et al 707/9

5,870,733 A * 2/1999 Bass et al 707/2

5,909,669 A * 6/1999 Havens 705/11

5,911,143 A * 6/1999 Deinhart et al 707/103

6,088,679 A * 7/2000 Barkley 705/8

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Teknekron Infoswitch, P&Q Review! Productivity and Quality Performance Evaluation, Getting Started Guide, Version 2 #151-0801-002, Jun. 1995.*

Nardoni, Ren; Automation Supports Performance Appraisal Systems; Human Resources Professional; v4, n4. pp49-52, 1992.*

Tangorra, Joanne; Computer Security: A Buyer's Guide to the New Hardware and Software that Protect Computerized Data; Working Woman; v8, p34, May 1983.*

Brisbin, Shelly; Simple Network Secrets; MacUser; vp, n9, p233, Sep. 1993.*

Rolnick, Alan; Computerized Recods: Handle with Care; Bobbin; v37, nil, pp68-71, Jul. 1996.*

Harris, Donald; A Matter of Privacy: Managing Personal Data in Company Computers; Personnel; v64, n2, p34, Feb. 1987.*

Search Report re: PCT/ US 99/ 10143, Sep. 16, 1999.

Teknekron Infoswitch Corporation, "P&Q Review!TM Productivity and Quality Performance Evaluation, Getting Started Guide," Version 2 #151-0801-002, Jun. 1995.

Prof. Dr. A.W. Scheer and A. Hars, "From CIM to Enterprise-Wide Data Modeling," ICCIM '91 Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Singapore, pp. 89-92, Oct. 2-A, 1991.

R.L. Katz, "Business/enterprise modeling," IBM Systems Journal, Armonk, New York, vol. 29, No. 4, pp. 509-525, 1990.

* cited by examiner