Patent ID: 6073242
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
An authority server providing authority services for one or more users of one or more clients coupled to the authority server via secure connections, the one or more users being associated with a collective entity having a set of policies for the exercise of its authority, the authority services including allowing the users to indirectly exercise the authority of the collective entity through the authority server, the authority server comprising:a processing unit;a memory in which applications can be executed by the processing unit;a policy application configured to execute in the server with features that can only be directed by respective classes of users according to the set of policies; andan authority application embodying the authority of the collective entity that is configured to respond to a request by a particular user of a particular class to direct a particular feature of the policy application by:determining according to the set of policies and the particular class whether the particular user is allowed to direct the particular feature; andwhen the particular user is allowed to direct the particular feature, executing the particular feature using any user information provided by the particular user in the request and forming a manifestation of the execution incorporating the user information when provided.