Method for executing access control over electronic device and electronic device capable of executing access control

A method for executing access control over an electronic device includes: detecting a position information of the electronic device with a positioning module; determining whether the electronic device has moved outside an authorized region according to the position information; and disabling a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device according to a user information when the electronic device has moved outside the authorized region.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to technology of controlling electronic devices and, more particularly, to a method for executing access control over an electronic device and an electronic device capable of executing access control.

Description of the Prior Art

Due to technological advancements, electronic devices are increasingly popular and have a trend toward low weight, small size and high portability. Therefore, electronic device users nowadays are no longer geographically restricted.

Therefore, to allow their employees to work conveniently and efficiently, most enterprises provide their employees with electronic devices, such as notebook computers, tablets, and mobile phones, such that the employees can not only work at their own locations with electronic devices but also bring electronic devices to the other locations to work or hold a discussion.

Although the portability of electronic devices meets employees' working needs and enhances their working efficiency, it increases the chance that unscrupulous employees will bring the electronic devices away from their authorized workplaces stealthily and divulge corporate secrets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a method for executing access control over an electronic device and an electronic device capable of executing access control and thus restrict accessible functions of the electronic device outside authorized workplaces, thereby reducing the chance that corporate secrets will be divulged.

In an embodiment, a method for executing access control over an electronic device comprises the steps of: detecting a position information associated with a current location of the electronic device with a positioning module; determining whether the electronic device has moved outside an authorized region according to the position information; and disabling a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device according to a user information when the electronic device has moved outside an authorized region.

In an embodiment, an electronic device capable of executing access control comprises a user interface, a positioning module and a processing unit. The user interface receives user information. The positioning module detects position information associated with the current location of the electronic device. The processing unit generates a judgment signal according to the position information detected by the positioning module and disables a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device according to the user information when the judgment signal indicates that the electronic device has moved outside an authorized region.

In conclusion, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for executing access control over an electronic device and an electronic device capable of executing access control render it feasible to gain insight into the current location of an electronic device in real time according to the position information related thereto and obtained by a positioning module of the electronic device and disable accessible functions of the electronic device upon confirmation that the electronic device has left an authorized region, thereby preventing divulgence of important information contained in the electronic device.

The fine structures and advantages of the present invention are sufficiently illustrated with embodiments below to allow persons skilled in the art to gain insight into the technical contents of the present invention and implement the present invention accordingly. Furthermore, persons skilled in the art readily understand related objectives and advantages of the present invention by making reference to the disclosure contained in the specification, claims, and drawings of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a function block diagram of an electronic device capable of executing access control according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 1, an electronic device100capable of executing access control comprises a user interface110, a positioning module120and a processing unit130. The processing unit130is coupled to the user interface110and the positioning module120. In some embodiments, the electronic device100is a portable electronic device, such as a notebook computer, a tablet or a mobile phone, so as to be easily carried by a user. The user interface110is a touchscreen or a keyboard. The processing unit130is a System on a Chip (SoC), a central processing unit (CPU) or a microcontroller unit (MCU), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The user interface110serves as a medium for interaction and information exchange between the system of the electronic device100and a user. The user interface110receives a user information UI entered by the user. The processing unit130stores or temporarily stores the user information UI received by the user interface110in a storage unit (not shown) of the electronic device100. The user information UI comprises a login account of the user. In some embodiments, the user information UI further comprises a login password of the user. The login password is a text-based password or a graphical password.

After the electronic device100has booted or has been awakened, the processing unit130requests the user to enter the user information UI through the user interface110to determine whether to start an operating system. Therefore, after the user interface110has received the user information UI, the processing unit130compares the user information UI with authorized user information pre-stored in a storage unit (not shown) of the electronic device100to confirm whether the user is an authorized user. The authorized user information comprises at least one authorized account (and at least one authorized password corresponding thereto.)

If the user information UI does not match the authorized user information and thus confirms that the user is not an authorized user (i.e., is an unauthorized user), the processing unit130will neither execute the operating system nor enter an access/operation frame on the electronic device100, thereby preventing the unauthorized user from operating the electronic device100.

Conversely, if the user information UI matches the authorized user information and thus confirms that the user is an authorized user, the processing unit130will start the operating system and thus enter the access/operation frame on the electronic device100, thereby allowing the user to operate the electronic device100. After starting the operating system, the processing unit130controls the positioning module120to begin operating. The positioning module120detects a position information PI associated with the current location of the electronic device100and updates the position information PI of the electronic device100regularly.

In some embodiments, the positioning module120is a global positioning system, such as a global positioning system (GPS), which obtains the position information PI of the electronic device100through global positioning signals, or a wireless network module which obtains the position information PI of the electronic device100by WiFi positioning principles, or a combination of the global positioning system and the wireless network module. The position information PI includes a two-dimensional coordinate-related message (related to longitude and latitude, for example) or a three-dimensional coordinate-related message (related to longitude, latitude and height.)

Upon confirmation that the user is an authorized user, the processing unit130regularly determines whether the electronic device100has moved outside an authorized region according to the position information PI currently detected by the positioning module120so as to generate a corresponding judgment signal. If the judgment signal indicates that the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region, the processing unit130will disable a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100according to the user information UI.

In some embodiments, a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100comprises access to a wireless network module, a specific application, a specific folder or a combination thereof.

The aforesaid step of “disabling” a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100refers to executing control over the authority to access a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100such that a plurality of accessible functions provided by the electronic device100and previously accessible to the user becomes currently no longer accessible to the user in part or in whole. Therefore, the processing unit130can change the authority to access a part or the whole of the accessible functions provided by the electronic device100according to the judgment signal.

In some embodiments, the electronic device100further comprises a timing unit140. The timing unit140is coupled to the processing unit130and the positioning module120. The timing unit140counts a restart time. If the restart time calculated by the timing unit140reaches a predetermined value, the timing unit140will send a restart signal R1to the positioning module120and thereby actuate the positioning module120to detect the position information PI associated with the current location of the electronic device100again.

FIG. 2is a flowchart of a method for executing access control over an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3is a schematic view of an embodiment of the access control state of the electronic device inFIG. 1.FIG. 4is a schematic view of another embodiment of the access control state of the electronic device inFIG. 1.

Referring toFIG. 1throughFIG. 4, in an embodiment, the positioning module120of the electronic device100detects the position information PI associated with the current location of the electronic device100(step S11). Afterward, the processing unit130of the electronic device100determines whether the electronic device100has moved outside an authorized region according to the position information PI detected by the positioning module120(step S12). If the processing unit130determines that the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region, the processing unit130will disable a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100according to the user information UI (step S13) such that the user cannot use the accessible functions outside the authorized region. If the processing unit130determines that the electronic device100has moved into the authorized region, the processing unit130will enable a plurality of accessible functions previously disabled and provided by the electronic device100(step S14).

In some embodiments, the processing unit130is preconfigured to enable a positioning function of the positioning module120, because it is possible that the positioning function of the positioning module120is disabled by the user to therefore preclude management or surveillance of the authority to access the electronic device100.

In step S12, the processing unit130not only compares the position information PI generated from the positioning module120with an authorized region pre-stored in a storage unit (not shown) to confirm whether the location of the electronic device100falls within the authorized region and thereby yield a comparison result but also determines whether the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region according to the preceding comparison result and the current comparison result so as to obtain a corresponding judgment signal.

If the preceding comparison result indicates that the electronic device100is inside the authorized region and the current comparison result indicates that the electronic device100is outside the authorized region, the processing unit130can obtain the judgment signal which indicates that the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region. If the preceding comparison result indicates that the electronic device100is outside the authorized region and the current comparison result indicates that the electronic device100is inside the authorized region, the processing unit130can obtain the judgment signal which indicates that the electronic device100has moved into the authorized region.

The aforesaid step of “enabling” a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100refers to loosening control over the authority to access a plurality of accessible functions which is previously disabled. Therefore, if a plurality of accessible functions was previously disabled and thereby inaccessible to the user, the processing unit130would open up the authority to access the plurality of accessible functions such that the plurality of accessible functions which was previously disabled becomes currently accessible to the user.

FIG. 5is a flowchart of an embodiment of step S13inFIG. 2. Referring toFIG. 1throughFIG. 5, in some embodiments, if the processing unit130determines that the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region, the processing unit130will fetch from a storage unit (not shown) according to the user information UI (such as a login account) an access control table corresponding to the user information UI (step S13a) and then disable a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100according to a predetermined list of an access control table (step S13b).

In some embodiments, items shown on the predetermined list comprise a folder, an application, a wireless network module or a combination thereof. In an embodiment of step S13b, the processing unit130disables the folder, the application, the wireless network module or a combination thereof, which are installed on the electronic device100and listed on the predetermined list, according to the predetermined list of an access control table.

Referring toFIG. 3, take disabling a folder as an example, if the electronic device100comprises folders F1-F8and the predetermined list includes folders F1, F4, F6, the processing unit130will change the authority to access folders F1, F4, F6from the general user authority to the highest user authority according to the items included in the predetermined list, so as to prevent general users from accessing folders F1, F4, F6but permit folders F2, F3, F5, F7, F8to be accessible to general users.

In some embodiments, folders F1, F4, F6placed under control are no longer displayed in a display frame on the electronic device100. Therefore, the user cannot perceive the presence of folder F1, F4, F6in the display frame, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Referring toFIG. 4, in another embodiment, folders F1through F8are displayed in the display frame on the electronic device100, but symbols indicative of lock, control and prohibition are disposed on folders F1, F4, F6placed under control to indicate that folders F1, F4, F6are currently inaccessible (or available). Therefore, the user perceives the presence of folders F1, F4, F6in the display frame but does not use folders F1, F4, F6. Therefore, folders F1, F4, F6will not be opened even when selected by a user. Furthermore, an alert message pops up in the display frame on the electronic device100to notify the user that no access to folders F1, F4, F6is currently permitted.

FIG. 6is a flowchart of another embodiment of step S13inFIG. 2. Referring toFIG. 1throughFIG. 4, andFIG. 6, in some embodiments, if the processing unit130determines that the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region, the processing unit130will fetch a built-in routing table of the electronic device100from a storage unit (not shown) according to the user information UI (such as a login account) (step S13c) and then disable a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100according to definitions of the routing table (step S13d).

In some embodiments, the processing unit130changes the contents of the routing table such that the user can no longer get connected to a network, thereby executing control over the access to a wireless network module of the electronic device100. For example, the processing unit130changes the subnet mask in the routing table to IP address “0.0.0.0” and thereby disconnects the electronic device100from all external network connections. Therefore, even if the user selects any icon shown in the display frame on the electronic device100and adapted to start a network connection, the electronic device100cannot get connected to any external network.

FIG. 7is a flowchart of yet another embodiment of step S13inFIG. 2. Referring toFIG. 1throughFIG. 4, andFIG. 7, in some embodiments, if the processing unit130determines that the electronic device100has moved outside the authorized region, the processing unit130will fetch from a storage unit (not shown) according to the user information UI (such as a login account) an application list stored in the electronic device100and adapted for authorized use (step S13e) and then disable a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100according to the application list (step S13f).

In some embodiments, the processing unit130dchanges the state of use of applications in the application list such that the user can no longer access the applications, thereby executing control over the access to the applications. For example, in the situation where the electronic device100comprises applications A1through A8and the application list includes application A1, the processing unit130can change the state of use of application A1from “permitted” to “prohibited” according to the application list, so as to exercise control over the access to application A1.

Referring toFIG. 3, in some embodiments, application A1placed under control is no longer displayed in the display frame on the electronic device100. Therefore, the user cannot perceive the presence of application A1in the display frame, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Referring toFIG. 4, in another embodiment, applications A1through A8are displayed in the display frame on the electronic device100, but symbols indicative of lock, control and prohibition are disposed on application A1placed under control to indicate that application A1is currently inaccessible. Therefore, the user can perceive the presence of application A1in the display frame but cannot access application A1. Therefore, application A1will not be opened even when selected by the user. Furthermore, an alert message pops up in the display frame on the electronic device100to notify the user that no access to application A1is currently permitted.

FIG. 8is a flowchart of an embodiment of step S14inFIG. 2, whereasFIG. 9is a schematic view of an embodiment of disabling the access control state of the electronic device inFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 1,FIG. 2,FIG. 8andFIG. 9, in some embodiments, if the processing unit130determines that the electronic device100has moved into the authorized region, the processing unit130will fetch from a storage unit (not shown) according to the user information UI (such as a login account) an application list stored in the electronic device100and adapted for authorized use (step S14a) and then enable a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device100according to the application list (step S14b). In some embodiments, the processing unit130dchanges the state of use of applications in the application list such that the user can access applications previously disabled, thereby disabling the control over the applications previously disabled. For example, in the situation where the electronic device100comprises applications A1through A8and the application list includes application A1, the processing unit130can change the state of use of application A1from “prohibited” to “permitted” according to the application list, thereby disabling the control over the access to the application A1. Therefore, after disabling the control, the user can start application A1by selecting application A1.

The positioning module120keeps updating the position information PI of the electronic device100. The processing unit130keeps judging each position information PI generated according to the positioning module120to precisely gain insight into the whereabouts of the electronic device100, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the positioning module120detects the position information PI of the electronic device100intermittently to reduce power consumption.

Referring toFIG. 2, in some embodiments, the timing unit140counts a restart time (step S15) and compares the restart time with a predetermined value (step S16) to confirm whether the restart time reaches the predetermined value. If the timing unit140determines that the restart time thus counted has reached the predetermined value, the timing unit140will send the restart signal R1to the positioning module120to execute step S11again such that the positioning module120will begin detecting the position information associated with the current location of the electronic device100again and begin another judgment process. Conversely, if the timing unit140determines that the restart time has not reached the predetermined value, the process flow of the method of the present invention will go back to step S15such that the timing unit140keeps counting the restart time until it confirms that the restart time has reached the predetermined value, before the process flow of the method of the present invention exits the loop of step S15and step S16.

In conclusion, a method for executing access control over an electronic device and an electronic device capable of executing access control according to an embodiment of the present invention render it feasible to gain insight into the current location of an electronic device in real time according to the position information related thereto and obtained by a positioning module of the electronic device and disable accessible functions of the electronic device upon confirmation that the electronic device has left an authorized region, thereby preventing divulgence of important information contained in the electronic device.

Although the present invention is disclosed above by preferred embodiments, the preferred embodiments are not restrictive of the present invention. Any persons skilled in the art can make some changes and modifications to the preferred embodiments without departing from the spirit embodied in the present invention. Accordingly, the legal protection for the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.