Patent ID: 7661127

Claim:
A method of authenticating a shared laboratory test instrument user prior to accessing the shared laboratory test instrument in order to perform one or more lab tests using the shared laboratory test instrument comprising the steps of: (A) providing a user authenticating lab instrument access control and management system comprising a plurality of network connected shared laboratory test instruments; (B) receiving logon credentials from a user in an attempt to access a select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments; (C) authenticating the user as an authorized user of the system based on the logon credentials associated with the user prior to accessing the shared laboratory test instrument; (D) determining whether the logon credentials authorize the user to access the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments by comparing the credentials to credential information stored in a data store accessible over a network to the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments by the following steps, (D)(1) identifying a role of the user; (D)(2) identifying a set of default laboratory test instrument access rights associated with the role; (D)(3) identifying a set of user-specific laboratory test instrument access rights associated with the user; (D)(4) applying the user-specific laboratory test instrument access rights to the default laboratory test instrument access rights to obtain a set of final laboratory test instrument access rights associated with the user; (D)(5) determining whether the set of final laboratory test instrument access rights associated with the user includes the right to access the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments; and (D)(6) determining that the logon credentials authorize the user to access the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments if it is determined that the set of final laboratory test instrument access rights associated with the user includes the right to access the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments; (E) granting the user access to the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments only if it is determined that the user is an authorized user of the system and the logon credentials authorize the user to access the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments; (F) identifying a set of operations that the user has the right to perform using the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments for performing one or more laboratory tests on the integrity of a membrane-based separation device; (G) allowing the user to perform on the select one of the plurality of shared laboratory test instruments only those operations in the identified set of operations for performing one or more laboratory tests on the integrity of a membrane-based separation device; and (H) performing one or more tests using the select one of the plurality of the shared laboratory test instruments.