JP2022084823A - Dongle, system for using dongle to control access to interface, and method for controlling access to interface - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for using a dongle to control access to an interface for industrial equipment.

SOLUTION: A dongle 100 includes a dongle memory 120 configured to communicatively couple to an interface. The dongle memory has a program code 122 that includes authorized menus 122a. The program code authorizes access to one or more menus on the interface.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The embodiments described below relate to an interface for industrial instruments, and particularly to controlling access to the interface using a dongle.

Industrial instruments have interfaces that are accessed by various users. For example, multiple shifts may involve interaction between a particular industrial instrument and the interface of that industrial instrument. Interfaces typically have software and settings to control and monitor industrial instruments. For example, software has menus that, when accessed, can affect the operation of industrial instruments. Improper changes in software and settings can adversely affect the reliable operation of industrial instruments and can be catastrophic.

Many industrial fields seek to ensure reliable operation of the device by restricting access to the interface using logins and passwords. For example, each user on the interface may have a unique login and password that allows the user to enter the login and password to access menus on the interface. However, since many users exist for each interface, if each user inputs a login and a password, there is a risk that the limited computational resources of the interface will be excessively consumed. In addition, login and password use have the problem of being susceptible to human weaknesses such as password forgetting or password sharing. Therefore, using logins and passwords to control access to the interface is not only cumbersome, but can also allow unauthorized access by the user.

For this reason, there is a need to provide techniques for authorizing access to an interface without unnecessarily consuming the computational resources of the interface. There is also a need to provide techniques for preventing unauthorized access and at the same time managing authorization for many users of the interface. These and other needs can be met by using dongles to control access to the interface.

A dongle is provided to control access to the interface. According to one embodiment, such a dongle comprises a dongle memory configured to be communicably connected to an interface. The dongle memory has a program code including an authorization menu. The program code is configured to authorize access to one or more menus on the interface.

A system is provided for controlling access to the interface using a dongle. According to one embodiment, such a system is configured to be communicably connected to an interface and is communicably connected to a dongle having a dongle memory having a program code including an authorization menu. It has a processor. The processor receives the program code from the dongle memory and is configured to authorize access to one or more menus on the interface based on the authorization menu.

A method of controlling access to the interface is provided. According to one embodiment, such method comprises a dongle memory having a program code including an authorization menu, detecting a dongle communicably connected to the interface, and reading the program code from the dongle memory using the interface. It includes granting access to one or more menus on the interface.

A system is provided for remotely controlling access to an interface using a dongle. According to one embodiment, such a system comprises an authorized workstation and a user workstation communicatively connected to the authorized workstation over a network. The user workstation is configured to write program code containing a dongle ID provided by the user workstation and received by the authorized workstation.

A method for remotely controlling access to an interface using a dongle is provided. According to one embodiment, such methods include receiving a dongle ID from the dongle, incorporating and coding the received dongle ID into the program code, and writing this program code to the dongle using a user workstation. It includes things.

Aspects According to an aspect, the dongle (100) for controlling access to the interface (200) comprises a dongle memory (120) configured to be communicably connected to the interface (200). There is. The dongle memory (120) has a program code (122) including an authorization menu (122a). Program code (122) is configured to authorize access to one or more menus on interface (200).

Preferably, the dongle (100) further comprises a connector (110) communicably connected to the dongle memory (120), the connector (110) being configured to communically connect to the interface (200). There is.

Preferably, the program code (122) further has a reference value (122b), the dongle memory (120) further has a dongle ID (124), and the reference value (122b) is compared to the dongle ID (124). It is determined whether the program code (122) is associated with the dongle (100).

Preferably, the program code (122) authorizes or terminates access to one or more menus on the interface (200) based on the authorization menu (122a). It is configured in.

Preferably, the program code (122) is at least one of whether the dongle (100) is communicably connected to the interface (200) or disconnected from the interface (200). It is executed by the interface (200).

Preferably, the interface (200) is an interface for the industrial instrument (5).

According to some embodiments, the system (10) for controlling access to the interface (200) using the dongle (100) is configured to be communicably connected to the interface (200). It is equipped with 100). The dongle (100) comprises a dongle memory (120) having a program code (122) including an authorization menu (122a). Such a system (10) further comprises a processor (212) communicably connected to the dongle memory (120). The processor (212) is configured to receive the program code (122) from the dongle memory (120) and authorize access to one or more menus on the interface (200) based on the authorization menu (122a). ing.

Preferably, the program code (122) further has a reference value (122b), the dongle memory (120) further has a dongle ID (124), and the processor (212) has a reference value (122b) as a dongle ID (124). ), Further configured to determine if the program code (122) is associated with the dongle (100).

Preferably, the processor (212) does at least one of granting or terminating access to one or more menus on the interface (200) based on the authorization menu (122a). It is configured in.

Preferably, the processor (212) grants or terminates access to one or more menus on the interface (200) when the program code (122) is executed by the processor (212). It is configured to do at least one of them.

Preferably, the processor (212) is at least one of a dongle (100) communicably connected to the interface (200) and a dongle (100) disconnected from the communicable connection with the interface (200). Is further configured to detect.

Preferably, the interface (200) is an interface for the industrial instrument (5).

According to some embodiments, methods for controlling access to an interface include detecting a dongle communicatively connected to the interface. The dongle has a dongle memory with a program code that includes an authorization menu. Such methods include reading the program code from the dongle memory using the interface and authorizing access to one or more menus on the interface.

Preferably, the program code further has a reference value, the dongle memory further has a dongle identifier, and such method comprises comparing with the dongle identifier to determine if the program code is associated with the dongle. I'm out.

Preferably, such a method detects that the dongle is disconnected from the interface and whether the approval for one or more menus on the approved interface has expired. Further includes determining and terminating approval for one or more menus on the interface.

Preferably, the program code is configured to approve or terminate access to one or more menus on the interface based on the authorization menu.

Preferably, the program code is executed by the interface when the dongle is communicably connected to or disconnected from the interface.

According to some embodiments, the system (900) for remotely controlling access to the interface (200) using the dongle (100) is an authorized workstation (910).
And a user workstation (920) communicably connected to the authorized workstation (910) via the network (930). The user workstation (920) is configured to write a program code (122) including a dongle ID (124) provided by the user workstation (920) and received by the authorized workstation (910).

Preferably, at least one of the authorized workstation (910) and the user workstation (920) is configured to incorporate and encode the received dongle ID (124) into the program code (122).

Preferably, at least one of the authorized workstation (910) and the user workstation (920) is a mobile device.

According to one aspect, the method for remotely controlling access to an interface using a dongle is to receive a dongle ID from the dongle and the received dongle ID.
Is included in the program code and coded, and the program code is written to the dongle using the user workstation.

Preferably, the dongle ID is received by an authorized workstation that can communicate with the user workstation over the network.

Preferably, the dongle ID is embedded and encoded in the program code by at least one of the authorized workstation and the user workstation.

Preferably, at least one of the authorized workstation and the user workstation is a mobile device.

The same reference number represents the same part in all drawings. Note that the drawings are not necessarily at the same scale.

It is a front perspective view which shows the system 10 for controlling the access to an interface 200 using a dongle 100. It is an enlarged front perspective view which shows the dongle 100 and the interface 200 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a dongle 100 for controlling access to the interface 200. It is a functional block diagram which shows the dongle 100 for controlling the access to an interface 200 using a dongle 100. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a system 10 according to an embodiment in which the dongle 100 is inserted into the interface 200. FIG. 6 illustrates a method 600 for controlling access to an interface when the dongle is communicably connected to the interface. It is a figure which shows the other method 700 which controls access to an interface by using a dongle according to an embodiment in which a dongle is removed from an interface. It is a figure which shows the exemplary menu displayed by the interface 200. It is a figure which shows the system 900 for remotely controlling the access to an interface 200 according to a certain embodiment. It is a figure which shows the method 1000 for remotely controlling the access to an interface 200 using a dongle 100 according to a certain embodiment.

FIGS. 1-10 and the following are specific embodiments for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art how to implement and utilize techniques for controlling access to an interface using a dongle in the best mode. It is shown. In order to teach the principles of the present invention, some of the prior arts have been simplified or omitted. Modifications of these embodiments are also within the scope of the invention, as will be apparent to those of skill in the art. Also, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, multiple variants of the technique for controlling access to an interface using a dongle can be formed by combining the components described below in various ways. Therefore, the embodiments described below are not limited to the specific examples described later, but are limited only by the scope of claims and their equivalents.

The exemplary systems and methods described below have an interface that allows the program code to be read from the dongle. The program code can authorize access to one or more menus on the interface. In the example below, it is even possible to prevent unauthorized access to the interface by a fake dongle. It also further describes controlling access to the interface remotely. This remote control includes receiving a dongle ID from the dongle at the user's location. The received dongle ID is incorporated into the program code and encoded. This program code is written to the dongle, which allows access to the interface to be controlled by the user's location.

(System for controlling access to the interface using a dongle)
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing a system 10 for controlling access to the interface 200 using the dongle 100. In the illustrated system 10, the dongle 100 is arranged in a position close to the interface 200, but is not inserted into the interface 200. The interface 200 is attached to the industrial instrument 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the industrial instrument 5 is a Coriolis flow meter, eg, Micro Motion, Inc. It is a Coriolis type flow meter manufactured by. The Coriolis flow meter can measure the characteristics of the substance flowing through the Coriolis flow meter. In the illustrated embodiment, the material flows through the Coriolis flow meter through the inlet 5a and the outlet 5b. In other embodiments, other types of devices, such as tuning fork densitometers, flow control valves and systems, pressure transducers, temperature sensors, etc., may be adapted to be connected to the interface 200.

Further, the interface 200 is communicably connected to the industrial instrument 5. That is, the interface 200 can send and receive signals to and from the industrial instrument 5. These signals may include, for example, measured values representing the characteristics of the material flowing through the industrial instrument 5. In addition to or instead, these signals may include, for example, a drive signal sent to the industrial instrument 5, a flow control signal (if the industrial instrument 5 is equipped with a flow control device, etc.) and the like. These signals may have an electrical form, an optical form, or any other suitable form that can be transmitted through a conductor, wireless communication link, etc. You may be doing it.

In the illustrated embodiment, the interface 200 is arranged in a position close to the industrial instrument 5. In another embodiment, the interface 200 may be arranged so as not to be close to the industrial instrument 5. For example, the interface 200 may be arranged in a control room away from the industrial instrument 5. In the control room, the interface 200 is effectively shielded from dangerous or harmful environments. In addition, the menu can be accessed remotely. This may be convenient for users, for example, comparing data obtained from various industrial instruments distributed over a wide area. However, arranging the interface 200 close to the industrial instrument 5 is convenient, for example, when the user needs to access the menu in the interface 200 and at the same time the user needs to be within reach of the industrial instrument 5. be. This is described in more detail below.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front perspective view showing the dongle 100 and the interface 200 shown in FIG. As can be seen from the figure, the interface 200 has an interface panel 210 connected to the interface display 220. An example of the menu is shown on the interface display 220. The interface 200 further has a plurality of buttons 230. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of buttons 230 include a scroll button 232 and a select button 234. The user can use the scroll button 232 to scroll the menu until the desired menu appears. As shown in FIG. 2, the desired menu is pointed to by the arrow ">". The user can then press the select button 234 to select the desired menu.

However, as shown in FIG. 2, the desired menu is accompanied by an approval-required sign, which is the "(approval-required sign)" next to "menu 2". The approval required sign may notify the user that the desired menu requires approval. If the user attempts to select a desired menu before inserting the dongle 100, the interface 200 can deny access to the desired menu. The user can obtain approval for the desired menu by inserting the dongle 100. In other embodiments, dongles that do not require insertion are employed, for example by operating wirelessly using the Bluetooth® protocol. Once approved, the user can press the select button 234 to access the desired menu. Approval may be obtained by reading the program code from the dongle 100. This is explained in more detail below.

Dongle FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a dongle 100 for controlling access to the interface 200. The dongle 100 has a connector 110 that is communicably connected to the dongle memory 120. The dongle 100 is shown as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Memory Stick. In other embodiments, any suitable communication protocol, connector and / or memory may be used. In the illustrated embodiment, the dongle memory 120 may include code, data, etc. that can control access to the interface 200. This is described in more detail below in connection with FIG.

The connector 110 is configured to be communicably connected to the interface 200. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector 110 is a male USB connector that can be fitted with the female USB connector of the interface 200. Therefore, communication between the dongle 100 and the interface 200 can be performed using the USB protocol. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and other embodiments in which the dongle can be operated wirelessly, for example, the dongle memory 120 is configured to be communicably connected to the interface 200. It may have been done. This communication may include the transfer of information between the interface 200 and the dongle memory 120.

As shown in FIG. 3, the dongle memory 120 is an integrated memory. The dongle memory 120 may be composed of a flash memory. Flash memory can read, write, and store program code, data, etc. multiple times without the need for power supply. However, in other embodiments, two or more different types of memory may be used. For example, the dongle memory 120 may be composed of a flash memory for program code and a read-only memory (ROM) for data. A ROM may be desirable to prevent changes in the stored data, but it may be advantageous to have a rewritable memory such as a flash memory so that the dongle 100 can be changed. In these and other embodiments, the code and data stored in the dongle memory 120 may be capable of controlling access to the interface 200. This is described in more detail below.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a dongle 100 for controlling access to the interface 200 using the dongle 100. As shown in FIG. 4, the dongle 100 has a connector 110 and the dongle memory 120 described above. The dongle memory 120 has a program code 122. In the illustrated embodiment, the program code 122 is a program in C language having an authorization menu 122a portion and a reference value 122b. However, in other embodiments, any suitable language and program code may be used. It is further shown that the dongle memory 120 has a dongle ID 124 separate from the program code 122.

The authorization menu 122a may be a list of menus corresponding to one or more menus of interface 200. The authorization menu 122a may be part of or all of the menus available within interface 200. The authorization menu 122a may be a list of simple text menus corresponding to the menu labels in the interface 200. Using a simple text-format menu list has the advantage of reducing the computational load on the interface 200. In addition to or instead, the authorization menu 122a may have a plurality of values, each associated with a menu of a plurality of subsets within the interface 200. For example, the authorization menu 122a may be not a list of menus, but a scalar value that interface 200 associates with a small group of menus within the interface 200. The scalar value may have the advantage of reducing the amount of data that must be read by the interface 200 before authorizing the user's access to the interface 200. User approval may include reading reference value 122b.

The reference value 122b is shown as a hexadecimal value, but any suitable value may be used. The program code 122 is associated with the dongle 100 by the reference value 122b. For example, the reference value 122b may be associated with a particular dongle 100. In other embodiments, the reference value 122b may be associated with a set of dongles for a particular group of workers. For example, it may be desirable to provide a copy of the same software and dongle to different users who are authorized to access the menus of the same plurality of groups on interface 200. However, although it is possible to manufacture a plurality of dongles, the dongle 100 can also prevent the access by the fake dongle from being approved. This is explained below,

A user who does not approve the fake dongle wants to access the menu on the interface 200, but may not manage the actual product of the dongle 100 because he / she has not received the training to operate the industrial instrument 5, for example. However, an unauthorized user may try to copy the program code 122 from the dongle 100 to a fake dongle under his control. However, even if an attempt is made to copy the program code 122 into the memory of the fake dongle, the program code 122 cannot be associated with the fake dongle. For example, the false dongle may have a different dongle ID from the dongle ID 124 of the dongle 100 from which the program code 122 is copied.

To ensure that the program code 122 is not read from the false dongle, the interface 200 may be configured to execute a routine to prevent the program code 122 from being read. For example, the interface 200 may be adapted to compare the reference value 122b with the false dongle ID before the interface 200 reads the program code 122. This comparison result may indicate that the program code 122 is not associated with a false dongle. Therefore, the interface 200 cannot execute the program code 122 from the fake dongle. This makes it possible to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the interface 200.

To avoid this limitation, the user may also attempt to further copy the dongle ID 124 from the dongle memory 120 to the rewritable memory in the fake dongle. However, when trying to read the dongle ID from the fake dongle, the interface 200 may be limited to some part of the memory in the fake dongle. For example, the interface 200 may be limited to the read-only portion of the memory in the false dongle when reading the dongle ID. Therefore, the dongle ID 124 copied to the fake dongle by an unauthorized user cannot be read by the interface 200.

In the above description, the reference value 122b and the dongle ID 124 are described as being stored in the memory in the plain text format, but other storage methods may be used in other embodiments. For example, it may be desirable to store the reference value 122b in encrypted form. The reference value 122b may be encrypted with a key held by the interface 200. An unauthorized user cannot create the encryption reference value associated with the dongle ID of the fake dongle without the key.

Other methods may be used to prevent unauthorized access to the interface 200 with a fake dongle. Since the dongle ID 124 and the reference value 122b indicate that the dongle 100 is not a pseudo dongle, the interface 200 can read the dongle 100. For this reason, the dongle 100 is communicably connected to the interface 200 so that access to the interface 200 can be controlled.

Dongle FIG. 5 communicably connected to the interface is a block diagram showing a system 10 according to an embodiment in which the dongle 100 is inserted into the interface 200. As can be seen from the figure, the dongle memory 120 is communicably connected to the interface 200 via the connector 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the interface panel 210 has a processor 212 communicatively connected to the dongle memory 120. Further, the processor 212 is further connected to the interface memory 214 and the interface display 220 so as to be communicable. As described below, processor 212 is configured to grant access to one or more menus on interface 200.

Processor 212 is configured to receive program code 122 and dongle ID 124 from the dongle 100. The processor 212 may be further configured to write the program code 122 and the dongle ID 124 to the interface memory 214. The processor 212 can receive signals from the scroll button 232 and the select button 234. Therefore, when the user presses the select button 234, the processor 212 can display one or more menus on the interface display 220. Whether or not the selected menu is displayed on the interface display 220 depends on whether or not the dongle 100 authorizes access to one or more of the menus described above. The processor 212 can use the program code 122 read from the dongle memory 120 to determine whether the dongle 100 authorizes access to one or more of the above menus. For this reason, the processor 212 is able to execute a method of controlling access to the interface 200. An exemplary method is described below.

(How to control access to the interface using a dongle)
FIG. 6 shows a method 600 for controlling access to an interface when the dongle is communicably connected to the interface. In the illustrated embodiment, method 600 is adapted to detect in step 610 that the dongle is communicably connected to the interface. The dongle described in the method 600 may be the dongle 100 described above. Similarly, the interface described in method 600 may be the interface 200 described above. In step 620, method 600 reads the program code from the dongle using the interface. The program code read by the method 600 may be the program code 122 described above. In step 630, method 600 authorizes access to one or more menus on the interface when the program code is executed on the interface.

In step 610, the method 600 can detect the dongle communicably connected to the interface in various ways. For example, referring to the embodiment described above, the method 600 can detect the dongle 100 using the USB protocol. In addition to or instead, the interface may not detect the dongle until the user enters a mount command to the interface. In other embodiments, different methods may be used to detect that the dongle is communicably connected to the interface. After detecting the dongle, Method 600 can read the program code and data from the dongle.

In step 620, the method 600 will be able to read the program code from the dongle memory, for example by verifying that the program code is associated with the dongle. With reference to the dongle 100 described above, the interface 200 may be adapted to read the reference value 122b and the dongle ID 124 from the dongle 100. The interface 200 can compare the reference value 122b with the dongle ID 124 to determine whether the program code 122 is associated with the dongle 100. For example, the processor 212 may be adapted to determine whether the reference value 122b is equal to the dongle ID 124. After verifying that the program code is associated with the dongle, method 600 may proceed to step 630.

At step 630, method 600 may be adapted to authorize access to one or more menus on the interface. Referring to the interface 200 described above, the processor 212 may be adapted to display one or more menus stored in the interface memory 214 on the interface display 220. However, before displaying one or more menus, processor 212 may be adapted to compare one or more menus in interface memory 214 with authorization menu 122a in program code 122. If one or more menus are in the authorization menu 122a, processor 212 may be configured to display one or more menus on the interface display 220. One or more menus may be displayed after the user has selected the desired menu using the selection button 234.

As mentioned earlier, it is also possible to disconnect the dongle from a communicable connection with the interface. Approval for one or more menus can be terminated by disconnecting the dongle from the communicable connection with the interface. This is described in detail below with reference to FIG.

Completion of Approval FIG. 7 shows another method 700 of controlling access to the interface using the dongle according to an embodiment in which the dongle is removed from the interface. In step 710, the method 700 may be adapted to detect that the dongle is disconnected from the communicable connection with the interface. These dongles and interfaces may be the dongles 100 and interface 200 described above. At step 720, method 700 can determine if approval for one or more menus has expired. If the approval has not expired, method 700 returns to the beginning of step 720 and redetermines whether the approval has expired. If the approval has expired, method 700 terminates approval for one or more menus in step 730.

In step 710, the method 700 may be adapted to detect that the dongle is disconnected from the communicable connection by various methods. For example, the user may be configured to select a menu item on the interface 200 that detaches the dongle 100 from the interface 200. That is, after being dismounted, the dongle 100 may be still physically connected to the interface 200 but not in a state of being able to communicate with the interface 200. Instead, the dongle 100 may be disconnected from the communicable connection with the interface 200 by removing the dongle 100 from the interface 200. In another embodiment, another method may be used to disconnect the dongle 100 from the communicable connection with the interface 200.

Disengaging a dongle from a communicable connection to an interface may initiate a timer that determines revocation of access to one or more menus on the interface 200. For example, when the dongle 100 is removed from the interface 200, the processor 212 may write a time stamp to the register of the processor 212. In addition to or instead, the state of the register may be changed by removing the dongle from a communicable connection with the interface. The register may then be accessed by method 700 to terminate approval.

In step 720, the method 700 can determine whether approval for one or more menus has expired, for example by determining whether a certain amount of time has passed. With reference to the interface 200, the method 700 can periodically compare the real time obtained from the clock with the time stamp written in the register. A method 700 may indicate that the approval has expired if the difference between the real time and the time stamp is greater than the reference time.

At step 730, method 700 can terminate approval for one or more menus. For example, the method 700 can prevent the user from inputting information, selecting one or more menu items in the menu, and the like. The method 700 also makes it possible to prevent the user from reading data on the interface or accessing information on the interface. With reference to the interface 200 described above, processor 212 may terminate approval for one or more menus. For example, the processor 212 can compare one or more menus in the interface memory 214 with the authorization menu 122a in the program code 122. Menus that are not listed in the authorization menu 122a and do not require authorization may be accessible to all users.

As described above, methods 600 and 700 are separate methods for terminating interface approval and interface approval. However, the method 600 and the method 700 may be a single method having a loop for continuously determining whether or not the dongle 100 is communicably connected to the interface 200. In addition, it goes without saying that the method 600 and the method 700 may further control which menu is displayed by the interface. For example, an exemplary menu sequence shown by the interface display 220 is described below.

Menus Displayed by Interfaces FIG. 8 shows exemplary menus displayed by interface 200. As shown in FIG. 8, the interface display 220 has an unauthorized sequence 222 composed of a home menu 222a and an unauthorized access notification 222b. The unapproved sequence 222 shows a menu that may be displayed to the user if the user attempts to access an unauthorized menu. Further, FIG. 8 shows a home menu 224a which may be the same as the home menu 222a of the unapproved sequence 222, a dongle insertion notification 224b, an authorization menu 224c, a dongle removal notification 224d, and an approval expiration notification 224e. The configuration approval sequence 224 is further shown. The approval sequence 224 shows a menu that may be displayed to users who are authorized to access interface 200. Hereinafter, the unapproved sequence 222 is compared with the approved sequence 224.

In the unauthorized sequence 222, the user may try to access the menu 2 shown in the home menu 222a without using the dongle 100. Since the dongle 100 has not been inserted into the interface 200, the user is not authorized to access the menu 2 displayed by the interface 200. For this reason, when the user presses the selection button 234, the interface 200 displays the unauthorized access notification 222b. The unauthorized access notification 222b may be displayed for a certain period of time until it returns to the home menu 222a.

In the approval sequence 224, the user may have a dongle 100 to obtain approval for access to the interface 200. When the home menu 224a is displayed, the user inserts the dongle 100 into the interface 200. The interface 200 can detect the dongle 100 and display the dongle insertion notification 224b. When interface 200 approves access, the user presses the select button 234 to select menu 2. Interface 200 may then display the approval menu 224c.

The user may remove the dongle 100 from the interface 200 during or after the interaction with the interface 200. For example, the user may only need to read a single measurement result from interface 200. Therefore, the user may insert the dongle 100 for a long enough time to obtain approval for the approval menu 224c. Alternatively, the user may remove the dongle 100 when the interaction with the interface 200 is complete. In either case, the user can access the approval menu 224c until the approval is completed.

When the dongle 100 is removed or detached, the interface display 220 may display the dongle removal notification 224d. The dongle removal notification 224d informs the user of the remaining time of approval for the dongle removal notification 224d. In the illustrated embodiment, the remaining time is 10 minutes. However, in other embodiments, the remaining time may be longer or shorter. When the approval expires, the interface display 220 can display the approval expiration notice 224e. After a certain period of time, the interface display 220 may return to the home menu 224a to display. The user may be configured to reinsert the dongle 100 into the interface 200 in order to obtain reapproval after the previous approval has expired.

The steps described above can be performed by the method 600 and the method 700 described above. However, any method appropriate for authorizing and terminating access to interface 200 may be performed. For example, a wirelessly operable dongle may be communicably connected to the interface 200 (or another interface) without physically attaching it to the interface 200. In addition, other menus and notifications may be displayed and / or other menu sequences may be used. For example, in other menu sequences, the dongle insertion notification 224b and the dongle removal notification 224d may be hidden.

Needless to say, access to interface 200 is available even if it is possible to use the dongle 100 locally rather than remotely to control access to interface 200. Remote control (remotery)
There may be situations where it is advantageous to control). For example, there are cases where an unplanned event such as equipment damage, sudden failure, personnel transfer, etc. occurs and the dongle 100 is necessary but cannot be used immediately. When such an event occurs, the user can access the interface 200 by remotely controlling the access. An exemplary system and method for remotely controlling access to an interface is described in more detail below.

(Remote control of interface access)
FIG. 9 shows a system 900 for remotely controlling access to the interface 200 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the system 900 comprises an authorized workstation 910 capable of communicating with the user workstation 920 via the network 930. The licensed workstation 910 may be located, for example, in a location in the United States. In certain embodiments, the network 930 may be the Internet. The user workstation 920 may be the location (location) of the user. According to certain embodiments, the user location may be an industrial location, such as an offshore oil base, an oil refinery plant, or the like. The user workstation 920 is shown to be communicably connected to the dongle 100 described above, but in other embodiments any suitable dongle may be used.

Even if the authorization workstation 910 and the user workstation 920 are configured to read or write the program code, eg, the program code described by the callout 912 drawn from the authorization workstation 910 by wire. good. The program code may be the program code 122 described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the authorized workstation 910 and the user workstation 920 may be, for example, a personal computer running an instance of a method of incorporating and encoding a dongle ID into a program code. Further, the authorization workstation 910 and the user workstation 920 may be further configured to write or modify the authorization menu in the program code, for example, the authorization menu 122a described above. The program code may be written to the dongle 100, which is communicably connected to the user workstation 920.

Authorized workstations and user workstations are described as being personal computers, but in other embodiments, authorized and user workstations that are not personal computers may be used. For example, the authorized workstation and / or the user workstation may be a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, and the like. In addition, other dongles capable of wireless communication with the user workstation 920 may be used instead of being inserted into the user workstation 920. In other embodiments, the wirelessly capable dongle may be capable of wireless communication with a mobile device. Further, in other embodiments, other configurations may be used.

Needless to say, the system 900 can be used to remotely control access to the interface 200 at the user's location. For example, the system 900 can remotely control access by writing the dongle ID to the program code using the user workstation 920 and then writing the program code to the dongle 100. This is described in more detail below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 10 shows a method 1000 for remotely controlling access to the interface 200 using a dongle 100 according to an embodiment. Method 1000 is started from step 1010 of receiving a dongle ID from the dongle at the user's location. The dongle at the user's location may be the dongle 100, or the dongle ID may be the dongle ID 124 described above. In step 1020, the method 1000 incorporates the received dongle ID into the program code and encodes it. The method 1000 then writes the program code to the dongle at the user's location. The program code may be directed to the dongle 100 shown in FIG.

In step 1010, the method 1000 can receive the dongle ID from the dongle at the user's location by using the system 900 described above. However, in other embodiments, any suitable system may be used. With reference to system 900, the authorized workstation 910 can receive the dongle ID 124 via network 930. The dongle ID 124 may be configured to be sent after the question has been sent by the authorized workstation 910. Alternatively, the dongle ID 124 may be sent by the user workstation 920 without the need for a question from the authorized workstation 910. For example, the user workstation 920 is capable of executing a routine that sends a request to the authorized workstation 910 with a dongle ID 124.

In step 1020, the method 1000 can incorporate the received dongle ID into the program code and encode it. For example, Method 1000 can add a dongle ID to the appropriate line in the program code using an authorized workstation 910. The program code written by the method 1000 may be the program code 122 described above. However, any suitable program code may be used.

In step 1030, method 1000 writes the program code to the dongle at the user's location. For example, method 1000 can send program code from authorized workstation 910 to user workstation 920 via network 930. Method 1000 can then use the user workstation 920 to write the program code to the dongle 100. The program code written in the dongle 100 may be the program code having the received dongle ID shown in FIG.

Although the method 1000 described above describes that the dongle ID is received by the authorized workstation 910, the dongle ID may be received by other means. For example, method 1000 may receive the dongle ID at user workstation 920. The method 1000 may be adapted to obtain approval from the authorized workstation 910 for writing the dongle ID to the program code without transmitting the dongle ID to the authorized workstation 910. Other steps of receiving the dongle ID, incorporating it into the program code and encoding it may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, it is realized that the access to the interface 200 is controlled by using the dongle 100. As described above, by controlling the access to the interface 200 by using the dongle 100, it is possible to prevent the computational resources of the interface 200 from being consumed by an unnecessary number of logins. Access to interface 200 can be controlled without the problems associated with login and password methods. For example, users do not need to remember login information or share passwords. In addition, since the program code 122 on the dongle 100 can be associated with the dongle 100, it is possible to prevent false dongle. Access to the interface 200 can also be remotely controlled by the authorized workstation 910. For this reason, the user can obtain approval for the interface 200 in a hurry manner, even if the dongle 100 is not immediately available.

The detailed description of the above-mentioned embodiments does not cover all the embodiments considered to be included in the present invention by the present inventors. More precisely, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, some components of the above embodiments may be combined or removed in various ways to create further embodiments. Such further embodiments are also included within the technical and teaching scope of this specification. Also, as will be apparent to those of skill in the art, the above embodiments may be combined in whole or in part to create additional embodiments within the scope of the techniques and teachings herein.

As described above, specific embodiments or examples are described herein for purposes of illustration, but as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various modifications are possible within the technical scope of the specification. be. The teachings described herein can be applied not only to the embodiments described in the accompanying drawings, but also to other systems and methods for controlling access to an interface using a dongle. For this reason, the scope of the above-mentioned embodiments should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims (24)

A dongle (100) for controlling access to the interface (200).
It comprises a dongle memory (120) configured to be communicably connected to the interface (200) and having a program code (122) including an authorization menu (122a).
A dongle (100), wherein the program code (122) is configured to authorize access to one or more menus on the interface (200). The dongle (100) further comprises a connector (110) communicably connected to the dongle memory (120), wherein the connector (110) is communicably connected to the interface (200). The dongle (100) according to 1. The program code (122) further has a reference value (122b), the dongle memory (120) further has a dongle identifier (124), and the reference value (122b) is compared with the dongle identifier (124). The dongle (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the program code (122) is configured to determine whether or not it is associated with the dongle (100). Such that the program code (122) approves or terminates access to one or more menus on the interface (200) based on the authorization menu (122a). The dongle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is configured in the above. The program code (122) when the dongle (100) is communicably connected to the interface (200) or disconnected from the interface (200). The dongle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dongle (200) is configured to be executed by the interface (200). The dongle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the interface (200) is an interface for an industrial instrument (5). A system (10) for controlling access to an interface (200) using a dongle (100).
A dongle (100), comprising a dongle memory (120) configured to be communicably connected to the interface (200) and having a program code (122) including an authorization menu (122a).
The dongle memory (120) is provided with a processor (212) communicably connected to the dongle memory (120).
The processor (212) receives the program code (122) from the dongle memory (120) and authorizes access to one or more menus on the interface (200) based on the authorization menu (122a). A system (10) configured to do so. The program code (122) further has a reference value (122b), the dongle memory (120) further has a dongle identifier (124), and the processor (212) has the reference value (122b) as the dongle identifier. The system (10) according to claim 7, wherein the program code (122) is configured to determine whether or not it is associated with the dongle (100) as compared to (124). To allow the processor (212) to either approve or terminate access to one or more menus on the interface (200) based on the authorization menu (122a). The system (10) according to any one of claims 7 and 8, which is configured. The processor (212) approves or terminates access to one or more menus on the interface (200) when the program code (122) is executed by the processor (212). The system (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, which is configured to perform at least one of them. Of the dongle (100) in which the processor (212) is communicably connected to the interface (200) and the dongle (100) disconnected from the communicable connection with the interface (200). The system (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, further configured to detect at least one. The system (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the interface (200) is an interface for an industrial instrument (5). A way to control access to an interface,
It has a dongle memory with a program code that includes an authorization menu, and detects a dongle that is communicably connected to the interface.
Reading the program code from the dongle memory using the interface
A method comprising granting access to one or more menus on the interface. The program code further has a reference value, the dongle memory further has a dongle identifier, and the method determines whether the program code is associated with the dongle by comparison with the dongle identifier. The method according to claim 13. Detecting that the dongle is disconnected from the communicable connection with the interface,
Determining if approval for one or more menus on the approved interface has expired and
13. The method of claim 13, further comprising terminating approval for one or more menus on the interface. Claimed that the program code is configured to approve or terminate access to one or more menus on the interface based on the authorization menu. The method according to any one of 13 to 15. 13. To claim, the program code is executed by the interface when the dongle is communicably connected to or disconnected from the interface. The method according to any one of 16. A system (900) for remotely controlling access to an interface (200) using a dongle (100).
Authorized workstation (910) and
It comprises a user workstation (920) communicably connected to the authorized workstation (910) via a network (930).
The user workstation (920) is configured to write a program code (122) including a dongle ID (124) provided by the user workstation (920) and received by the authorized workstation (910). , System (900). Claims that at least one of the authorized workstation (910) and the user workstation (920) is configured to incorporate and encode the received dongle ID (124) into the program code (122). Item 18. The system (900) according to Item 18. The system (900) of claim 18 or 19, wherein at least one of the authorized workstation (910) and the user workstation (920) is a mobile device. A method for remotely controlling access to an interface using a dongle.
Receiving a dongle ID from the dongle and
Incorporating the received dongle ID into the program code and encoding it,
A method comprising writing the program code to the dongle using a user workstation. 21. The method of claim 21, wherein the dongle ID is received by an authorized workstation capable of communicating with the user workstation over a network. 21 or 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the dongle ID is integrated and encoded in the program code by at least one of the authorized workstation and the user workstation. The method of any one of claims 21-23, wherein at least one of the authorized workstation and the user workstation is a mobile device.

Images