Client-server system for controlling access rights to certain services by a user of a client terminal

In a system having a server and a plurality of client terminals connected via a communications network, a method of providing services to one user making a service request, the method comprising the steps of:

• evaluating the service request and determining if said one user can receive the service requested;
• determining if prior approval of another one or more users is needed;
• if approval is needed, providing the requested service to the one user if appropriate approval is granted from said another one or more users is needed;
• and
• obtaining approval by sending an approval request to the another one or more users upon consulting a file containing information about the location of the another one or more users.

A storage medium for storing a program for performing the steps of:

• evaluating a service request made by a user of a client terminal;
• determining if the service request requires prior approval of one or more other users of different client terminals;
• if approval is required, sending an approval request to said one or more other users;
• if approval is given, providing the service corresponding to the service request to the user making the service request;
• and
• after evaluating the service request made by the user, consulting a control table having a user control file listing the user authority levels of a plurality of users using the client terminal from which the service request is made.

A server for providing at least one service to a client terminal, the server comprising:

• control table storage means for storing a control table to indicate, as to each of at least said one service, a correspondence between identification information of a plurality of users using said client terminal or level information of the users specified by the concerned identification information and an approval condition to specify the presence of an approval for receiving the concerned service supply and in case of an approval being required an identification information of at least one user who can give the concerned approval, and
• service supply control means for controlling a supply of at least said one service to said client terminal;
• wherein said service supply control means comprises:
• approval condition retrieval means for retrieving an approval condition specified in correspondence with an identification information of the concerned client terminal or a level information of a user specified by the concerned identification information from said control table storage means, as to a service supply request of a service transmitted from said client terminal, and
• service supply execution means for executing a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request, when an approval condition detected by said approval condition retrieval means indicates that an approval is not required, and when the approval condition thereby detected indicates that an approval is required, executing a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request after receiving an approval by a user having an identification information of a user specified by the concerned approval condition.

A client-server system comprising at least one client terminal, a first server for providing at least one service to said client terminal, and a second server for controlling said first server, wherein said second server comprises:

• control table storage means for storing a control table to indicate, as to each of at least said one service, a correspondence between identification information of a plurality of users using said client terminal or level information of the users specified by the concerned identification information and an approval condition to specify the presence of an approval for receiving the concerned service supply and in case of an approval being required an identification information of at least one user who can give the concerned approval, and
• service supply control means for controlling a supply of at least said one service to said client terminal;
• wherein said client terminal comprises:
• input means for receiving an instruction by a user using the concerned client terminal, such as an input of an identification information of a user and a service supply request of a service that said server provides, and transmission means for transmitting an instruction by said user that said input means received to said second server;
• and wherein said service supply control means comprises:
• approval condition retrieval means for retrieving an approval condition specified in correspondence with an identification information of the concerned user or a level information of a user specified by the concerned identification information from said control table storage means, as to a service specified by said service supply request by a user using the concerned client terminal, transmitted from said client terminal, and first server control means for controlling said first server to execute a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request, when an approval condition detected by said approval condition retrieval means indicates that an approval is not required, and when the approval condition thereby detected indicates that an approval is required, controlling said first server to execute a processing in accordance with the concerned service supply request after receiving an approval by a user having an identification information of a user specified by the concerned approval condition.

A storage medium for storing a program for performing the steps of:

• evaluating a service request made by a user of a client terminal;
• determining if the service request requires prior approval of one or more other users of different client terminals;
• if approval is required, sending an approval request to said one or more other users;
• if approval is given, providing the service corresponding to the service request to the user making the service request;
• and
• after evaluating the service request made by the user, consulting a control table having a service file indicating which services are available to the user and if prior approval is needed for any service.