System and method of multiple-level control of electronic devices

Abstract

A system and method of multiple-level control of an electronic device are provided. Authorization information comprising data integrity and authentication information for each of a plurality of authorization levels is stored on an electronic device to be controlled. When controlled information associated with one of the plurality of authorization levels is received at the electronic device from a source, integrity of the received controlled information is checked and a determination as to whether the source is a party authorized at the one of the plurality of authorization levels is made, based on the data integrity and authentication information for the one of the plurality of authorization levels. The received controlled information is stored on the electronic device where the integrity of the received controlled information is verified and the source is a party authorized at the one of the plurality of authorization levels.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for managing multiple-level control of an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving authorization information for a selected authorization level; and    storing the received authorization information in an authorization information store of an electronic device, wherein the received authorization information is stored in association with the selected authorization level.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the step of determining the selected authorization level.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selected authorization level is determined based upon the received authorization information.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the steps of retrieving authorization information from the authorization information store and determining authenticity of the received authorization information based upon the retrieved information, wherein the storing step only occurs if the received authorization information is determined to be authentic.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of retrieving authorization information comprises retrieving authorization information associated with the selected authorization level.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of retrieving authorization information comprises retrieving authorization information associated with an authorization level higher than the selected authorization level.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of retrieving authorization information comprises retrieving authorization information associated with an authorization level associated with authorization information modification operations.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , and further comprising the step of verifying data integrity of the received authorization information prior to the storing step, wherein the storing step only occurs if the received authorization information's integrity is verified.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the step of verifying data integrity of the received authorization information prior to the storing step, wherein the storing step only occurs if the received authorization information's integrity is verified.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving controlled information associated with a predetermined authorization level;    authenticating the received controlled information based upon authorization information stored in the authorization information store; and    storing the received controlled information in a controlled information store if the received controlled information was authenticated with respect to the predetermined authorization level.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , and further comprising the step of verifying integrity of the received controlled information, and wherein the received controlled information is only stored if integrity is verified.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the verifying step is performed based upon currency of data, error detection or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of authenticating the received controlled information comprises retrieving authorization information associated with one or more authorization levels having a level at least equal to that of the predetermined authorization level.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of retrieving authorization information comprises retrieving authorization information associated with the predetermined authorization level.  
     
     
         15 . One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that upon execution by the electronic device cause the electronic device to manage multiple-level control by performing the steps of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . A method for managing multiple-level control of an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving controlled information associated with a predetermined authorization level;    authenticating the received controlled information based upon authorization information associated with the predetermined authorization level or a higher authorization level stored in an authorization information store; and    storing the received controlled information in a controlled information store if the received controlled information was authenticated with respect to the predetermined authorization level.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , and further comprising the step of verifying integrity of the received controlled information, and wherein the received controlled information is only stored if integrity is verified.  
     
     
         18 . One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that upon execution by the electronic device cause the electronic device to manage multiple-level control by performing the steps of  claim 16 .  
     
     
         19 . A system of multiple-level control of an electronic device, the system comprising: 
 an authorization information store capable of storing authorization information for each of a plurality of authorization levels;    a controlled information store capable of storing controlled information affecting operation of an electronic device, wherein each stored controlled information is associated with an authorization level; and    a processor in communication with the authorization information and controlled information store, wherein the processor comprises one or more processing elements that are programmed or adapted at least to: 
 receive an operation request;  
 determine if authorization information associated with the operation for which the operation request was received exists;  
 determine controlled information corresponding to the operation for which the operation request was received if authorization information was determined to exist; and  
 if no authorization information was determined to exist or if the determined controlled information comprises permission for the operation for which the operation request was received, perform the operation for which the operation request was received.  
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , and further comprising an insertion module, wherein the insertion module comprises one or more processing elements that are programmed or adapted to at least: 
 receive controlled information associated with a selected one of the plurality of authorization levels from a source;    authenticate the received controlled information based upon authorization information stored in the authorization information store and the selected one of the plurality of authorization levels; and    store the received controlled information in the controlled information store if the received controlled information was authenticated with respect to the selected one of the plurality of authorization levels.    
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the insertion module's one or more processing elements are further at least programmed or adapted to verify integrity of the received controlled information, and wherein the received controlled information is only stored if integrity is verified.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the programming or adaptation of the insertion module's one or more processing elements to verify integrity at least include programming or adaptation to verify integrity based upon currency of data, error detection or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , and further comprising a controlled information insertion interface via which the insertion module receives the received controlled information.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , and further comprising an insertion module, wherein the insertion module comprises one or more processing elements that are programmed or adapted to at least: 
 receive authorization information for a selected authorization level; and    store the received authorization information in the authorization information store associated with the selected authorization level.    
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the insertion module's one or more processing elements are further at least programmed or adapted to authenticate the received authorization information based upon authorization information associated with the selected authorization level or a higher authorization level in the authorization information store and to store the received authorization information only if the received authorization information was authenticated.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , and further comprising an authorization information insertion interface via which the insertion module receives the received authorization information.  
     
     
         27 . A system for managing multiple-level control of an electronic device, the system comprising: 
 storing means for storing data associated with multiple-level control of an electronic device, the storing means comprising: 
 authorization storing means for storing authorization information associated with a plurality of authorization levels; and  
 controlled storing means for storing information affecting operation of the electronic device in association with a selected authorization level from the plurality;  
   authorization insertions means for: 
 receiving authorization information for a selected authorization level;  
 authenticating the received authorization information based upon authorization information associated with the selected authorization level or a higher authorization level if extant in the authorization storing means;  
 verifying integrity of the received authorization information; and  
 storing the received authorization information in the authorization storing means associated with the selected authorization level.  
   controlled insertion means for: 
 receiving controlled information associated with a predetermined authorization level;  
 authenticating the received controlled information based upon authorization information associated with the predetermined authorization level or a higher authorization level in the authorization storing means;  
 verifying data integrity of the received controlled information; and  
 storing the received controlled information in the controlled storing means if the received controlled information was authenticated and verified.  
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the authorization insertion means and the controlled insertion means are the same.  
     
     
         29 . One or more computer-readable media storing authorization information for each of a plurality of authorization levels and controlled information affecting operation of an electronic device, wherein a processor in the electronic devices uses the authorization information to determine if a requested operation can be performed, and wherein the processor further uses the controlled information to control performance of the requested operation.