Access control for a hard asset

Abstract

A system and method for granting access to the hard asset. The method can include capturing biometric information associated with a first soft asset. The method can include receiving location information in view of the location of the first soft asset relative to the hard asset. The method can include granting, by the processor to the first soft asset, access to the hard asset when the biometric information and the location information are valid

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 capturing, by a processing device of a medical cart, biometric information of an operator of the medical cart;   receiving, by the processing device, first location information for a first soft asset device from a real-time location system (RTLS) over a network, wherein a first asset tag device is associated with a first soft asset;   receiving, by the processing device, second location information for a hard asset from the RTLS over the network, the hard asset associated with at least one of a second asset tag device;   determining, by the processing device, that a location factor is valid using the first location information and the second location information, the location factor being indicative of a relative proximity of the first soft asset to the hard asset;   determining, by the processing device, that the biometric information is valid; and   granting, by the processing device, access to the hard asset when the biometric information is valid and the location factor is valid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wirelessly receiving, by the first asset tag device, a beacon identifier from a beacon device; and   sending, to the RTLS system over the network, the beacon identifier and an asset tag identifier associated with the first soft asset.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wirelessly receiving, by the second asset tag device or an asset tag manager, a beacon identifier from a beacon device; and   sending, to the RTLS system over the network, the beacon identifier and an asset tag identifier associated with a second soft asset.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processing device, an access request for a software product executing on the processing device that requires valid credentials for access;   performing, by the processing device, a single sign-on (SSO) operation with a server responsive to the access request, wherein the server retrieves a credential stored in a database associated with the server, validates the operator with the credential, and returns an indication of a security access level for the operator; and   granting, by the processing device, access to the software product with the security access level responsive to the determining that the biometric information is valid and the determining that the location factor is valid.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein performing the SSO operation comprises accessing an entry of a directory managed by a directory server using an identifier first soft asset, wherein the entry comprises the credential. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the software product, a request to access information related to a second soft asset, wherein the information comprises medical records of a patient;   determining, by the processing device, that a second location factor for the second soft asset is valid, the second location factor being indicative of a proximity of the second soft asset to the first soft asset; and   granting, by the processing device, access to the information related to the second soft asset when the second location factor is valid.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second soft asset is a patient or a room. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first soft asset is a member of medical personnel,   a second soft asset is a patient,   the hard asset is the medical cart, and   the method further comprises:
 receiving, at the medical cart, a request to access a secured dispensing bin for the patient; 
 determining, by the processing device, that a second location factor for the second soft asset is valid, the second location factor being indicative of a proximity of the patient to at least one of the member of medical personal or the medical cart; and 
 granting, by the processing device, access to the secured dispending bin responsive to the determining that the second location factor is valid. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first soft asset is a member of medical personnel, the second soft asset is a patient, and the hard asset is the medical cart, wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the processing device, an indication that the member of medical personnel has entered a room in which the medical cart resides;   determining, by the processing device, that a second location factor for the second soft asset is valid, the second location factor being indicative of a relative proximity of the patient to at least one of the member of the medical personal or the medical cart; and   granting, by the processing device, access to medical records associated with the patient when the second location factor is valid.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining that the location factor for the operator is valid comprises:
 determining a distance between the hard asset and the first soft asset using the first location information and the second location information; and   comparing the distance to a distance threshold, wherein the location factor for the operator is valid when the distance is less than the distance threshold.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first soft asset is a member of medical personnel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processing device further comprises a display for presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) to the operator, the operator having access to a software product executing on the processing device using the GUI, and   the GUI and the software product are customizable.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processing device disposed in a medical cart, the processing device to execute an asset tag manager;   radio frequency (RF) circuitry coupled to the processing device to communicate information comprising receiving location information regarding the asset tag manager and a first asset tag device carried by an operator of the medical cart, wherein the first asset tag device is associated with a first soft asset; and   a battery coupled to the processing device and the RF circuitry,   wherein the processing device is further to execute an authentication tool to:
 capture biometric information of the operator of the medical cart; 
 receive, using the RF circuitry, first location information for the first soft asset from a real-time location system (RTLS) over a network; 
 receive, using the RF circuitry, second location information for a hard asset from the RTLS over the network, the hard asset associated with at least one of a second asset tag device coupled to the medical cart or the asset tag manager executing on the processing device of the medical cart; 
 determine that a location factor first soft asset is valid using the first location information and the second location information, the location factor being indicative of a proximity of the first soft asset to the hard asset; 
 determine that the biometric information is valid; and 
 grant access to the hard asset responsive when the biometric information being valid and the location factor are valid. 
   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processing device is further to:
 receive an access request for a software product executing on the processing device that requires valid credentials for access;   perform a single sign-on (SSO) operation with a server responsive to the access request, wherein the server retrieves a credential stored in a database associated with the server, validates the operator with the credential, and returns an indication of a security access level for the operator; and   grant access to the software product with the security access level when the biometric information being valid and the location factor are valid.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing device is further to:
 receive, at the software product, a request to access information related to a second soft asset, wherein the information related to the second soft asset comprises medical records of a patient;   determine that a second location factor for the second soft asset is valid, the second location factor being indicative of a relative proximity of the second soft asset to the first soft asset; and   grant access to the information related to the second soft asset responsive to the second location factor being valid.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first soft asset is a member of medical personnel,   the second soft asset is a patient,   the hard asset is the medical cart, and   the processing device is further to:
 receive, at the medical cart, a request to access a secured dispensing bin for the patient; 
 determine that a second location factor for the second soft asset is valid, the second location factor being indicative of a relative proximity of the patient to at least one of the member of medical personal or the medical cart; and 
 grant access to the secured dispending bin responsive to the second location factor being valid. 
   
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 capturing, by a processor, biometric information associated with a first soft asset;   receiving, by a hard asset associated with the processor, location information from at least one beacon device in view of the location of the first soft asset relative to the hard asset; and   granting, by the processor to the first soft asset, access to the hard asset when the biometric information and the location information are valid.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor from the first soft asset, a request for information related to a second soft asset;   performing, by the processor, a single sign-on (SSO) operation to a server to retrieve one or more credentials of the first soft asset from a database associated with the server with respect to an application executed by the processor that provides information related to the second soft asset; and   granting, by the processor to the first soft asset, access to the application responsive to the processor determining that the one or more credentials of the first soft asset are valid with respect to the second soft asset.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein performing the SSO operation further comprises accessing an entry in a directory managed by a directory server, using an identifier of an operator of the processor, the entry comprising the one or more credentials of the first soft asset. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising providing, to the first soft asset, a security access level to the information related to the second soft asset. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first soft asset, a request for the information related to the second soft asset, the request comprising the location information of the first soft asset relative to the hard asset; and   providing, to the first soft asset, access to the information related to the second soft asset responsive to a location of the first soft asset relative to a location of the second soft asset.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the location of the first soft asset relative to the location of the second soft asset is determined in view of the location of the first soft asset relative to the hard asset and the location of the second soft asset relative to the hard asset. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the request for the information related to the second soft asset further comprises a security access level of the first soft asset provided by the processor; and   providing access to the information related to the second soft asset is further in view of the security access level of the first soft asset is equal to or greater than a level to access the information related to the second soft asset.