Database Access Control Skip Count Evaluation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Access control in database management consumes significant computing power due to complex rules, leading to lower performing database services.

Innovation Solution

The method involves parsing access control statements into arguments with logical operators, computing skip counts to determine which parts of the statement need to be processed, and evaluating these to grant access efficiently, thereby reducing processing overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complex access control rules are applied to ensure secure data access, then access control reliability is improved, but computing power consumption increases and database performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess control reliabilityVSAvoidcomputing power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The access control statement is parsed into multiple arguments separated by logical operators (AND, OR). Each argument represents a distinct access condition that can be evaluated independently. This segmentation allows the system to process access control rules in smaller, manageable units rather than evaluating the entire complex statement at once, thereby reducing computing power consumption while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system computes skip counts for each argument to determine how many subsequent arguments can be skipped during evaluation. When an argument evaluates to false in an AND condition or true in an OR condition, the system can skip evaluating remaining arguments based on the skip count, quickly determining access denial or granting without processing the entire rule set, thus reducing computing overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

2Reliability

If complex access control rules are applied to ensure secure data access, then access control reliability is improved, but database service performance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess control reliabilityVSAvoiddatabase service performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the access control statement into separate arguments with logical operators, the system can evaluate each argument independently and in parallel where possible. This segmentation reduces the time required to process access control rules compared to evaluating a single complex statement, thereby improving database service performance while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary parsing of the access control statement into arguments and computation of skip counts before actual access evaluation occurs. This preliminary processing organizes the access control rules into an efficient evaluation structure, enabling faster decision-making during actual data access operations and improving overall database service performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If access control statements are evaluated thoroughly to ensure security, then access control reliability is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess control reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The skip count mechanism enables the system to skip evaluating remaining arguments after determining that access can be denied or granted based on previous argument evaluations. For example, in an AND condition, if one argument evaluates to false, the system can skip evaluating subsequent arguments since the overall result will be false. This skipping mechanism significantly reduces processing time while maintaining security through thorough initial evaluation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Solution Approach 2:

The evaluation process becomes dynamic rather than static, adapting the number of arguments evaluated based on the results of previous evaluations and the skip counts. The system evaluates arguments in a flexible manner, stopping early when the outcome is determined, thereby reducing processing time while ensuring security through comprehensive evaluation when necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11977650B2Systems and methods for efficient access control
Publication Date: 2024.05.07 UNISYS CORP
  • US11977650B2 patent drawing
  • US11977650B2 patent drawing
  • US11977650B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An apparatus configured for database access control. The apparatus includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions, The instructions include receiving a statement requesting access for a user to data files stored in a non-transitory memory medium; parsing the statement into one or more arguments, wherein each argument ends with a logical operator; computing a skip count for each of the arguments; evaluating the statement using the skip counts to determine whether the access should be granted to the user; retrieving the data files from the non-transitory memory medium; and sending the data files to the user, if the access is granted.