Activity-Based Access Permissions for Collaborative Content Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content management systems face challenges in assigning fine-grained, user-specific access permissions efficiently, especially in collaborative environments with numerous users and content objects, leading to cumbersome manual tasks and inconsistent permission settings.

Innovation Solution

An activity-based permissions model is formed from historical content object access activity to automatically determine and recommend user-specific access permissions, reducing the need for manual intervention and improving scalability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If automatic inheritance of access permissions is implemented at the folder level, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assigning access permissionsVSAvoidprecision of access permission control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments access permissions into two levels: automatic folder-level inheritance for broad access control and manual file-level overrides for fine-grained control. This allows users to benefit from automated permission assignment at the folder level while maintaining the ability to specify precise permissions for individual files when needed, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and precision of control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables local quality by allowing file-specific access permissions to override folder-level inherited permissions. Each file can have its own access permission settings that are more specific than the general folder permissions, enabling precise control where needed while maintaining automated inheritance for files where general permissions suffice.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If manual assignment of user-specific permissions is implemented, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of access permission controlVSAvoidease of assigning access permissions

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by automatically assigning access permissions to files based on their folder location before users need to access them. Files inherit permissions from their parent folders automatically, eliminating the need for users to manually configure permissions for each file. Users can later override these pre-assigned permissions for individual files if more precise control is needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If fine-grained access control is implemented, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of access permission controlVSAvoidcomplexity of permission management system

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the permission management system into automated folder-level inheritance and manual file-level overrides. This segmentation allows the system to handle the majority of permission assignments automatically through inheritance, reducing the perceived complexity for users, while maintaining the capability for fine-grained control at the file level when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If automated permission inheritance is implemented, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of permission assignmentVSAvoidprecision of access permission control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the permission assignment system adaptable: files can dynamically inherit permissions from their parent folders, but users can also dynamically override these inherited permissions for individual files when more precise control is required. This dynamic approach allows the system to switch between automated inheritance and manual control based on the specific needs of each file.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12625990B2Activity-based content object access permissions

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 BOX INC

AI summary

Methods, systems and computer program products for content management systems. The techniques of the methods, systems and/or computer program products automatically determine activity-based content object access permissions and/or make a recommendation of activity-based content object access permissions. A machine learning model is formed from observations of user interactions over a plurality of content objects. The model is continually updated based on ongoing observation and analysis of user interaction events. When a collaborative relationship is formed between an invitor and one or more invitees, the activity-based permissions model is accessed to determine a set of access permissions to assign to the collaborative relationship. A single collaborative relationship may cover many collaboration objects. In some cases, a set of access permissions are automatically assigned to the collaborative relationship. In other cases, a set of access permissions is presented to the invitor as a recommendation. A user can accept or reject any recommendation.