Anonymous Conference Access via Intermediary Authentication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Enterprise networks typically restrict access to conferences, preventing users without credentials from participating in Audio/Video conferencing and data sharing events hosted within the network.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a mechanism for organizing and securely joining anonymous conferences, where anonymous users can participate using a conference identifier and key, allowing external users to join without enterprise credentials through a communications manager that utilizes encryption and authentication protocols.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If enterprise networks restrict access to conferences using credentials, then network security is maintained, but external users cannot participate in conferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconference accessibilityVSAvoidnetwork security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism that mediates between enterprise security requirements and external user access needs. The system uses conference-specific authentication tokens and temporary credentials as intermediaries, allowing external users to join conferences without having full enterprise credentials, thus resolving the contradiction between security and accessibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the authentication system into different credential types: full enterprise credentials for internal users and simplified conference-specific credentials for external users. This segmentation allows the system to maintain strict security for enterprise resources while providing easy access to conference functions for external participants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If external users are allowed to join conferences, then collaboration is enhanced, but the complexity of access management increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaboration capabilityVSAvoidaccess management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal authentication system that handles both internal enterprise users and external users through a unified conference access mechanism. The same conference invitation and authentication infrastructure serves dual purposes: maintaining security for internal users while enabling easy access for external users, thus reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service capabilities where conference organizers can independently manage external user access through automated invitation systems. External users can join conferences using automatically generated credentials without requiring manual approval or complex administrative intervention, reducing the burden on access management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8423470B2Distributed secure anonymous conferencing

Publication Date: 2013.04.16 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A communications manager of an enterprise receives an add-conference request to host a conference by the enterprise from an organizer client, wherein the conference to enable an anonymous user that does not have enterprise credentials to join the conference. The communications manager sends an add-conference response to the organizer client indicating that the conference is organized.