Anonymous Web Service Authentication via URL Tokens

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web services often require user identification through IDs and passwords, which may not be suitable for educational institutions aiming to protect personal information, particularly for students, and there is a need for a service that can be used without assigning such IDs.

Innovation Solution

A web application that allows teachers to create and manage teaching materials and homework assignments, enabling students to access and submit answers without needing a unique account, using a URL and password provided by the teacher, which allows anonymous access and reduces account management burdens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user identification through IDs and passwords is implemented, then user authentication and service management are enabled, but personal information protection is compromised and account management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser authenticationVSAvoidpersonal information exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the user identification function from traditional ID/password systems. Instead of requiring users to have personal accounts with IDs and passwords, the system uses temporary, device-specific identification codes that are automatically generated and transmitted. This separates the authentication function from personal information storage, enabling reliable user identification without exposing personal data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where a server generates and manages temporary identification codes on behalf of users. These codes act as intermediaries between the user device and the service system, allowing authentication without requiring users to directly manage personal credentials. The server mediates the authentication process by validating these temporary codes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If individual user accounts are assigned to students, then service functionality and user tracking are improved, but account management burden and risk of account leakage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice functionalityVSAvoidaccount management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the system automatically generates, distributes, and manages identification codes without requiring manual account creation or management by users. The identification codes are automatically transmitted to student devices, and the system automatically validates them, eliminating the need for students to create or manage personal accounts while maintaining full service functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal identification mechanism that serves multiple functions: authentication, device identification, and service access control. A single identification code system replaces the need for separate account management, password management, and authentication systems, simplifying the overall account management infrastructure while maintaining comprehensive service functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3557850B1Method for providing web service, recording medium recording program for providing web service, and server apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.10.16 CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD
  • EP3557850B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3557850B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3557850B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method includes creating information indicating a first content in response to an operation on a first client terminal, assigning a unique first address on a network to the first content, permitting access to the first address from a second client terminal, which is anonymous, and on which an authentication process with an ID is not performed, editing the first content assigned with the first address, in response to an operation on the second client terminal, storing, in a storage, information on a second content corresponding to the second client terminal as and obtained based on the edited first content, and creating a unique second address on the network to the second content.