Automated Assistant Access Control List for Cross-User Resource Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated assistants lack the ability to access and manipulate user-controlled resources of other users, limiting their functionality in tasks that require coordination or interaction with multiple users, such as scheduling meetings or modifying shopping lists, without manual intervention.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where a first user can provide natural language input to an automated assistant to access user-controlled resources of a second user by checking an access control list, allowing the automated assistant to read from or write to those resources, and even proactively engage the second user based on predefined tasks and events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated assistant checks access control list to determine appropriate access rights, then security and user control are improved, but task completion capability across multiple users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an access control list as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the first user's automated assistant and the second user's resources. The access control list stores predefined access rights and relationships, allowing the system to automatically verify and grant access without manual intervention, thus resolving the contradiction between security and task completion capability
Solution Approach 2:
The access control list is pre-configured with user relationships and access permissions before actual task execution. By performing the access rights determination in advance and storing the results, the system enables rapid task completion while maintaining security, as the access control list already contains the necessary authorization information
2Adaptability or versatility
If automated assistant accesses user-controlled resources of other users, then task coordination capability is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The access control list serves multiple functions: it stores user relationships, defines access permissions, and enables cross-user resource access. This universal structure handles various task coordination scenarios (calendar sharing, shopping list collaboration, etc.) through a single mechanism, improving versatility without proportionally increasing system complexity
3Loss of time
If automated assistant proactively engages second user based on events, then task timeliness is improved, but automation complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The automated assistant automatically monitors events and triggers proactive engagement with the second user based on predefined conditions in the access control list. The system serves itself by autonomously determining when and how to engage the second user, eliminating the need for manual timing and coordination while maintaining task timeliness
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described herein for allowing automated assistants serving users to access data controlled by others, including resources available to automated assistants serving others. In various implementations, a voice input may be received from a first user. A task request may be recognized from the voice input and analyzed. In response to the analysis, a determination may be made that the task request relates to a second user. An access control list relating to an automated assistant engaged by the second user may be checked to determine whether the first user has appropriate access rights as regards the second user. In response to determining that the first user has appropriate access rights as regards the second user, action may be taken on the task request.