Cross-App Data Sharing Policy Mediation for Secure Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in determining whether and how to share personal data among applications while adhering to varying policies and capabilities of different entities involved, such as applications, operating systems, and platforms, leading to potential misuse or unauthorized data sharing.
Innovation Solution
A system is developed to determine data sharing based on capabilities, policies, and configurations of applications, with method calls processed to ensure compliance with defined parameters, and user authorization for access, allowing or denying data access based on conflicts, and updating applications and operating systems accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data sharing is allowed among applications to improve service effectiveness, then advertisement and service effectiveness is improved, but data misuse and unauthorized sharing risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a mediator between applications seeking data and data sources. This intermediary evaluates data sharing requests against multiple policies (application policies, platform policies, user preferences) and determines whether sharing is permitted. The intermediary process prevents direct unauthorized access while enabling legitimate data sharing for improved service effectiveness.
2Reliability
If multiple entities' policies are enforced to prevent data misuse, then data security is improved, but complexity of determining data sharing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the policy evaluation process into distinct components: application-level policies, platform-level policies, and user preference settings. Each policy layer is evaluated separately in a hierarchical manner, allowing the system to manage complexity by breaking down the overall policy determination into manageable segments that can be processed independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining policies and permissions for each entity (applications, platforms, users) before data sharing requests occur. These pre-established policies are stored and readily available for rapid evaluation when sharing requests are made, eliminating the need for complex real-time negotiations and reducing evaluation complexity.
3Ease of operation
If user authorization is required for data access, then data control is improved, but processing time for data requests increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by obtaining user authorizations and preferences in advance, before actual data sharing requests are made. Users pre-configure which applications can access their data and under what conditions. When data requests occur, the system simply checks against these pre-established permissions rather than requiring real-time user interaction, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining user control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for data sharing between applications. A first application may attempt to access data associated with a second application, an operating system, and/or a cloud service. An operating system may determine whether to grant access based on one or more factors such as device capability, an application declaration, a user setting, a user acknowledgement, and/or a data sharing policy.