Document Key Computation for Storage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for controlling access to electronic documents require significant storage and communication resources, especially when dealing with a large number of documents and users, as they need to store and manage individual document-specific access control information for each user.
Innovation Solution
A system where a server computes and provides document-specific encryption keys using a user key, reducing the need to store document-specific access control information by using a single user key for multiple documents, and only storing limited information applicable to all documents for a particular user, allowing efficient access control without storing individual document keys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If document-specific access control information is stored for each user in a database, then access control and document usage restrictions can be enforced, but storage and communication resources are significantly consumed especially when dealing with large numbers of documents and users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the document-specific access control information from the centralized database and embeds it directly into the document file itself as metadata or embedded records. This allows the server to enforce access control without querying the database for each document access request, significantly reducing storage and communication overhead while maintaining security enforcement capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The document files become self-contained with their own access control information embedded within them. When a document is accessed, the client device can read the embedded access control records directly from the document file without requiring server-side database lookups, enabling the document to 'serve itself' with its own security credentials
2Reliability
If document-specific access control information is stored for each user, then document usage restrictions can be enforced, but communication resources are significantly consumed especially when dealing with large numbers of documents and users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts access control information from centralized database queries and embeds it directly into document files. This eliminates the need for continuous communication between the server and database for access verification, reducing communication resource consumption while maintaining enforcement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The access control information is prepared and embedded into the document file in advance during document creation or distribution. This preliminary action ensures that all necessary access control data is already available in the document itself, eliminating the need for real-time communication with the server during document access operations
Data Source
AI summary
One exemplary embodiment involves receiving a request for a document key for accessing a document on a client device. The request comprises a user identity identifying a requester requesting access to the document. The request also comprises information about the document. The exemplary embodiment further involves determining, at the server, whether access to the document by the requester is permitted. And, the exemplary embodiment further involves, if access to the document is permitted computing, at the server, the document key using the user identity and using the information about the document. The document key is document specific and, prior to the computing of the document key, the document key is not stored for access by the server. The exemplary embodiment further involves responding to the request by providing the document key for use in accessing the document on the client device.