File Sharing Alias Resolution for Accurate Contact-Channel Delivery

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing file sharing services require users to accurately know and specify the precise contact information of recipients, which becomes burdensome when users have multiple aliases, leading to potential errors in sharing.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an aliasing service that determines an appropriate contact channel for file sharing invitations based on the file recipient's multiple aliases, allowing secure and compliant access to the shared file.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If users are required to manually specify contact information for file sharing, then the file sharing service can deliver files to the correct recipient, but the complexity of managing multiple aliases increases the burden on the file sender

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile delivery accuracyVSAvoidcontact channel management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The aliasing service automatically resolves the appropriate contact channel by querying the recipient's profile data without requiring manual input from the file sender. The system self-determines which alias to use based on the recipient's stored information, eliminating the burden of manual contact channel selection while maintaining accurate file delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The aliasing service acts as an intermediary between the file sender and the recipient's contact channels. It receives the recipient's alias information, queries their profile to determine the appropriate contact channel, and automatically resolves the correct channel for file delivery, thereby simplifying the interaction for users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users have multiple aliases for different contact channels, then they can access files through various platforms, but the file sender must know which alias is appropriate for each recipient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile access flexibilityVSAvoidfile sharing operation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines the appropriate contact channel by querying the recipient's profile data without requiring manual input from the file sender. The system self-determines which alias to use based on the recipient's stored information, eliminating the burden of manual contact channel selection while maintaining accurate file delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The aliasing service queries the recipient's profile data to obtain feedback about their preferred contact channels and alias preferences. This feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically select the most appropriate channel for file delivery, adapting to the recipient's preferences without requiring the sender to manually specify contact information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If the file sharing service uses automatic alias resolution, then the ease of operation improves, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact channel selection easeVSAvoidaliasing service complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The aliasing service is integrated into the existing file sharing platform, utilizing the same database infrastructure and user profile systems that are already in place. By leveraging existing universal components (user profiles, contact channel databases), the system achieves automatic alias resolution without requiring entirely new complex infrastructure, thus limiting the increase in system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If the system automatically determines the contact channel based on recipient profile, then the reliability of file delivery improves, but the loss of information about the sender's intended alias increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile delivery accuracyVSAvoidsender's alias preference information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The recipient's contact channel preferences and alias information are pre-stored in their profile data before the file sharing operation. This preliminary action of pre-configuring recipient profiles with their preferred contact channels allows the system to automatically resolve the correct channel during file sharing without needing to query or store additional information about the sender's intentions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12436921B2File sharing aliasing service

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A file sharing service having an aliasing service for use with a file sharing program is disclosed. The aliasing service receives a file sharing invitation from a file sender account of the file sharing program. The file sharing invitation is addressed to a first contact channel of a set of contact channels. A second contact channel is determined from the set of contact channels based on the file sharing account. The file sharing invitation is sent to the second contact channel, in which the first contact channel is different than the second contact channel.