Gateway Service for Multi-Provider Identity Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of managing multiple identities and tokens across various backend services in mobile applications, especially with the integration of internal and external identity providers, leads to difficulties in token management, mapping, and security concerns, particularly in the context of emerging IoT devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a centralized gateway service to manage tokens and identities, creating service templates to abstract identity management from developers, allowing a single token for multiple services, and securely storing long-lived tokens on the server side, while enabling offline authentication and token lifecycle management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single identity provider is used for authentication, then the system is simple to implement and tokens are easy to manage, but the system lacks the capability to handle multiple identities and services required by modern applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway service as an intermediary layer between mobile devices and backend services. This gateway manages token mapping and identity resolution, allowing the system to support multiple identities without requiring developers to directly manage the complexity. The gateway acts as a mediator that translates between simple device requests and complex multi-identity backend requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the identity management functionality into distinct components: the gateway service handles token mapping and identity resolution, while the backend services focus on their core functions. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining multi-identity support.
2Reliability
If developers manually map tokens to services, then specific service requirements can be met, but the developer burden increases and the system becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway service implements self-service by automatically resolving token mappings based on service templates and identity information. Instead of requiring developers to manually configure each token mapping, the system autonomously performs the mapping based on predefined templates and the gateway's intelligence, reducing developer effort while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining service templates that contain the mapping logic between tokens and services. These templates are configured in advance, allowing the gateway to automatically resolve mappings without requiring real-time developer intervention. This preliminary configuration ensures accuracy while reducing operational burden.
3Ease of operation
If backend services are directly exposed to devices, then service access is simple, but security risks increase and token management becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway service serves as a security intermediary between devices and backend services. It validates tokens, manages authentication, and controls access to backend services without exposing them directly to devices. This intermediary layer maintains security while preserving simple service access for end users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the system into a public-facing gateway layer and protected backend service layers. The gateway handles all authentication and authorization, while backend services remain hidden and secure. This segmentation allows simple device-gateway interaction while maintaining strong security boundaries.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple tokens are managed on the device, then access to multiple services is enabled, but the user burden increases and token security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts token management functionality from the device and relocates it to the gateway service. Devices only need to store a single identity token, while the gateway manages all the complexity of multiple service tokens. This extraction reduces device complexity while maintaining multi-service access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway acts as an intermediary that manages the relationship between the device's single identity token and the multiple service tokens required by backend services. It performs the necessary token translations and mappings, allowing devices to access multiple services without directly managing multiple tokens.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and processes of advanced identity management over multiple identity providers deployable through mobile applications are provided. The process, e.g., method, includes requesting a backend service from multiple backend services by a requesting device. The method further includes exposing the requested backend service though a call in by a gateway service using a token mapped to the requested backend service, without exposing any of the backend services directly to the requesting device.