Granular Access Control for Productivity Document Contents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing file systems lack the capability to selectively control access to descriptive contents within productivity documents, such as text, graphics, and audio/video elements, which is crucial for protecting sensitive information in collaborative work environments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows granular compartmentalization of access to descriptive contents within productivity documents by using a hierarchy of user profiles and repositories, enabling selective permissions for users to access and edit specific content while maintaining real-time collaboration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If computing file system access control is applied to productivity documents, then document-level security is improved, but granular control over descriptive contents within the document is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the productivity document into multiple descriptive contents (text, images, audio, video, tables) and applies access control to each segment independently. This allows different users to have different permission levels for different parts of the same document, achieving granular control while maintaining overall document security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different access permissions to different descriptive contents within the same document. Each descriptive content can have its own set of permitted users, allowing the document owner to specify exactly which users can access which parts of the document, rather than applying a uniform permission level to the entire document.
2Reliability
If granular access control is implemented for descriptive contents, then information security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the access control mechanism from the file system level and implements it at the application level within the productivity document. By taking out the access control functionality from the underlying file system and embedding it within the document structure itself, the system achieves granular control without requiring complex file system modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the users and the descriptive contents, which manages permission checks and access control logic. This intermediary mechanism handles the complexity of granular permission management internally, presenting a simplified interface to users while maintaining sophisticated access control behind the scenes.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If selective access control is applied to descriptive contents, then unauthorized access prevention is improved, but collaborative work efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic access control where permissions can be adjusted in real-time based on collaboration needs. The system allows document owners to dynamically grant or revoke access to specific descriptive contents during collaborative sessions, enabling flexible permission management that adapts to changing collaboration requirements without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal access control mechanism that works across all types of descriptive contents (text, images, audio, video, tables) and all types of users. This multi-functional permission system provides a unified approach to access control that maintains security while supporting diverse collaboration scenarios, preventing unauthorized access while enabling legitimate collaborative work.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure enables various computing technologies for selectively controlling access to descriptive contents within productivity documents. As such, these forms of access control may be technologically useful in work environments involving sensitive information (e.g., classified information, confidential information, private information) by providing granular compartmentalization of the sensitive information within the productivity documents. For example, when the work environments employ collaborative productivity computing environments (e.g., Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace) to access (e.g., read, edit) the sensitive information, then these forms of access control may provide the granular compartmentalization of the sensitive information within the collaborative productivity computing environments, whether for an individual productivity application or across a suite of productivity applications, while still enabling real-time user collaboration.