Secure Message Storage via Component Segmentation and Pointers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Messaging applications face storage challenges due to the need to save secure copies of messages, including large attachments, on communication devices with limited capacity, which can lead to increased storage requirements and data redundancy.

Innovation Solution

A method and system where a communication device compiles a first portion of a message with security encoding, storing only a subset of the message components and using pointers to locate the remaining components, allowing for efficient storage and retrieval while maintaining message integrity and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complete message copies including all components are stored on the communication device, then message retrieval and reference are enabled, but storage capacity requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage retrieval capabilityVSAvoidstorage capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The message is divided into multiple components (e.g., header, body, attachments), and only a first portion containing essential components is stored on the communication device. Pointers to additional components stored on the server are included, allowing selective storage while maintaining retrieval capability through the pointer references.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Only the essential first portion of the message is extracted and stored locally, while other components are referenced through pointers stored on the server. This extraction approach reduces local storage requirements while preserving the ability to retrieve complete message information when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If all message components are stored locally, then complete message access is possible, but data redundancy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage access completenessVSAvoiddata redundancy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Pointers act as intermediaries between the stored first portion and the complete message components stored on the server. These pointers enable the system to access complete message data without storing all components locally, thereby eliminating data redundancy while maintaining access completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If security encoding is applied to the entire message, then message integrity and security are maintained, but storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage securityVSAvoidstorage capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Security encoding is applied selectively to the first portion of the message that is stored locally, rather than the entire message. This segmented approach maintains security for the stored portion while reducing the storage impact of encryption overhead, as only the essential components need protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2458806B1Method and device for storing secured sent message data
Publication Date: 2018.04.04 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2458806B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2458806B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2458806B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and devices for storing sent message data are described. The sent message data corresponds to a message sent to a destination by a communication device (201) via a server. The method includes compiling (305) a first portion of the message which has a plurality of components; applying (310) security encoding to the first portion; and storing (315) the first portion. The first portion includes at least one but not all of the plurality of components in the message, and pointers to the components not included in the first portion.