Middleware Server Authorization for SNS Content Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users cannot access and share Social Network Service (SNS) contents without a connection relationship, limiting content exchange even if the content provider intends to share.

Innovation Solution

A communication system utilizing a middleware server that generates and manages authorization keys and tokens based on an open authorization protocol, allowing users to share SNS contents even without a direct connection relationship by obtaining and transmitting these keys and tokens between users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a connection relationship is required in SNS to access contents, then security and privacy are maintained, but content accessibility and sharing capability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent access controlVSAvoidcontent sharing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a middleware server as an intermediary between the SNS provider and the portable terminal. This mediator obtains authorization keys from the SNS provider and manages content sharing without requiring direct connection relationships between users. The middleware server acts as a bridge that enables content access while maintaining security through controlled authorization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the content access process into separate functional components: the SNS provider maintains user accounts and authorization keys, the middleware server handles content retrieval and distribution, and the portable terminal displays contents. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, enabling content sharing without requiring direct user-to-user connection relationships in the SNS.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If authorization keys and tokens are managed through a middleware server, then content sharing without connection relationship is enabled, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent sharing capabilityVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The middleware server is designed with multi-functionality, handling multiple tasks including obtaining authorization keys from the SNS provider, managing authorization tokens, retrieving content from the SNS provider, and distributing content to portable terminals. By consolidating these functions into a single server component, the patent reduces overall system complexity while enabling versatile content sharing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9219608B2Apparatus and method for sharing contents of Social Network Service in communication system

Publication Date: 2015.12.22 SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION

AI summary

A system, apparatus, and method in a communication system allow sharing contents of users by acquiring an access right even if there is no connection relationship in a Social Network Service (SNS). The system includes an SNS provider and a middleware server. The SNS provider provides the SNS and generates an authorization key and an authorization token according to an open authorization protocol. The middleware server obtains contents of a second user from the SNS provider by using an authorization key of the second user when a first user requests sharing SNS contents of the second user, and transmits the contents of the second user to the first user.