Hierarchical User Authorization for Digital Mixer IP Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing digital mixer systems lack effective protection for suppliers' know-how and custom components, as users with high authorization can access and modify mixer constructions and parameters, compromising the protection of suppliers' intellectual property.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a user authorization management system that uses a tree-like hierarchical structure, where users are assigned parent-child relationships, and authentication information is embedded within the program or data, requiring multiple login attempts to access sensitive functions, thereby making it difficult for malicious users to break protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If administrator authorization is granted to a user who has purchased a mixer construction, then the user can access and edit all mixer constructions and parameters, but the supplier's know-how is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser access to mixer constructionVSAvoidprotection of supplier's know-how

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The user authorization is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels (administrator, operator, viewer) with distinct permission sets. This allows fine-grained control where operators can access mixer constructions for use but cannot modify them, while administrators retain full access. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling operational access without compromising supplier know-how protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality levels of access are assigned to different user groups. Operators receive local quality access (can use but not edit) while administrators receive full quality access (can edit). This local differentiation allows the system to provide adequate operational functionality while protecting sensitive supplier information from unauthorized modification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If password protection is implemented for additional functions, then access security is improved, but the risk of know-how protection being broken increases due to multiple password entry attempts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess securityVSAvoidrisk of know-how protection breach

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

User accounts are pre-configured with hierarchical authorization levels and permission sets before they attempt to access protected functions. The system proactively establishes security boundaries through pre-defined user groups and permission matrices, eliminating the need for reactive password protection that could be exploited through multiple attempts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The hierarchical authorization system acts as an intermediary between user access requests and the protected mixer construction data. This intermediary layer validates user credentials and authorization levels before allowing access, providing a secure mechanism that prevents direct password-guessing attacks while maintaining operational functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If detailed protection contents are included in advance in the program or data, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection effectivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hierarchical authorization system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides user authentication, access control, permission management, and know-how protection. By consolidating these functions into a unified multi-functional framework, the system achieves detailed protection effectiveness without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same structural elements handle multiple security and operational tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7810164B2User management method, and computer program having user authorization management function

Publication Date: 2010.10.05 YAMAHA CORP

AI summary

Information entered by a user at the time of logging on is also used in a check to be performed in response to a request for use/edit of a program or data related to an additional function. Authentication information of the user using a program or data related to the additional function is included in advance in the program or data, so that, when the user has made a request for using/edit the program or data, it is checked whether or not the user is a user authorized to use the additional function, using the information entered by the user at the time of logging on and the authentication information. To perform user management for creating an account of a user using an apparatus or software and setting authorization of a user in using the apparatus or software, a plurality of users have parent-child relationships with a highest-position, root user at the top. Each user as a parent is allowed to add a child user, and each parent user is allowed to set authorization of a user lower in hierarchical position than the child user. The parent-child relationships of the users are displayed on a display. Each of the users can give any settable user authorization equal to or lower than its own user authorization.