P2P Social Network Diagram for Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, determining the true degree of separation between an originating node and a recipient node for content access is challenging due to tortuous flow paths, which can lead to incorrect access permissions and network burdens.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for providing an updatable social network diagram that receives access tickets and determines the true degree of separation based on the delivery route and past delivery routes, using a communication element and updating element to ensure accurate relationship tracking and access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If nodes in a P2P network share content through ad hoc connections, then information transfer ease and user convenience are improved, but network security and access control become difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing trust relationships and degree of separation metrics before content sharing occurs. Nodes register their relationships with other nodes in advance, creating a social network diagram that stores trust information. When a content sharing request arrives, the system already has the necessary trust data to make access decisions without requiring real-time verification of the entire network path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of intermediate nodes that act as mediators between the originating node and recipient node. These intermediate nodes vouch for the recipient's trustworthiness by endorsing the access request based on their pre-established relationships. The intermediary nodes create a chain of trust that allows secure content sharing without requiring direct verification between all parties.
2Reliability
If nodes place limits on degree of separation for content access, then network security is improved, but legitimate content sharing among connected users is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic access control by allowing nodes to adjust their degree of separation limits based on context and user preferences. Rather than enforcing fixed, rigid limits, nodes can dynamically modify their trust thresholds depending on the type of content being shared, the relationship with the requesting node, and current network conditions. This dynamic approach enables security policies to adapt to different scenarios while maintaining overall network security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of degree of separation from a static binary condition to a multi-dimensional metric that can be adjusted and weighted. Nodes can modify parameters such as trust weight, relationship strength, and separation threshold to balance security and accessibility. By making these parameters changeable, the system can optimize for either security or flexibility depending on the specific content sharing scenario.
3Measurement precision
If the system tracks all delivery routes of access tickets, then measurement precision of degree of separation is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential elements needed for degree of separation measurement from the complete delivery route information. Rather than storing and processing every detail of each access ticket delivery path, the system extracts key metrics such as the number of intermediate nodes, trust weights, and relationship types. This extraction approach maintains measurement precision while reducing the complexity of the social network diagram by focusing on salient features rather than complete path histories.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by tracking only a subset of delivery route information that is sufficient for accurate degree of separation measurement. Instead of maintaining complete records of all possible paths and intermediate steps, the system tracks the essential components needed to determine trust relationships. This partial tracking approach achieves the necessary measurement precision without the excessive complexity of comprehensive path monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for providing a social network diagram in a P2P network device includes a communication element and an updating element. The communication element is configured to receive an access ticket from an originating node, the access ticket for accessing content via a network. The updating element is configured to determine a true degree of separation between the originating node and the apparatus embodied as a recipient node based on a delivery route of the access ticket and past delivery routes of past access tickets.