Password Protecting Selected Message Content in Messaging Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Messaging systems lack effective mechanisms to protect sensitive content from being accessed by users outside a designated group, compromising user privacy and data security.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a password protection feature within the messaging system that allows users to select and protect specific content items within a group profile interface, requiring authentication for access, thereby restricting access to authorized users only.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If messaging systems allow free access to all message content within a group, then ease of operation is improved, but user privacy and data security deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to message contentVSAvoiduser privacy and data security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing password protection for specific selected content items rather than requiring authentication for all message content. Users can designate individual photos, videos, or other content as password-protected while leaving other content freely accessible, thus maintaining ease of operation for general content while securing sensitive specific items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If messaging systems implement password protection for all content, then user privacy and data security are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacy and data securityVSAvoidaccess to message content

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by allowing users to apply password protection only to specific content items that require security, rather than requiring password protection for all message content. This selective approach provides adequate security for sensitive content while avoiding unnecessary authentication barriers for non-sensitive content, thus maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Device complexity

If messaging systems provide no access control mechanisms, then device complexity is reduced, but harmful factors increase due to unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess control mechanismVSAvoidunauthorized access to content

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary password authentication mechanism that sits between the user and password-protected content. When a user attempts to access protected content, the system mediates access by requiring password verification, thus blocking unauthorized access while maintaining a relatively simple overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11799846B2Password protecting selected message content

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 SNAP INC

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a program and method for password protecting selected message content. The program and method provide for receiving selection of a content item shared between a first user and a second user, in association with a messaging application; receiving input indicating that access to the content item requires user authentication by the first user or the second user; and providing for access to the content item based on the user selection and the input.