Persistent Mutable Sharing Links for Electronic Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current file sync and share services have limited flexibility in sharing operations, often requiring a single sharing state per shared object, which restricts the ability to manage access permissions and expiration dates, and can lead to unintended deactivation of sharing links when changes are made.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that generates durable sharing links with associated metadata, allowing users to manage sharing settings such as access permissions and expiration dates without affecting existing links, and enables multiple sharing operations per shared object, with the ability to track and modify sharing history.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single sharing state is enforced per shared object, then the system is simpler to manage, but the flexibility to manage access permissions and expiration dates is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sharing state into multiple independent sharing links, each with its own metadata (access permissions, expiration dates). This allows different sharing configurations to coexist without interfering with each other, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and complexity by dividing the monolithic sharing state into manageable pieces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by allowing multiple sharing links with different expiration dates and permission sets. Instead of a single static sharing state, the system now operates in a multi-dimensional space where each dimension represents a different sharing configuration, enabling flexible access control without linearly increasing complexity.
2Reliability
If sharing settings are changed, then access control can be updated, but existing sharing links may be inadvertently deactivated
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the sharing state into multiple independent links, changing settings for one link does not affect other links. Each link's metadata is independently modifiable, allowing administrators to update access control for specific sharing scenarios without inadvertently deactivating unrelated sharing links, thus improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary validation when modifying sharing settings, checking whether the change would affect existing links. This preliminary action prevents inadvertent deactivation by alerting users or automatically adjusting settings before changes are applied, resolving the contradiction between reliable link stability and easy settings modification.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sharing operations are allowed per shared object, then personalized access control is enabled, but tracking and managing sharing history becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that automatically track and log each sharing operation's metadata (permissions, expiration dates, recipients). This automated feedback system records sharing history without requiring manual tracking, resolving the contradiction between personalized access control and management complexity by making the system self-monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-service capabilities where the sharing infrastructure automatically manages and tracks multiple sharing operations. The metadata associated with each link serves as self-documenting information, allowing the system to autonomously track sharing history without additional complexity, enabling personalized access control while maintaining manageable tracking.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system is configured to provide access to electronic content. The computing system includes a processor, a data store, an access control system, and a user interface component. The data store is coupled to the processor and is configured to store the electronic content. The access control system control system is configured to selectively allow a requestor to access the electronic content based on a stored metadata setting that is associated with the link. The user interface component is configured to receive a setting change related to a share associated with the link and to persist metadata associated with the setting change.