PII Mask Templates for Building Data Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building management systems face challenges in efficiently managing and protecting large volumes of private data from various interconnected devices, requiring effective access control and data protection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A building management system that utilizes a processing circuit to select and apply mask templates based on access values, generating masked information data structures to protect private information while allowing authorized access, using masking operators such as replacement, encryption, and attribute-level access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional access control methods are used to manage private data, then data security is maintained, but storage requirements increase and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses template copies instead of storing complete access control lists for each user. A master template containing all access rules is stored once, and the system dynamically applies this template to generate user-specific access views, eliminating the need to store multiple redundant copies of the same access control data.
Solution Approach 2:
The access control template serves multiple functions simultaneously: it defines data visibility rules, implements security policies, and generates user-specific data views. This single universal structure replaces what would traditionally require separate storage for access rules, user permissions, and data masking configurations.
2Reliability
If traditional access control methods are used to manage private data, then data security is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the access control system into a static template portion (stored once) and a dynamic application portion (generated per user). This segmentation separates the complex access control logic from the data it protects, making the system easier to manage and modify without affecting the underlying data structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The access control template acts as an intermediary layer between the raw private data and user requests. Instead of implementing complex access control logic directly in data retrieval operations, the template serves as a pre-configured mediator that automatically applies security rules, simplifying the overall system architecture.
3Reliability
If comprehensive access control is implemented for all users, then data protection is improved, but access efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring all access control rules in the template before any user requests data. The template is prepared in advance with all necessary masking and visibility rules, so that when a user requests data, the system simply applies the pre-computed template rather than evaluating complex access control logic in real-time.
Data Source
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AI summary
A building system for operating a building and managing private building information includes a processing circuit configured to receive a request for information for a building entity of a building entity database. The processing circuit is configured to select one of the mask templates from the entity database based on access values associated with the requesting device and a relational link between the building entity and the mask templates, retrieve private information for the building entity in response to a reception of the request for the information, and generate a masked information data structure based on the private information and the one of the mask templates.