Policy Engine for Temporary Social Media Content Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing social media network systems grant permanent access to shared electronic content, which is not suitable for temporary or restricted sharing with professional or business contacts.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize a policy engine to manage access to electronic content by retrieving relationship information and applying user-defined access rules, specifying a period of time and scope of access, allowing temporary access based on identifiable characteristics and denying access when the time expires.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If permanent access is granted to shared electronic content, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of information control worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to electronic contentVSAvoidcontrol over content availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the access rights time-dependent and changeable. Access permissions are no longer static but dynamic, automatically expiring after a specified period. This allows the system to adapt access control over time without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and information control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of access duration from permanent to temporary by introducing a time expiration parameter. The access rule includes a specified time period after which access automatically terminates. This parameter change enables users to maintain control over content availability while preserving ease of access during the authorized period.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If temporary access control is implemented, then loss of information control is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol over content availabilityVSAvoidaccess management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the access control system to automatically manage time-based permissions without requiring continuous manual intervention. The policy engine automatically enforces expiration rules and manages access rights, reducing the need for complex manual administration while maintaining information control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a policy engine as an intermediary component that handles the complexity of time-based access control. This mediator layer manages the sophisticated access rules and expiration logic, isolating the complexity from the core system and users while providing simplified interfaces for access management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If access rules specify time periods and content scope, then loss of information is reduced, but ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol over access scopeVSAvoidaccess request process
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having users pre-configure their access rules with specified time periods and content scopes in advance. The policy engine then automatically applies these pre-defined rules to access requests, eliminating the need for manual evaluation of each request while maintaining granular control over access scope and duration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2586171B1Method, server and system for granting temporary access to electronic content
Publication Date: 2015.08.26 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2586171B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2586171B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2586171B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A method, server, and system for granting a first user (11) temporary access to a electronic content of a second user (12) in a social media network. The server (14) receives a request (1) originating from the first user (11) to access the second user's content. A policy engine functions in the server (14) retrieves (3) from a relationship database (15) relationship information (4) regarding a relationship between the two users (11, 12). If an access rule (5) matching the relationship information is stored in the server (14), the policy engine function applies the access rule to control access by the first user (11) for a period of time specified in the rule. If an access rule is not stored, the policy engine function in the server (14) obtains (6) the access rule from the second user (12).