Proxied Contact Management System for Privacy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current contact management systems lack a secure mechanism for sharing personal contact information while maintaining privacy and preventing unauthorized access, leading to issues like data duplication, loss of privacy, and unwanted communications.
Innovation Solution
A proxied contact management system (PCMS) that uses a secured information vault with public key infrastructure (PKI) to control access and enable secure, proxied communications, allowing users to specify permissions and receive compensation for the use of their contact information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contact information is stored in multiple places (telephones, PDAs, web databases, PCs), then accessibility and usability are improved, but security and privacy are worsened due to increased exposure to loss and compromise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a contact management system as an intermediary service that mediates between contact information owners and users. The system acts as a trusted third party that stores contact information centrally while providing controlled access to authorized users, eliminating the need for multiple local copies and reducing security exposure points.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact management system provides universal access to contact information through multiple communication channels (telephone, email, fax, mobile) while maintaining a single centralized storage location. This multi-functional system serves both information storage and controlled distribution functions simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If contact information is shared with others, then connectivity and communication are improved, but privacy and control are worsened as information can be lost, duplicated, or accessed unauthorizedly
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic access control mechanisms that allow contact information owners to dynamically grant, revoke, or restrict access to specific users. Permissions can be modified in real-time without affecting other users, enabling flexible adaptation to changing privacy requirements while maintaining secure information sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality control by assigning different access levels and permissions to different users based on their specific needs. Each user receives customized access rights (e.g., read-only, read-write, communication authorization) rather than uniform access, allowing selective sharing while preserving owner control over sensitive information.
3Reliability
If a mechanism is provided to control access to contact information, then security and privacy are improved, but complexity of the system is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The contact management system provides self-service functionality where users can independently manage their own contact information, grant or revoke access to others, and control communication preferences without requiring administrative intervention. This automates access control operations and reduces system complexity by eliminating manual configuration requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that automatically notify contact information owners when new users request access or when permission changes occur. This real-time feedback enables owners to monitor and control access without requiring continuous manual checking, simplifying the user experience while maintaining strong security controls.
4Ease of operation
If contact information is made publicly accessible, then ease of communication is improved, but vulnerability to spam and unwanted communications is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system requires preliminary authentication and authorization before allowing any communication with contact information owners. Users must be explicitly invited and granted permission to contact specific owners, preventing unauthorized or spam communications while maintaining ease of communication for authorized users through streamlined access controls.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for providing a Proxied Contact Management System (PCMS) so that individual owners of personal contact data may control and manage the access and dissemination of their personal data and also control who may contact them. The owner of personal contact data may securely register the data with a secured information vault of the PCMS and specify which other parties may contact them. In this way, duplication of the personal data is avoided, but at the same time is always current. In use, a second party's device, such as a telephone or a PDA may request that the PCMS, under public key infrastructure (PKI) control, establish a connection with the first party. Once verified, the PCMS may establish a proxy connection between the first and second parties according to the permitted mode of communication defined by criteria established by the first party and managed by the PCMS. In this way, personal contact information, such as a telephone number, is kept secure and private and not provided to the second party.