Secure Image Sharing via Link-Based Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Direct Secure Messaging standards have limitations in sharing large files or continuously changing data, such as medical images or studies, which are not accommodated by the attachment size limitations, hindering the secure sharing of electronic health records that include sizable images or data from sources like physiologic monitors.
Innovation Solution
An image-sharing server system that receives and stores protected resources, generates links for accessing these resources, and includes them in secure email messages, allowing trusted recipients to stream images securely over a network using HTTPS, thereby avoiding attachment size limitations while maintaining compliance with Meaningful Use criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Direct Secure Messaging standards are used to share health information, then security and authentication are improved, but attachment size limitations prevent sharing of large medical images and continuously changing data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the large medical image data from the email attachment and stores it separately in a repository. The email only contains a reference or link to the stored data, bypassing attachment size limitations while maintaining secure transmission of the reference information through Direct Secure Messaging channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary repository system that mediates between the sender and receiver. Instead of directly attaching large files to emails, the system uses an intermediate storage layer where data is deposited and referenced, allowing secure sharing without size constraints while maintaining the trusted communication channel.
2Reliability
If medical images are shared through secure email attachments, then secure access is maintained, but continuously changing data from physiologic monitors cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal repository system that can accommodate multiple types of data including static medical images and continuously changing physiologic monitor data. The same secure access mechanism works for both static and dynamic data types, providing multi-functional capability while maintaining security through the trusted Direct messaging channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic data sharing by allowing the repository to store and update continuously changing data from physiologic monitors. The system transitions from static email attachments to dynamic web-accessible data that can be updated in real-time while maintaining secure access controls through the original Direct messaging authentication.
Data Source
AI summary
A server system for distributing information securely includes a network interface for receiving, over a network, an information object accompanied by metadata. A repository stores the information object. Metadata is mapped to electronic addresses of trusted recipients. A processor is configured to generate a link for accessing the information object in the repository, acquire an electronic address of a trusted recipient based on the metadata accompanying the information object, insert the link into an electronic message addressed to the electronic address of the trusted recipient, and send the electronic message with the link to the trusted recipient. The processor is further configured to receive, over a second network, a request for the information object sent from a user device in response to an activation of the link, retrieve the information object from the repository, and transmit the information object to a browser of the user device over the second network.