Social Network Access Control for Locking Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access control systems for 'open' environments are costly due to the need for extensive hosting and implementation services, making them impractical for consumers and businesses, especially when requiring increased security measures.
Innovation Solution
An access control system integrated with a social networking platform that allows users to manage access to locking devices via a server hosting social networking services, where users can associate locking devices with their accounts, grant access to others, and notify users of access permissions through a mobile application, utilizing secure short-range communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If extensive hosting and implementation services are used to provide secure access control in open systems, then security reliability is improved, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by integrating access control functionality into an existing social networking platform. The social networking infrastructure serves multiple purposes: user authentication, access control management, notification delivery, and data storage. This eliminates the need for separate hosting and implementation services, reducing costs while maintaining security through the established social networking security framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing users to manage their own access control permissions through the social networking interface. Users can grant or revoke access to locking devices directly through the platform without requiring external hosting services or complex implementation infrastructure. The social networking platform itself provides the necessary authentication and authorization mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional access control systems are implemented with full hosting services, then access control functionality is complete, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges access control functionality with the social networking platform, combining user management, authentication, and access control into a single integrated system. This reduces overall system complexity by eliminating separate hosting infrastructure while maintaining complete access control functionality through the unified social networking interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The social networking platform acts as an intermediary between users and locking devices, providing a simplified interface for access control management. Instead of users directly interacting with complex access control systems, the social networking platform mediates authentication and authorization, reducing the perceived complexity for end users while maintaining robust access control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing accessing to a locking device is disclosed. A group of users can register with a social networking service and an access management application hosted by the social networking service. A first user can grant, to a second user connected to the first user, access to the locking device and contents thereof. The access management application can notify the second user of the access, and the second user can initialize a mobile application on a mobile device. The mobile application can synchronize with the access management application to verify credentials of the second user. The second user can use the mobile device to connect, via a short-range communication connection, to the locking device and open the locking device.