Telepresence Robot Access Control for Restricted Locations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Telepresence robots lack effective access control mechanisms, allowing unauthorized users to access restricted areas, compromising security and usability.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes an authentication engine to verify user credentials and a credential engine to generate and manage access rights for telepresence robots, ensuring that robots can only access locations corresponding to the user's permissions, while preventing unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If telepresence robots are provided with access rights to physical locations, then the robots can navigate to and access restricted areas for users, but unauthorized users may be able to control the robot and access locations they should not be able to reach
Solution Approach 1:
The access rights system is segmented into robot-level credentials and user-level authentication. The robot holds institutional credentials for location access, while users undergo separate authentication processes. This segmentation allows the robot to maintain access capabilities while preventing unauthorized users from exploiting robot credentials.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary authentication system is introduced between the user and the robot's access rights. The system verifies user credentials and dynamically grants or restricts access based on user authorization levels, acting as a mediator that prevents direct misuse of robot access rights while maintaining legitimate access pathways.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the telepresence robot is restricted from accessing certain locations, then security is improved, but the robot cannot fulfill its intended purpose of allowing users to access those locations
Solution Approach 1:
The access rights system is made dynamic rather than static. Access credentials are granted temporarily and can be revoked or modified in real-time based on user authentication and authorization. This allows the system to maintain security restrictions while enabling authorized users to access restricted locations when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of access rights from fixed robot credentials to variable user-specific permissions. By changing parameters such as authentication requirements, time limits, and location-specific access levels, the system maintains security while enabling legitimate access for authorized users.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the telepresence robot uses shared access rights, then multiple users can control the robot, but any user can access locations regardless of their individual authorization levels
Solution Approach 1:
The unified access rights are segmented into individual user permission profiles. Each user's authorization level is separately evaluated and enforced, preventing any single user from accessing locations beyond their authorized scope while still allowing multiple users to control the robot.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that continuously verify user authorization before and during robot operation. Access decisions are dynamically adjusted based on real-time authentication results, ensuring that each user's actions remain within their authorized boundaries while maintaining multi-user operational capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An example non-transitory computer-readable medium includes instructions. The instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine access rights of a telepresence robot to a physical location based on access rights of a user that is to control the telepresence robot. The instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to assign the determined access rights to the telepresence robot.