Temporary Subuser Access for Private Folder Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sharing files on computing devices face privacy concerns and compatibility issues due to users sharing account credentials or directly transferring files, leading to difficulty in tracking changes and potential incompatibilities.
Innovation Solution
Creating a temporary subuser account with limited permissions on a user device, allowing access to a specific folder while maintaining privacy and control over the subuser's actions, and enabling restoration to the original folder state if needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users share account credentials to access files, then file sharing is enabled, but privacy is compromised and tracking changes becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments user access into distinct entities: the original user account and temporary subuser accounts. Instead of sharing full account credentials, the system creates isolated subuser accounts with limited permissions, allowing file access while preserving the original user's privacy and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the user account structure (subuser account) that replicates necessary access rights without copying the original user's identity or full permissions. The subuser account is a temporary replica that provides file access while maintaining separation from the original user account.
2Loss of information
If users directly transfer files to share, then privacy is maintained, but compatibility issues arise and tracking changes is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporary subuser account as an intermediary between the original user and the file access. This intermediary manages permissions, compatibility settings, and change tracking, allowing the original user to maintain privacy while enabling compatible file sharing through controlled subuser access.
3Loss of information
If temporary subuser account is created with limited permissions, then privacy and control are maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs temporary subuser accounts that are created only when needed for file sharing and automatically removed afterward. These short-lived accounts simplify long-term management by avoiding permanent account creations, reducing the complexity burden despite adding temporary management overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically creating the subuser account, setting permissions, and establishing version control before the user needs access. This automation reduces manual configuration complexity and ensures proper setup without requiring complex user intervention.
4Loss of information
If version control directory is maintained in the folder, then change tracking is enabled, but folder structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the version control functionality into a separate, dedicated directory structure that is automatically managed by the subuser account system. This separates change tracking from the main folder contents, allowing version control to be maintained without complicating the user's primary folder structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques described herein relate to a method for managing user device users. The method includes, in response to obtaining a subuser account creation request: obtaining subuser arguments from a user of a user device specifying: a folder of a user file system, and a subuser; generating a subuser account for the subuser and setting subuser permissions based on the subuser arguments; generating a snapshot of the folder; updating a version control directory in the folder with the snapshot; removing the version control directory from the folder; associating user configuration files to the subuser account; and initiating subuser access of the folder based on the subuser permissions and the user configuration files, wherein the subuser is allowed to make modifications to at least one file included in the folder using the subuser account.