Virtual Collaboration Center for Secure Document Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sharing sensitive documents, such as extranets, email, white rooms, and online file sharing services, lack robust security, process automation, and equal footing for corporations and their customers or suppliers, with limited control and traceability once documents are shared.
Innovation Solution
A virtual collaboration center system comprising a document server, domain controller, policy server, and collaboration server that provides secure cloud-based access, digital rights management, and robust user management, ensuring equal footing for all parties and maintaining control over shared documents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If sensitive documents are shared via email, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secure collaboration platform as an intermediary between users and documents. This platform provides encrypted document storage, controlled access mechanisms, and audit trails, thereby maintaining ease of document sharing while significantly improving security compared to direct email transmission.
2Reliability
If extranet is used for document sharing, then control and security are improved, but adaptability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal collaboration platform that serves multiple functions: secure document storage, controlled access for different user types (employees, customers, suppliers), process automation, and audit tracking. This multi-functional system improves upon extranets by providing both security and broad adaptability to different user needs and scenarios.
3Reliability
If white room cloud service is used, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service capabilities within the collaboration platform, allowing users to independently manage their own document access permissions, upload and share documents, and track access logs without requiring complex administrative configuration. This reduces the effective complexity users experience while maintaining strong security through automated access control mechanisms.
4Reliability
If physical delivery of data is used, then security is improved, but productivity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical data delivery (flash drives, mailed documents) with an electronic collaboration platform that provides secure cloud-based document storage and sharing. This substitution maintains security through encryption and access controls while dramatically improving productivity by enabling instant document access and sharing without physical transportation delays.
5Ease of operation
If online file sharing services are used, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality control by providing different levels of security and access control for different documents and users within the collaboration platform. Sensitive documents receive enhanced security measures including encryption, mandatory access approvals, and detailed audit trails, while less sensitive documents can be shared more freely. This differentiated approach maintains ease of operation for non-critical documents while ensuring strong security for sensitive materials.
Data Source
AI summary
A system including a domain controller and a document, policy, and collaboration servers. The document server receives a request signal based on an input received at a web browser of a user device and generates an authentication signal. The request signal requests access to a document. The document server provides a cloud-based service for access to the document. The domain controller, based on the authentication signal, determines a profile or authorization level of a user. The document server, based on the profile or the authorization level, transmits a second authentication signal to the user device. The policy server stores a digital rights management policy for the user. The collaboration server: based on the second authentication signal, receives a digital rights management signal from the user device; and based on the digital rights management policy of the user, permits a controller of the user device to access the document.