Virtual Collaboration Spaces with Role-Based Directory Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote working solutions face challenges in allowing secure and intuitive access to virtual collaboration spaces, often requiring passwords or invitations, which hinder effective collaboration among trusted employees and introduce excessive security barriers.
Innovation Solution
A virtual collaboration space is generated with customizable sub-spaces, each having a directory address and communication functions, allowing users to access and interact based on their access level, which is determined by authentication, and enabling features like virtual knocking and status settings to manage interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passwords or invitations are required to access virtual collaboration spaces, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating access control mechanisms based on user roles and contexts. Internal employees automatically receive directory numbers without passwords, while external users require invitations. This localized approach to security measures resolves the contradiction by making access easy for trusted users while maintaining security for external access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service for internal users by automatically provisioning directory numbers when employees join the organization. Users can independently access virtual collaboration spaces without requiring manual invitation generation or password management, eliminating the security barrier while maintaining automated authentication through existing corporate credentials.
2Reliability
If meeting information is restricted to invited users only, then security is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic access control where meeting visibility and join permissions adapt based on user attributes and meeting settings. Meetings can be configured as private (invitation-only) or visible to all directory users, with the system dynamically adjusting access based on the user's organizational role and the meeting's security classification, thus resolving the contradiction between security and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments meeting access into different levels: fully private meetings requiring specific invitations, and visible meetings accessible to all directory users. This segmentation allows organizations to apply appropriate security measures to different meeting types, maintaining security for sensitive discussions while enabling flexible collaboration for open meetings.
3Reliability
If authentication information is required for access, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages existing corporate authentication infrastructure to provide universal access control across multiple virtual collaboration platforms. The same authentication mechanism used for email and other corporate services is reused for virtual space access, eliminating the need for separate authentication systems and reducing overall complexity while maintaining security.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication method comprising generating a virtual space comprising one or more virtual subspaces, each virtual sub-space comprising a directory address, at least one associated function including a communication function, and customisable settings; receiving a request from a user device to access the virtual space providing the user device with access to the virtual space according to an access level associated with a user of the user device, the access level providing the user device with a predetermined selection of the virtual sub-spaces; in response to receiving a selection request from the user device to select a virtual sub-space from the predetermined selection of virtual sub-spaces, providing the user device with access to the virtual sub-space with the associated functions; associating the respective directory address of the virtual sub-space with the user device; and establishing a communication link between the user device and a second user device via the communication function of the virtual sub-space.