Virtualized Content Access via Persistent Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for accessing and sharing content stored on private infrastructure, such as corporate networks and home PCs, are inconvenient and lack elegance, especially when trying to access or share content remotely, and existing cloud storage solutions pose security risks by trusting third-party providers.
Innovation Solution
A virtualized content access system that allows users to aggregate and access content from various sources, including private infrastructure and public cloud storage, through a single dashboard, enabling seamless access and sharing without the need for uploading data to a central server or third-party service, using a central service administrator and passive content servers to establish persistent connections and manage content repositories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If content is stored on private infrastructure (corporate networks, home PCs), then security and control are improved, but remote access and sharing convenience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a content access system as an intermediary layer between users and their content stored on private infrastructure. This system establishes persistent connections to content repositories on PCs and servers, allowing remote access without moving content from its secure private location. The intermediary enables convenient access while maintaining the original storage architecture and security model.
2Ease of operation
If content is uploaded to public cloud storage, then remote access and sharing convenience are improved, but security risks and loss of control increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of copying content to public cloud storage, the system creates a virtual copy or representation of the content access interface. The content access system provides a cloud-like access experience where users can retrieve content from anywhere, but the actual content remains stored locally on private infrastructure. This virtualization allows convenient access without the security risks of trusting third-party cloud providers with sensitive data.
3Adaptability or versatility
If content is synchronized between private and public infrastructure, then access flexibility is improved, but system complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the synchronization function from the system architecture. Instead of synchronizing content between private and public infrastructure, the system directly accesses content from its original location on private infrastructure. This eliminates the complex synchronization process entirely while maintaining access flexibility through the persistent connection mechanism.
4Reliability
If content is stored locally on PCs, then security and quality are improved, but remote accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes persistent connections that maintain continuous availability of content stored locally on PCs. Rather than requiring periodic synchronization or manual file transfers, the persistent connection ensures content remains continuously accessible remotely. This allows users to access their locally stored content from any device at any time while maintaining the security benefits of local storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A system allowing a user to virtually aggregate the user's digital content from various operating system (O/S) accounts on disparate computer systems for subsequent access via a single dashboard. The system includes a central service administrator (CSA) and a passive content server (PCS) installed in each computer system. The PCSs establish persistent connections with the CSA for the O/S account repositories which the user elects to aggregate. The user can then connect to the CSA over the Internet, receive a list of the selected O/S account repositories via the dashboard, and request content therefrom. The CSA utilizes the corresponding persistent connection to initiate transfer of the requested content from the PCS on the computer system hosting the requested content to the user.