Role-Based Data Access Control for Wearable Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wearable computing devices lack effective mechanisms for securely managing and controlling access to sensitive physiological data, which is essential for ensuring user privacy and appropriate data sharing among different roles and entities.

Innovation Solution

A wearable computing device equipped with sensors to collect physiological parameters, a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores data and executable instructions to determine access roles and validate requests for data access, ensuring secure and role-based access to sensitive data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If device-level communications security is utilized, then secure wireless communication link is established, but all applications can access the secure link without fine-grained control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidaccess control mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the access control mechanism into multiple layers: device-level security for establishing the communication link, and application-level security for controlling data access. This allows the system to maintain secure communication while implementing fine-grained access control for different applications and data types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension of access control by introducing role-based permissions and data classification levels. Instead of a single flat security model, the system implements a multi-dimensional security framework that considers application identity, user roles, and data sensitivity levels simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If physiological data is collected and stored, then user health monitoring capability is improved, but user privacy and data security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehealth monitoring capabilityVSAvoidprivacy risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating access permissions for different types of physiological data. Sensitive data such as heart rate variability and glucose levels have restricted access compared to less sensitive data like step count. Each data type can have its own access control policies tailored to its sensitivity level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary access control layer that mediates between data collection and data access. This intermediary mechanism evaluates access requests against predefined policies, user roles, and data sensitivity levels, allowing legitimate access while blocking unauthorized access to protect user privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If data sharing is enabled among different entities, then data utilization is improved, but control over data access becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata utilizationVSAvoiddata access control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal access control framework that can be applied across multiple applications, users, and data types. The role-based access control system provides a unified mechanism for managing permissions throughout the wearable device ecosystem, making it easier to control data sharing while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing access control policies and user roles before data sharing occurs. Permissions are pre-configured based on user definitions and system defaults, allowing the system to automatically evaluate and enforce access control decisions without requiring complex real-time negotiations between applications and users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3160333B1Data permission management for wearable devices
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC
  • EP3160333B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3160333B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3160333B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for providing rule-based access to data stored on wearable devices are provided. A wearable computing device can store data that includes data about a wearer of the wearable computing device. The wearable computing device can receive a request for a portion of the stored data. The wearable computing device can determine a designated role associated with the request for the portion of the stored data. The wearable computing device can determine one or more rules regarding access to the portion of the stored data based on the designated role. The wearable computing device can determine a response to the request for the portion of the stored data by at least: determining whether the request is validated by at least applying the one or more rules to the request, and after determining that the request is validated, providing the requested portion of the stored data.