Method and Apparatus for Providing a Trust Level to Access a Resource

• US 20130198811A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Hao, Yu, Kun, Wang, Wendong, Cui, Yidong
• Granted Patent: US 9,319,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing a trust level to access a resource. A system receives a request at a device, from a first user, to access a resource associated with a second user. The resource is further associated with a predetermined privacy level. The system calculates a trust level between the first user and the second user based, at least in part, on a trust metric. The system then determines whether the trust level meets the predetermined privacy level and grants an access right to the resource based, at least in part, on the determination.

Claims

1-55. -55. (canceled)

56. A method comprising:

receiving a request at a device, from a first user, to access a resource associated with a second user, the resource further associated with a predetermined privacy level;

calculating a trust level between the first user and the second user based, at least in part, on a trust metric;

determining whether the trust level meets the predetermined privacy level; and

granting an access right to the resource based, at least in part, on the determination.

57. A method of claim 56, further comprising:

determining one or more trust paths between the first user and the second user via one or more other third users;

calculating path trust levels for the one or more trust paths, wherein the path trust level is based, at least in part, on link trust levels corresponding to links between the first user, the second user, the one or more other third users, or a combination thereof of the respective trust path; and

selecting one of the trust paths based, at least in part, on the calculated path trust levels,

wherein the calculating of the trust level between the first user and the second user is further based, at least in part, on the path trust level corresponding to the selected trust path.

58. A method of claim 57, wherein at least one of the link trust levels decays as it is transferred along the links of the respective trust path.

59. A method of claim 57, further comprising:

determining that the path trust level corresponding to the selected path does not meet the predetermined privacy level; and

selecting another one of the trust paths.

60. A method of claim 56, further comprising:

generating a log of access to the resource, the log including, at least in part, an accessing user and a trust level of the accessing user; and

suggesting a recommended value for the predetermined privacy level based, at least in part, on the log.

61. A method of claim 60, further comprising:

categorizing the resource according to a content type,

wherein the recommended value for the predetermined privacy level is further based, at least in part, on the content type.

62. A method of claim 61, further comprising:

determining a volume of the content type among the first user, the second user, the one or more other third users, or a combination thereof,

wherein the recommended value for the predetermined privacy level is further based, at least in part, on the volume of the content type.

63. A method of claim 56, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, presentation of a social graph including at least the first user and the second user,

wherein the social graph depicts the trust level.

64. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a request at a device, from a first user, to access a resource associated with a second user, the resource further associated with a predetermined privacy level;

calculate a trust level between the first user and the second user based, at least in part, on a trust metric;

determine whether the trust level meets the predetermined privacy level; and

grant an access right to the resource based, at least in part, on the determination.

65. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more trust paths between the first user and the second user via one or more other third users;

calculate path trust levels for the one or more trust paths, wherein the path trust level is based, at least in part, on link trust levels corresponding to links between the first user, the second user, the one or more other third users, or a combination thereof of the respective trust path; and

select one of the trust paths based, at least in part, on the calculated path trust levels,

wherein the calculating of the trust level between the first user and the second user is further based, at least in part, on the path trust level corresponding to the selected trust path.

66. An apparatus of claim 65, wherein at least one of the link trust levels decays as it is transferred along the links of the respective trust path.

67. An apparatus of claim 65, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the path trust level corresponding to the selected path does not meet the predetermined privacy level; and

select another one of the trust paths.

68. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

generate a log of access to the resource, the log including, at least in part, an accessing user and a trust level of the accessing user; and

suggest a recommended value for the predetermined privacy level based, at least in part, on the log.

69. An apparatus of claim 68, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

categorize the resource according to a content type,

wherein the recommended value for the predetermined privacy level is further based, at least in part, on the content type.

70. An apparatus of claim 69, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a volume of the content type among the first user, the second user, the one or more other third users, or a combination thereof,

wherein the recommended value for the predetermined privacy level is further based, at least in part, on the volume of the content type.

71. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, presentation of a social graph including at least the first user and the second user,

wherein the social graph depicts the trust level.

72. An apparatus of claim 64, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.

73. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving a request at a device, from a first user, to access a resource associated with a second user, the resource further associated with a predetermined privacy level;

calculating a trust level between the first user and the second user based, at least in part, on a trust metric;

determining whether the trust level meets the predetermined privacy level; and

granting an access right to the resource based, at least in part, on the determination.

74. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 73, further comprising:

determining one or more trust paths between the first user and the second user via one or more other third users;

calculating path trust levels for the one or more trust paths, wherein the path trust level is based, at least in part, on link trust levels corresponding to links between the first user, the second user, the one or more other third users, or a combination thereof of the respective trust path; and

selecting one of the trust paths based, at least in part, on the calculated path trust levels,

wherein the calculating of the trust level between the first user and the second user is further based, at least in part, on the path trust level corresponding to the selected trust path.

75. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 74, wherein at least one of the link trust levels decays as it is transferred along the links of the respective trust path.