Method and apparatus for providing a trust level to access a resource

• US 9,319,390 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Yu, Kun, Wang, Hao, Wang, Wendong, Cui, Yidong
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAKHIA, VIRAL S
• Application Number:
  US13/635,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/4, 726/28, 726 5- 27, 705/319, 705/347, 706/47, 707661-744
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A method comprising:

receiving a request at a device, from a first user, to access a resource associated with a second user based, at least in part, on a predetermined privacy level;

determining trust levels for respective trust paths between the first user and the second user at least in part, on link trust levels corresponding to links between the first user, the second user, and one or more other users between the first user and the second user along the respective trust paths;

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

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

selecting one of the trust paths based, at least in part, on a respective trust level; and

causing, at least in part, a providing of an access right for the resource to the device, the first user, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on at least one trust level satisfying the predetermined privacy level,

wherein the providing of the access right is based, at least in part, on the respective trust level satisfying the predetermined privacy level.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the link trust levels decays as it is transferred along links of a respective trust path.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

selecting another one of the trust paths.

4. A method of claim 1, 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.

5. A method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a volume of the content type among the first user, the second user, 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.

6. A method of claim 1, 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.

7. 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 based, at least in part, on a predetermined privacy level;

determine trust levels for respective trust paths between the first user and the second user based, at least in part, on link trust levels corresponding to links between the first user, the second user, and one or more other users between the first user and the second user along the respective trust paths;

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

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

select one of the trust paths based, at least in part, on a respective trust level; and

cause, at least in part, a providing of an access right for the resource to the device, the first user, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on at least one trust level satisfying the predetermined privacy level,

wherein the providing of the access right is based, at least in part, on the respective trust level satisfying the predetermined privacy level.

8. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of the link trust levels decays as it is transferred along links of a respective trust path.

9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

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

select another one of the trust paths.

10. An apparatus of claim 7, 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.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a volume of the content type among the first user, the second user, 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.

12. An apparatus of claim 7, 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.

13. An apparatus of claim 7, 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.

14. A non-transitory 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 based, at least in part, on a predetermined privacy level;

determining trust levels for respective trust paths between the first user and the second user based, at least in part, on link trust levels corresponding to links between the first user, the second user, and one or more other users between the first user and the second user along the respective trust paths;

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

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

selecting one of the trust paths based, at least in part, on a respective trust level; and

causing, at least in part, a providing of an access right for the resource to the device, the first user, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on at least one trust level satisfying the predetermined privacy level,

wherein the providing of the access right is based, at least in part, on the respective trust level satisfying the predetermined privacy level.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein at least one of the link trust levels decays as it is transferred along links of a respective trust path.