Distributed management framework for personal attributes

Abstract

A technique for distributed management of attributes includes propagating attributes based upon attribute-granularity permissions. An example of a system according to the technique may include a server, coupled to a first client and a second client, that includes a module that receives attribute data from the first client; a permissions database where first permissions associated with the first client are set at the individual attribute level for the second client; an engine for updating the permissions database and for validating the first permissions for the second client; and an engine for distributing first client updates based on validated permissions to destinations associated with the one or more second destination stores.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 granting, to a second entity, first permissions for first attributes associated with a first entity;   granting, to the first entity, second permissions for second attributes associated with the second entity;   facilitating the propagation of shared attributes through permissions;   changing first permissions for the first attributes to third permissions for third attributes associated with the first entity;   recalling propagated shared attributes in accordance with the third permissions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining the first attributes associated with the first entity and second attributes associated with the second entity.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 linking the first entity with the second entity.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reading a user ID from a local cache;   if permissions are not stored locally, calling a server method to request permissions for the user ID;   if permissions are stored locally, reading permissions from a local file.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calling a server method to request a personal attribute record (PAR) if the PAR is stored remotely;   reading the PAR from a local file if the PAR is stored locally.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 acquiring transactions by either requesting pending transactions from a server or waiting for the server to send the transactions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting one or more grantees from a contact list;   enabling attribute permissions for selected contacts;   calling a server method to update permission settings on a server.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating a permissions table as specified by a grantor;   for each new device owned by the grantor, sending new permission settings;   for each device owned by a grantee, sending new attribute values;   if the grantor is granting permission, sending the attribute values in an update permissions call;   if the grantor is taking away permissions, sending a null value.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting, from a permissions table, grantees for attributes of a grantor;   joining the grantees with the attribute changes;   creating attribute transactions;   sending the attribute transactions to destinations associated with the grantees.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting, from a device table, devices of a grantor;   joining grantees with the attribute changes;   creating personal attribute record (PAR) transactions;   sending PAR changes to destinations associated with the grantor.   
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor;   a memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 granting, to a second entity, first permissions for first attributes associated with a first entity; 
 granting, to the first entity, second permissions for second attributes associated with the second entity; 
 facilitating the propagation of shared attributes through permissions; 
 changing first permissions for the first attributes to third permissions for third attributes associated with the first entity; 
   recalling propagated shared attributes in accordance with the third permissions.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 maintaining the first attributes associated with the first entity and second attributes associated with the second entity.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 linking the first entity with the second entity.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 reading a user ID from a local cache;   if permissions are not stored locally, calling a server method to request permissions for the user ID;   if permissions are stored locally, reading permissions from a local file.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 calling a server method to request a personal attribute record (PAR) if the PAR is stored remotely;   reading the PAR from a local file if the PAR is stored locally.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 acquiring transactions by either requesting pending transactions from a server or waiting for the server to send the transactions.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 selecting one or more grantees from a contact list;   enabling attribute permissions for selected contacts;   calling a server method to update permission settings on a server.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 updating a permissions table as specified by a grantor;   for each new device owned by the grantor, sending new permission settings;   for each device owned by a grantee, sending new attribute values;   if the grantor is granting permission, sending the attribute values in an update permissions call;   if the grantor is taking away permissions, sending a null value.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to perform:
 selecting, from a permissions table, grantees for attributes of a grantor;   joining the grantees with the attribute changes;   creating attribute transactions;   sending the attribute transactions to destinations associated with the grantees.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer system to perform a computer implemented method comprising:
 granting, to a second entity, first permissions for first attributes associated with a first entity;   granting, to the first entity, second permissions for second attributes associated with the second entity;   facilitating the propagation of shared attributes through permissions;   changing first permissions for the first attributes to third permissions for third attributes associated with the first entity;   recalling propagated shared attributes in accordance with the third permissions.