Audio Command Device Privacy Filtering via Presence Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Devices that respond to verbal commands with audio replies often inadvertently disclose sensitive information to others in the vicinity, compromising user privacy, as they may broadcast financial, health, or scheduling details intended for the user alone.
Innovation Solution
A command device equipped with sensors to detect the presence of multiple individuals and a rules engine that determines if a reply contains sensitive information, generating an alternate reply that omits or modifies this information based on the privilege level of the surrounding individuals, ensuring only authorized users receive the full response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a device broadcasts audio replies to verbal commands, then information accessibility is improved, but user privacy is compromised due to inadvertent disclosure of sensitive information to others in the vicinity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of information based on the local context of who is present. The system analyzes the composition of people in the vicinity and applies different privacy filtering rules accordingly - sensitive information is suppressed when unauthorized individuals are detected, while full information is provided when only authorized users are present. This resolves the contradiction by making information accessibility conditional on the local environmental context.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the audio reply content adaptive and changeable based on real-time detection of who is present. The system dynamically adjusts the level of information disclosure in response to changing environmental conditions (presence of authorized vs. unauthorized individuals). This dynamic adaptation allows the device to optimize both information accessibility and privacy protection based on current context rather than using a fixed approach.
2Ease of operation
If a device provides full information in audio replies, then user needs are met, but sensitive information may be shared with unauthorized individuals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - the privacy filtering system - that sits between the information source and the audio output. This intermediary analyzes both the content of the information and the presence of unauthorized individuals, then selectively suppresses sensitive information before it reaches the audio reply. This mediator resolves the contradiction by filtering information based on privacy security requirements while maintaining ease of operation for authorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing the disclosure of sensitive information before it can be harmfully shared. The system detects the presence of unauthorized individuals and pre-empts potential privacy violations by suppressing sensitive information in the audio reply. This preliminary protective action ensures privacy security is maintained while still providing complete information to authorized users who need it.
3Reliability
If a device monitors presence to protect privacy, then privacy security is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the presence detection system to serve multiple functions simultaneously. The same sensors and processing capabilities used to detect presence for privacy protection are also utilized for other device functions such as determining when to activate voice commands or adjusting audio output settings. This multi-functionality approach reduces the need for dedicated separate systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining strong privacy security.
Data Source
AI summary
A hardware device may receive a command from a user and then respond to that command with information. Such commands may cause an audible response to be broadcast via speaker. A device's audio reply to a command may include sensitive details that a person may not wish to share. When a device makes such an audio reply, it may therefore divulge sensitive information to one or more other people that are in listening range. A person utilizing such a device may thus inadvertently compromise his own privacy. The present disclosure includes techniques that are usable to mitigate such privacy exposures by detecting a presence of a second person in a surrounding environment and creating a reply that omits some or all of the sensitive information that might have otherwise been broadcast by a command device.