Proximity Voice Unlocking With Biometric-Gated Follower Activation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing voice-assisted devices consume excessive power due to constant listening for keywords, leading to unnecessary activation of multiple devices in proximity, and proximity-based unlocking methods lack user intent verification.
Innovation Solution
A follower device with a controller, transceiver, biometric signature memory, and authentication unit establishes a wireless link with a leader device, authenticating user input to unlock only when biometric signatures match, and disables unnecessary functional modules to reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If voice-assisted devices continuously monitor keywords to enable quick response, then responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by having the leader device wake up at scheduled intervals to check for nearby follower devices, rather than continuously monitoring. This allows the leader device to maintain responsiveness to nearby devices while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automatic authentication and device linking. When a follower device enters the proximity range, the leader device automatically detects it, initiates authentication using stored biometric data, and establishes a link without requiring user intervention, thus maintaining responsiveness while minimizing energy-wasting manual operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices in proximity monitor the same keyword, then keyword detection coverage is improved, but unpredictable device activation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism using biometric signatures and device profiles. Instead of directly activating any device that detects a keyword, the system uses the leader device as an intermediary that verifies the user's biometric data and controls which follower devices are activated, ensuring predictable and authorized device activation while maintaining broad keyword detection coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary action by pre-storing biometric signatures and device profiles in the leader device before actual keyword detection occurs. This preliminary setup allows the system to quickly and reliably determine which devices should be activated when a keyword is detected, eliminating unpredictable activation while maintaining comprehensive detection coverage.
3Ease of operation
If proximity-based unlocking uses only device presence detection, then ease of use is improved, but user intent verification is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses preliminary action by pre-storing the user's biometric signature and authorized device profiles in the leader device before unlocking is needed. When a follower device approaches, the system quickly compares the pre-stored biometric data with the current input, providing both convenient automatic unlocking and reliable user intent verification without requiring manual authentication steps.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A very short range wireless communication system and method is disclosed. The communication system includes a leader device and one or more follower devices. The leader device may establish a link only when the follower devices are in proximity. A user may provide authentication to one of the leader or follower devices which may then unlock the other of the leader or follower devices. Alternatively, the authentication may be provided to the other of the leader or follower devices as part of a two-factor authentication process.