Biometric Sensor Attachment Detection for Secure User Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing biometric information measurement devices face issues with inaccurate detachment detection, leading to invalidation of personal authentication and poor usability, especially when loosely attached or experiencing motion, and lack consideration for detachment scenarios, resulting in poor performance and security concerns.

Innovation Solution

A biometric information measurement device with an attachment and detachment determining section, a personal identifying section, and a storage controller that distinguishes between attached and unattached states, authenticates registered users, and stores data accordingly, deleting authentication results if the device is determined to be unattached for a predetermined time period.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the device invalidates authentication when detached to ensure security, then security is improved, but usability deteriorates due to false detachment detection during motion or loose attachment

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidusability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the authentication validity conditional on the attachment state. The device dynamically adjusts its security behavior based on whether it detects attachment or detachment, allowing authentication to be valid only during attached states. This resolves the contradiction by making security adaptive rather than static, preventing false invalidations during motion while maintaining security when truly detached.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses feedback mechanisms where the device continuously monitors its own attachment state and uses this information to control authentication validity. The attachment state detection provides feedback that triggers authentication validation or invalidation, creating a closed-loop system that automatically adjusts security based on physical conditions, thereby preventing false detachment errors while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the device stops measurement when detached to maintain data accuracy, then measurement accuracy is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to interruption during brief disruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making measurement continuity conditional on the duration of detachment. Instead of immediately stopping measurement upon detecting detachment, the device dynamically adjusts its response based on whether the detachment is brief or prolonged. This allows measurement to continue during brief disruptions (maintaining productivity) while ensuring data accuracy is preserved for significant detachments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by implementing a threshold-based approach where measurement interruption is triggered only after a detachment exceeds a predetermined time period. This partial intervention strategy allows the system to tolerate brief detachments without stopping measurement, thereby maintaining productivity while still ensuring data accuracy for meaningful detachments that exceed the threshold.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10898135B2Biometric information measurement device, biometric information management method, and biometric information management program
Publication Date: 2021.01.26 OMRON HEALTHCARE CO LTD
  • US10898135B2 patent drawing
  • US10898135B2 patent drawing
  • US10898135B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A biometric information measurement device intermittently measures biometric information from a living body. The device includes an attachment and detachment determining section which determines whether the device is in an attached state where the device is attached to the living body or an unattached state where the device is detached from the living body, a personal identifying section which, in the attached state, determines whether a user attached with the device is a registered user who is registered in advance and stores a result of the determination, and a storage controller which, when a determination result indicating that the user is the registered user is stored, stores information indicating the registered user while being associated with the measured biometric information. The personal identifying section deletes the determination result when a time period in which the device is determined to be in the unattached state exceeds a predetermined time period.