BLE Proximity Detection Using Local Pairing and Private Broadcasts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing proximity-based technologies lack sufficient privacy control as they often send device locations to central servers and require continuous communication, compromising user privacy.
Innovation Solution
A method using unidirectional Bluetooth Low Energy advertising broadcasts to detect proximity between mobile devices, employing universally unique identifiers (UUIDs) and user identifiers, which are stored in local databases, allowing users to be notified of each other's presence without revealing location or requiring central infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device locations are sent to central servers for proximity detection, then proximity detection functionality is achieved, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the location information from the proximity detection process by using unidirectional advertising broadcasts that contain only device identifiers without location data. The central server is removed from the proximity detection chain entirely, as all processing occurs locally on mobile devices through database comparisons of received advertising data with stored contact information.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile devices perform proximity detection autonomously using their own local databases of contact information. Each device independently compares received advertising broadcasts against its stored contacts and generates notifications without requiring central server processing, enabling self-service proximity detection that preserves privacy.
2Measurement precision
If continuous communication with central servers is required, then proximity detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous communication, the system uses periodic unidirectional advertising broadcasts from mobile devices. Each device periodically transmits its identifier and receives broadcasts from others, comparing against local databases only when broadcasts are received. This periodic action maintains detection accuracy while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous server communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the central server communication component entirely from the proximity detection process. All detection logic, database comparisons, and notification generation occur locally on mobile devices, eliminating the energy overhead of continuous network communication while maintaining detection functionality through local processing of advertising broadcasts.
3Loss of information
If unidirectional advertising broadcasts with UUIDs and user identifiers are used, then privacy is preserved by avoiding location disclosure, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses universally unique identifiers (UUIDs) that serve multiple functions: they uniquely identify devices in advertising broadcasts, enable local database matching without revealing device identities, and work across different mobile devices and operating systems. This universal identifier system preserves privacy while simplifying the overall architecture by eliminating the need for complex encrypted communication protocols or centralized authentication mechanisms.
4Loss of information
If local databases with pairing entries are used for proximity detection, then central server involvement is eliminated, but database management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-populating local databases with contact information and pairing entries before proximity detection begins. Users import contacts and grant permissions in advance, so that when advertising broadcasts are received, the devices can immediately compare identifiers against pre-stored data without requiring complex runtime database operations or server coordination. This preliminary setup simplifies real-time detection while maintaining central-server independence.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining proximity between a first mobile device of a first user and a second mobile device of a second user is provided. The method includes: searching, by the second mobile device, for short-range advertising broadcasts sent by mobile devices of other users; receiving, by the second mobile device, among the short-range advertising broadcasts at least a first short-range advertising broadcast sent by the first mobile device, the first short-range advertising broadcast encoding a universally unique identifier (UUID) and a first user identifier being unique for the first user of the first mobile device; decoding, by the second mobile device, the first short-range advertising broadcast received from the first mobile device to obtain the first user identifier; checking, by the second mobile device, whether a received from the first mobile device pairing entry in a local database stored in the second mobile device exists for the first user identifier, and if the pairing entry exists, initiating, by the second mobile device, a user notification process to notify, by the second mobile device, the second user that the first user is located in proximity.