BLE Advertising with Target ID for Privacy and Multi-Device Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices are limited in their ability to perform targeted advertising due to restrictions in their application programming interfaces (APIs), which only allow for undirected advertising to a single device at a time, lacking simultaneous targeting of multiple devices and adequate data privacy and anti-replay protection.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that enables targeted advertising by allowing an advertising device to exchange security information, pair with a scanner, generate and transmit a unique target ID, and broadcast an advertising packet containing the ID, while ensuring authentication and encryption for secure communication, enabling direct targeting of multiple devices and enhanced data privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If existing BLE advertising is used, then device compatibility and ease of operation are maintained, but targeted advertising capability and data privacy protection are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertising operationVSAvoiddata privacy protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The advertising system is segmented into multiple components: public advertising data for device discovery, private MAC address for identity protection, and targeted advertising packets for specific devices. This segmentation allows undirected advertising to remain simple while adding targeted capabilities and privacy protection through separate mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A target ID is introduced as an intermediary element between the scanner's MAC address and the advertising device. The target ID appears in advertising packets to enable targeted advertising without exposing the scanner's real MAC address, thus providing both targeting capability and privacy protection simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If undirected advertising is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but advertising reach and productivity are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertising configurationVSAvoidadvertising efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The advertising system dynamically switches between undirected and directed advertising modes. The advertising device can broadcast to all scanners (undirected) or send targeted packets to specific scanners (directed) based on the presence of target IDs, allowing flexible adaptation to different operational scenarios and improving overall advertising efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The advertising packet structure is designed to be universal, supporting both undirected advertising (without target ID) and directed advertising (with target ID) using the same basic framework. This multi-functionality allows a single system to handle both broadcasting and targeted communication without requiring separate mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If directed advertising to single device is used, then device compatibility is maintained, but advertising capability and adaptability are restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertising flexibilityVSAvoidAPI complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The advertising system adds a new dimension of target ID to the traditional BLE advertising framework. Instead of only addressing devices through MAC addresses, the system incorporates target IDs as an additional addressing layer, enabling simultaneous targeting of multiple devices while maintaining compatibility with existing BLE infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Measurement precision

If real MAC addresses are used in advertising, then device identification accuracy is improved, but data privacy and security are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice identificationVSAvoidprivacy exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using the scanner's real MAC address directly in advertising packets, the system creates a copy or representation called target ID. This copy serves the same identification function for advertising purposes while the original MAC address remains protected and private, eliminating privacy exposure while maintaining identification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11330431B2Targeted advertising with privacy and anti-replay protection

Publication Date: 2022.05.10 DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA INC

AI summary

A system and method for a vehicle including a scanner; and an advertising device configured to: (i) exchange security information with the scanner; (ii) pair with the scanner in response to the security information of the scanner being authenticated; (iii) generate and store a target ID for the scanner in a memory of the advertising device; (iv) assign and transmit the target ID to the scanner; and (v) broadcast an advertising packet (i) exchange security information with the advertising device; (ii) pair with the advertising device in response to the security information of the advertising device being authenticated; (iii) receive and save the target ID assigned by the advertising device; (iv) receive the advertising packet containing the target ID; and (v) determine, in response to receiving the advertising packet, whether the target ID contained in the advertising packet matches the target ID of the scanner.