Bluetooth Remote Locking for Lost External Electronic Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in locating and preventing unauthorized use of external electronic devices, such as wearable devices, that are lost and disconnected via Bluetooth, as they are difficult to find and can be illegally accessed by others.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device can remotely lock a lost external device through a server and a remote electronic device by generating a lock request message, including authentication information, and broadcasting a Bluetooth-based advertising packet to prevent unauthorized use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If Bluetooth communication is used to connect electronic devices, then wireless connectivity and convenience are improved, but security risks increase when devices are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing Bluetooth connections and exchanging authentication information before the loss occurs. When loss is detected, the already-stored authentication information enables immediate remote locking without requiring real-time communication with the lost device, thus preventing unauthorized access quickly.
Solution Approach 2:
A server acts as an intermediary between the user's electronic device and the lost external device. The server receives lock requests, verifies authentication information, and broadcasts locked status through Bluetooth advertising packets, mediating the security enforcement without requiring direct connection to the lost device.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If remote locking is implemented through server and Bluetooth broadcasting, then security against unauthorized use is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lost external device autonomously broadcasts its locked status through Bluetooth advertising packets without requiring continuous server intervention. Once the server processes the lock request and sends the locked indication, the external device self-manages the broadcasting, reducing ongoing system complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
Authentication information is exchanged and stored during the initial Bluetooth pairing phase, before any loss occurs. This preliminary authentication setup simplifies the remote locking process by eliminating the need for complex real-time verification protocols when the lock request is initiated.
3Ease of operation
If Bluetooth advertising packets are used to broadcast lock status, then remote device control is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locked status is broadcast through Bluetooth advertising packets at periodic intervals rather than continuously. This periodic broadcasting approach maintains remote device control capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission, allowing the lost device to conserve battery power.
Data Source
AI summary
According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include a communication interface; a memory configured to store authentication information shared with an external electronic device; and a processor configured to: identify a loss of the external electronic device based on a failure of a communication connection to the external electronic device for a first specified time period; obtain information related to the loss of the external electronic device, and generate a remote lock request message requesting locking of the external electronic device, the remote lock request message including the information related to the loss of the external electronic device and the authentication information shared with the external electronic device; and transmit the remote lock request message to an external server through the communication interface. Other embodiments may also be available.