Collection Device for Secure Consumption Data Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for providing consumption data to users lack adequate security, as there is a risk of data manipulation and unauthorized access during transmission, particularly since the user's mobile device is not under the provider's control.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves relocating the configuration process to a collection device that receives consumption data from multiple users, ensuring only authorized personnel can access and filter user-specific data, and using user-specific encryption to secure data transmission to the user's display device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If consumption data is transmitted to the user's mobile device without centralized filtering, then the user can access their consumption data conveniently, but the data security is compromised due to risk of manipulation and unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser access to consumption dataVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a centralized server as an intermediary between the consumption data acquisition devices and the user's mobile display device. The server acts as a trusted mediator that receives all consumption data, performs user-specific filtering, and securely transmits only the relevant data to the appropriate user. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining data security through centralized control while still enabling convenient user access to their own consumption information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If all consumption data from multiple users is transmitted to each user's device, then complete data availability is achieved, but data privacy is violated and transmission efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoiddata privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the server's data filtering capability user-specific. Each user receives only the consumption data locally relevant to them, filtered according to their specific account and device associations. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring each user has access to their complete relevant data while preventing exposure to other users' private information, thus maintaining both data availability and privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the aggregated consumption data into distinct user-specific portions on the server before transmission. Instead of sending all raw data to each user, the server divides and filters the data set according to user credentials, sending only the segmented portion that belongs to each specific user. This resolves the contradiction by providing complete relevant data to each user while protecting the privacy of other users' data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the user configures their own mobile device to receive consumption data, then device flexibility is maintained, but the complexity of setup and potential for configuration errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice configuration flexibilityVSAvoidconfiguration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the server to automatically perform the filtering and data preparation functions that would otherwise require user configuration. The server autonomously identifies which consumption data belongs to which user based on stored associations, eliminating the need for users to manually configure their devices. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining system adaptability while significantly reducing configuration complexity for the user.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2426947B1Method, device and device assembly for selective preparation of consumption data
Publication Date: 2018.01.24 METRONA WARMEMESSER UNION
  • EP2426947B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1d

AI summary

For the selective provision of consumption data assigned to a user, it is provided that consumption data recorded by at least one consumption data acquisition device (1a to 1d) assigned to the user is received in a collection device (2) and the consumption data is transmitted from the collection device (2) to a preferably mobile display device (5) assigned to the user. Before the consumption data is transmitted, a device identification code for identifying the display device (5) assigned to the user, as well as information for assigning the consumption data recorded by the at least one consumption data acquisition device (1a to 1d) to the display device (5), are stored in the collection device (2).When a connection is established with the display device (5), the collecting device (2) performs an identification process by which the collecting device (2) can identify the display device (5) using the stored device identification code and subsequently transmits only the consumption data assigned to the display device (5) to the display device (5).