Communication Terminal Social Graph for Information Transmission History Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication technologies fail to clearly indicate individual transmission histories of information among users, especially in crowded settings like party venues, where the history and order of information transmission among participants cannot be ascertained.

Innovation Solution

A communication terminal and method that acquire and generate information including connection and identification details, enabling the creation of a social graph to track relationships between users, allowing clear indication of information transmission histories.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If information is shared among multiple users in a crowded setting, then information propagation ability is improved, but individual transmission history tracking becomes unclear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation propagation abilityVSAvoidindividual transmission history
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transmission history into individual user paths by assigning unique identification information to each user's terminal. The social graph divides the network into discrete nodes (users) and edges (transmission relationships), allowing clear tracking of how information propagates through different individuals without mixing their separate transmission histories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where transmission history information is continuously updated and reflected back to users through the social graph interface. Users can see their own transmission paths and receive notifications about information they have shared, creating a feedback loop that maintains clear individual tracking even as information spreads through the network.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If social graph is generated to track user relationships, then transmission history clarity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission history clarityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the social graph structure universal by using it for multiple purposes: tracking information transmission history, identifying users with high propagation ability, and managing contact information exchange. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while maintaining transmission history clarity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates simplified copies of transmission history data in the form of visual social graphs and summary statistics. Instead of managing complex raw data about every transmission event, the system generates simplified representations that capture the essential transmission patterns, reducing the computational complexity required to track and analyze individual transmission histories.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If connection information is propagated among terminals, then communication efficiency is improved, but information security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidinformation security risks
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces the social graph as an intermediary layer between direct terminal-to-terminal communication. Connection information is propagated through this structured intermediary that enforces security protocols, manages authentication, and controls information flow based on established relationships, thereby maintaining communication efficiency while reducing security risks associated with direct unmediated connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2919129B1Communication terminal, communication method, program, and communication system
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP2919129B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2919129B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2919129B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a communication terminal including an information acquisition unit that acquires, from another communication terminal, first information that includes connection information for connecting to a communication service and identification information of a user of the other communication terminal, and an information generation unit that, on the basis of the first information acquired by the information acquisition unit, generates second information that includes the connection information and identification information of a user of the current terminal.