Contact Tracing Using Unique Identification Codes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current contact tracing systems, particularly those based on WiFi detection, face limitations such as low accuracy due to errors in distance estimation and incomplete data, as well as challenges in uniquely associating users with their devices, leading to inaccurate tracking of contacts within defined spaces.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of detection stations that assign a unique identification code to each user, recording their passages with timestamps, and creating databases to track contacts by associating users with their identification codes, allowing for precise identification of contacts within a probable contact interval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If WiFi sensing technology is used for contact tracing, then the system can detect device passages without customer involvement, but the accuracy of user-device association deteriorates due to inability to uniquely identify users among multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - a unique identification code associated with each user - that mediates between the WiFi detection system and the user identity. This code is stored in a database and linked to user information, allowing the system to accurately associate detected devices with specific users even when multiple devices are involved, thus resolving the association accuracy problem while maintaining automatic detection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of user identification information (unique identification code) that can be stored and retrieved independently from the physical device. This copied identification data allows the system to track and associate users accurately without relying on direct device-user correlation, solving the problem of ambiguous device-user mapping
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple mobile devices are used by a single user, then the user has more flexibility in device usage, but the contact tracing accuracy deteriorates due to inability to distinguish between different devices belonging to the same user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple device identifiers under a single unique identification code that is associated with the user's identity information. When tracing contacts, the system queries the database using the unique code to retrieve all devices belonging to that user, thereby combining the tracking of multiple devices into a unified user profile and maintaining tracing accuracy despite multi-device usage
3Extent of automation
If Bluetooth technology is used for contact tracing, then the system can detect contacts between devices, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates due to considerable error in distance estimation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces detection stations as intermediary components that provide reference points for triangulation. These stations act as mediators between Bluetooth device detection and spatial positioning, enabling more accurate distance and location estimation by using multiple reference points rather than relying solely on direct device-to-device Bluetooth measurements
4Device complexity
If contact tracing is performed without unique user identification, then the system implementation is simpler, but the reliability of contact tracing deteriorates due to incomplete or missing user information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-assigning unique identification codes to users and storing their information in a database before contact tracing begins. This advance preparation ensures that when contacts are detected, the system can immediately and reliably associate them with the correct users without needing to collect information during the tracing process itself, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing implementation complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A description is given of a method for tracing contacts occurring among a group of users (U) within a space in which a plurality of detection stations (S) are set up, wherein: - having selected a reference user (Uref) from among the group of users (U), identifying for each station (Sj) all the passages carried out (tj,ref) by one or more tracing means (Mref) assigned to said reference user (Uref); - for each station (Sj), having established an interval of probably contact (Δtj), among all the passages (tj,i) determining possible passages of users having come into contact (tj,contact) such that the following condition occurred: tj,ref−Δtj<tj,contact<tj,ref+Δtj and from the passages determined identifying the identity of the users who came into contact with the reference user (Uref).