Peer Discovery Using Encrypted Beacon Signals and Cloud Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing peer-to-peer data transfer methods for mobile devices face challenges in maintaining user privacy and security, especially when connecting with unknown devices, and often rely on cellular data, which can incur charges and exhaust data limits.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a computer-implemented system that uses public and private key pairs for secure connection provisioning, where a sender device obtains a receiver's public key, decodes a beacon signal, and transmits an encrypted connection message using the public key, allowing for secure peer-to-peer data transfer over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, while preserving user privacy and reducing cellular data reliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If devices advertise identity and presence to enable peer-to-peer connection, then connection discoverability is improved, but user privacy is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based intermediary service that enables peer-to-peer connections without direct advertising of user identities. The cloud service acts as a mediator that matches devices based on their presence without revealing their identities to each other, thus preserving privacy while enabling discoverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryptographic key pairs where public keys are shared openly for connection establishment, while private keys remain secret. This copying mechanism allows devices to be discovered and connected through public information without exposing sensitive private identity information, resolving the privacy discoverability contradiction.
2Reliability
If cloud-based services are used for data transfer, then connectivity reliability is improved, but cellular data charges and data limit exhaustion are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data transfer function from the cellular network dependency by enabling direct peer-to-peer wireless connections. This separation allows devices to communicate locally without routing through cellular infrastructure, eliminating data charges while maintaining connection reliability through local network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a cloud-based service as an intermediary for connection establishment and device discovery, but the actual data transfer occurs through direct peer-to-peer channels. This intermediary approach provides reliable connection setup while avoiding continuous cellular data consumption during data transfer operations.
3Reliability
If security measures are increased for peer-to-peer connections, then connection security is improved, but connection establishment complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service security mechanisms where devices automatically generate and manage their own cryptographic key pairs. The system performs security operations autonomously without requiring complex manual configuration, thus maintaining high security standards while reducing the complexity burden on users during connection establishment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs security preparations in advance by pre-generating cryptographic key pairs and establishing security protocols before actual data transfer. This preliminary action simplifies the connection establishment process during execution, as security measures are already in place and do not need to be complex during the actual connection-making phase.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations relate to peer-to-peer discovery, connection, and data transfer providing privacy protection and increased security features.