Intercom System Data Transfer via External Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing intercom systems for housing complexes face security concerns during data transfer, as resident information and setting data are stored in external devices, making them vulnerable to data leaks.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a data transfer method that uses an external device as a communication medium to relay data from a setting server to terminal devices and building control units via NFC, ensuring that sensitive information is not stored in the external device, thereby preventing leaks and enhancing security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If resident information and setting data are stored in external devices for data transfer, then data transfer capability is improved, but security is worsened due to vulnerability to data leaks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transfer capabilityVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the sensitive data (resident information and setting data) from the external device's storage and keeps it only in the intercom system's own storage. The external device is used only as a temporary communication channel for transferring data, not as a storage medium, thereby eliminating the security vulnerability while maintaining data transfer capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the external device as an intermediary for data transfer rather than as a storage device. Data is temporarily held in the external device's memory during transfer but is not stored there permanently. The intercom system's own storage serves as the secure destination, with the external device acting merely as a bridge for communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If data is stored in external devices for configuration updates, then ease of updating is improved, but risk of data leakage is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupdate efficiencyVSAvoiddata leakage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the configuration data from external device storage and stores it exclusively in the intercom system's internal storage. The external device serves only as a temporary conduit for data transmission during updates, not as a repository, thereby maintaining update efficiency while eliminating data leakage risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent treats the external device's memory as a temporary, disposable storage medium that holds data only briefly during the transfer process. Once data is transferred to the intercom system's permanent storage, the external device's memory is cleared, preventing any persistent data leakage risk while maintaining efficient update capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3422684B1System and data transfer method in said system
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 AIPHONE CO LTD
  • EP3422684B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3422684B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3422684B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An intercom system to be used in a housing complex constituted by a plurality of dwelling buildings is provided in which each of the plurality of dwelling buildings is provided with a dwelling parent device 30 installed in each dwelling, a collective foyer device 10 with which it is possible to perform a calling operation for calling the dwelling parent devices 30, and a building control unit 40 configured to communicatively interconnect the dwelling parent device 30 in each dwelling of the host building and the collective foyer device 10 via an intercom line, the collective foyer device 10 includes a storage unit 105 in which terminal information of the collective foyer device 10 is stored, the collective foyer device 10 or the building control unit 40 is capable of performing communication with an external device 80 connected to an external network N2, and data on the external network N2 is transferred to the collective foyer device 10 or the building control unit 40 by using the external device 80 as a communication medium.