Local Control Authority Determination for IoT Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling user devices, such as cameras and infrared monitoring devices, incur significant time costs due to the need for control instructions to be forwarded through a server, even when the terminal and user devices are within the same local area network.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that determine control authority by sending a control instruction with identity authentication information to the server, and if the user device is local, use a cached token to enable direct control, otherwise requesting a token from the server, ensuring secure remote access and reducing transmission time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If control instructions are forwarded through the server even when terminal and user device are in the same local area network, then security is maintained, but transmission time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidtransmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the control process into two distinct paths: local control path (when devices are in the same network) and remote control path (when devices are in different networks). This segmentation allows the system to choose the optimal transmission route based on the actual network environment, achieving both speed and security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic control authority determination by checking whether the terminal device and user device are in the same local area network. Based on this dynamic assessment, the system adaptively selects between direct local control (faster) and server-mediated remote control (secure), making the control path flexible rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If identity authentication information is verified through the server for remote control, then control authority is ensured, but the process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol authorityVSAvoidcontrol process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-establishing control authority relationships and caching authentication tokens before actual control operations. When control is needed, the system checks the cached authority information first, and only contacts the server if authentication is required, thereby simplifying the real-time control process while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3136648B1Method and device for determining control authority on user device
Publication Date: 2020.09.02 XIAOMI INC
  • EP3136648B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3136648B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2
  • EP3136648B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for determining a control authority on a user device, which reduces a time cost in transmitting a control instruction. The method includes: sending a request message for requesting a first token of the user device to a server if a device identifier of the user device is found in a process of scanning for local devices, in which the request message carries identity authentication information of a user; receiving the first token returned by the server according to the request message after the identity authentication information passes authentication in the server; and determining a local control authority of the user on the user device according to the first token.