Location-Based Access Control for Portable Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing portability of electronic devices poses a risk of unauthorized access and potential corporate secret leakage as employees can take devices outside authorized workplaces.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device equipped with a positioning module and processing unit that detects its location and disables accessible functions when it leaves an authorized region, thereby restricting access to sensitive information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If electronic devices are provided to employees for portable work, then working efficiency and convenience are improved, but the risk of unauthorized access and corporate secret leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworking efficiencyVSAvoidunauthorized access risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes authorized regions and accessible functions for each user before the device is moved. When the device enters an unauthorized region, the pre-configured access control rules are automatically triggered to disable sensitive functions, preventing unauthorized access before data leakage can occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A positioning module and processing unit are introduced as intermediaries between the device and external environments. These components continuously monitor device location and mediate access to sensitive functions based on geographic context, blocking unauthorized access without preventing legitimate portable work

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If employees can use electronic devices at any location, then work flexibility is improved, but security control over sensitive information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework flexibilityVSAvoidsecurity control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The access control system dynamically adjusts device functionality based on real-time location data. The processing unit continuously compares current position with authorized regions and dynamically enables or disables accessible functions, allowing flexible work within authorized areas while maintaining security control when devices move to unauthorized locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different locations are assigned different access control qualities. Authorized regions permit access to sensitive functions while unauthorized regions trigger function disabling. This spatial differentiation of access rights maintains security without completely restricting portable work flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If positioning monitoring and function disabling are implemented, then security against data leakage is improved, but device functionality and user convenience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoiddevice accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by selectively disabling only sensitive functions (e.g., data transfer, camera, microphone) when the device is in unauthorized regions, rather than completely locking down the device. This maintains data protection while preserving basic device functionality and user convenience for non-sensitive tasks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10216944B2Method for executing access control over electronic device and electronic device capable of executing access control

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 GETAC TECH CORP

AI summary

A method for executing access control over an electronic device includes: detecting a position information of the electronic device with a positioning module; determining whether the electronic device has moved outside an authorized region according to the position information; and disabling a plurality of accessible functions of the electronic device according to a user information when the electronic device has moved outside the authorized region.