Vehicle Occupant Data Obfuscation for Timely Crash Encryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in protecting personal information by encrypting image data in real-time during vehicle accidents due to high processing loads, making it difficult to save encrypted image information at appropriate timing.

Innovation Solution

A personal information protection device that includes a state detector, data receiver, and data processor, which obfuscates and encrypts image data in a temporally distributed manner using compression and encryption processes, storing the encrypted data in different memory types to ensure timely and secure data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If real-time encryption of image data is performed during vehicle accidents, then personal information protection is improved, but processing time increases and system response becomes slower

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonal information protectionVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the data processing into distinct temporal phases: pre-processing (obfuscation/compression) is performed before encryption, and encryption is performed after the accident is detected. This segmentation allows the system to prepare data in advance without delaying the critical accident response, while still ensuring encryption before data storage or transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs obfuscation and compression of image data in advance before the actual encryption step. This preliminary processing reduces the data volume and complexity, making the subsequent encryption operation faster and less time-consuming, thus resolving the contradiction between thorough protection and processing speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If image data is encrypted before storage or transmission, then data security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates the data processing pipeline into distinct functional modules: state detection, obfuscation/compression, encryption, and storage/transmission. Each module handles a specific task independently, making the overall system more manageable and easier to implement despite the multiple security measures involved.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary processing stage between data capture and encryption that performs obfuscation and compression. This intermediary step simplifies the subsequent encryption operation by working with pre-processed, reduced-data, making the entire security system more efficient and less complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If multiple memory types are used for staged data storage, then data transmission timing is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission timingVSAvoidmemory system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a multi-stage storage architecture where data is temporarily stored in different memory locations (first memory for obfuscated data, second memory for encrypted data, third memory for final storage) at different processing stages. This segmentation allows data to be prepared and stored in optimal locations at optimal times, improving transmission timing without requiring a completely complex system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Data is staged in intermediate memory locations before final encryption and storage. The system performs preliminary storage of obfuscated data, then transitions to encrypted data storage after detection, and finally to permanent storage. This staged approach optimizes timing by preparing data in advance while using manageable memory resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12547762B2Personal information protection device
Publication Date: 2026.02.10 SUBARU CORP
  • US12547762B2 patent drawing
  • US12547762B2 patent drawing
  • US12547762B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A personal information protection device to be applied to a vehicle includes a state detector, a data receiver, and a data processor. The state detector detects state data including a state of an occupant or an inside of a vehicle compartment. The data receiver acquires the state data from the state detector. The data processor executes processing on the state data. The data processor: obfuscates the state data, and saves the state data obfuscated in a first memory; upon acquiring first trigger information related to prediction information on an accident involving the vehicle, encrypts the obfuscated state data saved in the first memory, and saves the state data encrypted in a second memory; and, upon acquiring second trigger information related to prediction information or occurrence information on an accident involving the vehicle, starts a process of storing the encrypted state data in a third memory.