One-Way Sensor Data Security via Identifier Alerting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blood pressure monitor devices equipped with one-way transmission functionality face challenges in secure data transmission due to the need for complex pairing operations, high hardware requirements, and potential data leakage, especially when transmitting sensitive health data using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology.
Innovation Solution
A data transmission system that includes a server and information processing apparatuses capable of receiving one-way communication packets from sensor devices, determining inappropriate identifiers, and generating alert data to motivate users to enhance security measures, such as encryption or reducing transmission power, even if the sensor device only supports one-way communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) two-way communication connection is used for data transmission, then communication reliability and control capability are improved, but device complexity, hardware requirements, and operation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential one-way advertising transmission functionality from the full BLE communication protocol, eliminating the need for pairing operations and complex connection management while retaining the core data transmission capability. This allows the blood pressure monitor to communicate effectively without requiring high-spec hardware or complex software implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication functionality into separate one-way advertising transmissions for different data types (blood pressure data, pulse wave data, etc.), allowing each data type to be transmitted independently through simplified advertising packets rather than requiring a complex connected communication session.
2Ease of operation
If one-way advertising transmission is used to simplify communication, then operation complexity and hardware requirements are reduced, but security and data receipt confirmation capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the mobile information device sends advertising packets containing status information (such as data receipt confirmation or error codes) back to the blood pressure monitor. This allows the monitor to receive feedback about transmission success without requiring complex two-way communication capabilities, maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If unencrypted data transmission is used to reduce processing overhead, then energy consumption and device complexity are reduced, but information security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies encryption selectively only to the critical identifier fields in advertising packets rather than encrypting the entire data payload. This partial encryption approach provides sufficient security to prevent unauthorized devices from intercepting and mimicking legitimate transmissions, while minimizing the energy overhead and processing requirements compared to full encryption.
4Reliability
If transmission power is increased to ensure data receipt, then communication reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic retransmission of advertising packets at optimized power levels rather than continuously transmitting at high power. The system attempts transmission at lower power levels first, and only increases power or retransmits if no acknowledgment is received, thereby ensuring data receipt while minimizing overall energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus includes a determination unit that determines whether an identifier extracted from a one-way communication packet received from a sensor includes a first value indicating another information processing apparatus as a legitimate destination, a second value indicating a user different from a user of the information processing apparatus as the legitimate destination, or a third value indicating a sensor different from a sensor associated with the information processing apparatus as an origination, and a transmission unit that transmits, to a server, a second packet in which the first, the second, or the third value is stored, if the identifier includes the first, the second, or the third value.