Electronic Device Private Information Routing via Secure Output

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices lack effective methods to protect private information from being viewed by unauthorized individuals, especially in situations where public display of sensitive data is undesirable.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device and method that identifies private information and provides it only through a private output connection, such as headphones or a head-mounted display, ensuring the information remains unreadable on the device's screen unless a secure output connection is established.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If private information is displayed on the device screen, then information accessibility is improved, but information security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accessibilityVSAvoidunauthorized viewing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary output mechanism (such as a connected display device or audio output) that serves as a mediator between the private information and the user. The information is routed through this intermediary channel rather than being directly displayed on the device screen, thereby maintaining accessibility while preventing unauthorized viewing by others nearby.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If software privacy filters are used to protect displayed content, then information security is improved, but information accessibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplayed content protectionVSAvoidinformation accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the private information from the device display output and redirects it to an external output device. By separating the information delivery path from the device screen, the solution eliminates the need for privacy filters while maintaining both security and accessibility - the information is fully accessible to the authorized user through the external device without any obscuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3454249B1Electronic device including display and method of providing private information
Publication Date: 2020.12.09 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP3454249B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3454249B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3454249B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of providing private information from an electronic device, includes identifying private information for display on the display of the electronic device, determining if a private output connection is established, and, in response to determining that the private output connection is established, providing the private information via the private output connection.