Query Managing Module for Privacy-Preserving Personalized Search

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic devices face challenges in providing personalized services without compromising user privacy, as they struggle to manage and protect user information, leading to potential data leaks and access right management issues when external service providers collect and store personal data.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a query managing module that processes queries by identifying user-related words, executing searches on protected and public data sets, and modifying queries to maintain user privacy by avoiding the transmission of personal information to external service providers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If external service providers collect and manage personal information to provide personalized services, then service personalization is improved, but user privacy security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice personalizationVSAvoidprivacy security
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into protected data (personal information) and public data, storing them in separate locations. The electronic device keeps protected data locally while sending only public data to external service providers, enabling personalized services without exposing sensitive information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a query managing module as an intermediary that processes queries before transmission. This module identifies and removes protected data from queries, replacing them with anonymized identifiers, thus mediating between the need for personalized service and privacy protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If external service providers store user data, then service capability is improved, but data access control deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice capabilityVSAvoidaccess right management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts protected data from queries and retains it exclusively in the user's electronic device. Only anonymized queries containing public data are transmitted to external service providers, ensuring that access control remains with the user while service capability is maintained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The electronic device autonomously manages protected data through the query managing module, which automatically identifies, protects, and anonymizes data before transmission. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex external access control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If all query data is transmitted to external servers, then processing accuracy is improved, but information leakage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing accuracyVSAvoidinformation leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality treatments to different parts of the query data. Protected data is kept confidential and processed locally, while public data is transmitted for external processing. This local quality approach ensures processing accuracy for public information while protecting sensitive data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The query managing module performs preliminary anti-action by identifying and protecting sensitive information before transmission. It proactively removes or anonymizes protected data elements, preventing potential information leakage before it can occur during external processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3218825B1Apparatus and method for processing query
Publication Date: 2021.05.12 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3218825B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3218825B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3218825B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a memory configured to store information associated with a user, and a query managing module that is functionally connected with the memory wherein the query managing module is configured to execute acquiring a query, determining at least one word associated with the user, from the query, obtaining a result of a first search executed, based on the at least one word, from a set of protected data associated with the user, changing at least a part of the query, based on the result of the first search, and providing a result of a second search executed, based on the changed query, from a set of public data.