Quick Factory Reset Application for Secure Data Erasure

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for a method to quickly and securely erase personal data from portable electronic devices, especially in situations where the device may fall into malicious hands, while ensuring easy activation and preventing accidental initiation.

Innovation Solution

A processor-enabled method that involves a software application resident in the non-volatile memory of electronic devices, which, when activated, initiates a data destruction routine that overwrites user information with decoy data and triggers a factory reset, optionally synchronizing with other devices via a cloud memory and network location.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a factory reset method is made easy to activate, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of accidental activation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of activationVSAvoidaccidental activation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by setting multiple flags (reset flag in non-volatile memory, remote reset flag at network location) and preparing decoy data before the actual factory reset is executed. This ensures that when activation occurs, all preparatory steps are already in place, making the process robust and preventing partial execution that could lead to errors or accidental states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary elements including a software application as mediator between user input and factory reset execution, and decoy data as intermediary between original user information and the reset state. These intermediaries provide additional verification layers and prevent direct, accidental triggering of the reset function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a data destruction routine is designed to be difficult to activate inadvertently, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of inadvertent activationVSAvoidease of activation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system requires preliminary confirmation through multiple flags and conditions before executing data destruction. The reset flag must be set, the remote reset flag must be checked at the network location, and decoy data must be prepared. This multi-step preliminary verification ensures that inadvertent activation is prevented while maintaining a clear activation path for intentional use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If multiple devices are synchronized for remote data erasure, then data protection coverage is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protection coverageVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal data destruction system where a single activation on any device triggers the same data destruction routine across all devices in the network. The software application and factory reset module are designed to perform multiple functions: local data destruction, remote flag setting, and cloud synchronization. This multi-functionality extends data protection coverage without proportionally increasing complexity at each individual device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The cloud-based network location serves as an intermediary that coordinates data destruction across multiple devices. Instead of each device independently managing synchronization, the cloud intermediary handles the coordination through the remote reset flag, simplifying the architecture while achieving comprehensive multi-device protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of information

If user information is overwritten with decoy data before factory reset, then data security is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidreset time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the time-consuming data overwriting with decoy data as a preliminary action before the factory reset is finalized. By preparing the decoy data in advance and setting all necessary flags beforehand, the actual reset execution becomes faster, as the security-critical overwriting step is already complete when the reset begins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12327037B2Quick factory reset application

Publication Date: 2025.06.10 NOW LEO

AI summary

A processor-enabled method of deleting data of a user on one or more electronic devices of the type having a processor, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a display, and a user interface, includes the steps of A) providing a software application resident in the non-volatile memory of the electronic device, B) running the software application so that the software application is in a standby mode, C) checking a remote reset flag, and D) in an emergency situation, the user using the user interface to activate a data destruction routine of the software application, or the remote reset flag initiating the data destruction routine. The data destruction routine performs the steps: 1) setting the remote reset flag, 2) turning off the display of the electronic device, 3) overwriting the data of the user in the non-volatile memory with decoy data, and 4) initiating the factory-reset module.