Communication Device Identification Under Randomized MAC Addresses

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information processing apparatuses struggle to connect with communication devices whose IP addresses have been changed by DHCP and MAC addresses have been randomized, making it impossible to specify the correct device for communication.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus acquires first identification information as a MAC address and, if randomized, obtains second identification information such as a serial number from the communication device, using this to establish communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If MAC address randomization is implemented for security, then user privacy is protected, but device specification capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacy protectionVSAvoiddevice specification capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that maintains the correspondence between randomized MAC addresses and original MAC addresses. When device specification is needed, the information processing apparatus queries the server with the randomized MAC address to obtain the original MAC address, thus resolving the contradiction between privacy protection and device specification capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a mapping copy relationship where the server stores the correspondence between randomized MAC addresses and original MAC addresses. This copying mechanism allows the system to work with randomized addresses for privacy while being able to retrieve original addresses when needed for device identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If IP address dynamic allocation (DHCP) is used, then network resource utilization is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary binding between the information processing apparatus and the communication apparatus by storing the correspondence between their addresses (whether static or dynamic) before actual communication occurs. This preliminary action ensures that even when IP addresses change via DHCP, the system can retrieve the correct current address for reliable communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260064335A1Information processing apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 CANON KK

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires first identification information as a MAC address from a communication apparatus; a second acquisition unit that acquires, based on a fact that the acquired first identification information is a MAC address that is randomized in the communication apparatus by a predetermined function of randomizing a MAC address of the communication apparatus, second identification information as a predetermined kind of identification information different from a MAC address from the communication apparatus that has transmitted the first identification information to the information processing apparatus; and a first execution unit that executes, using the acquired second identification information, processing for communicating with the communication apparatus that has transmitted the first identification information to the information processing apparatus.