Sanitary Appliance Data Retrieval With Proximity-Based Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for storing sanitary equipment data pseudonymously in the cloud fail to ensure secure access, as user accounts are required, allowing unauthorized access and impersonation, and lack clarity on authorized users.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an end device, sanitary device, and network device that uses pseudonymous storage, with initial and secondary data requests, comparing identification information, and proximity-based communication to authenticate and authorize data access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If user accounts are used to access sanitary equipment data in the cloud, then data access is enabled, but unauthorized access and data security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata accessVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the authentication mechanism from the traditional user account system. Instead of requiring users to log in with accounts, the system uses device-based authentication where the sanitary appliance itself initiates data requests after receiving a command from an authorized device. This removes the vulnerability of account-based systems where credentials could be stolen or impersonated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism involving three components: the authorized device (terminal), the sanitary appliance, and the cloud server. The authorized device sends a command to the sanitary appliance, which then makes a data request to the cloud. This intermediary chain ensures that only authenticated devices can access data, eliminating the need for user accounts while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If pseudonymous storage of sanitary equipment data is implemented, then data privacy is improved, but access authorization becomes unclear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata privacyVSAvoidaccess authorization
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the roles of different entities in the authentication process. The sanitary appliance holds local knowledge of authorized devices (through the commands received), while the cloud server maintains pseudonymous data storage. This allows the system to combine the benefits of both approaches: privacy through pseudonymity and clear authorization through device-based authentication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If proximity-based communication is used for authentication, then unauthorized access is prevented, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess controlVSAvoidauthentication mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sanitary appliance performs self-authentication by automatically making data requests only after receiving authenticated commands from authorized devices. The appliance itself verifies the authenticity of requests based on the commands it received, eliminating the need for complex server-side authentication mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4651439A1Method and system for retrieving sanitary appliance data
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 BLANCO GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4651439A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4651439A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4651439A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for retrieving sanitary appliance data by an end device, in particular a mobile end device, wherein the sanitary appliance data is stored pseudonymously on a network device, in particular in a cloud, and wherein the sanitary appliance data contains information about a sanitary appliance, comprising the steps of: - making a first data request by the end device; - making a second data request by the sanitary appliance after receiving a notification indicating at least one intended first data request by the end device; - comparing the first and second data requests by the network device; - providing sanitary appliance data by the network device to the end device based on the comparison of the first and second data requests; - retrieving the sanitary appliance data by the end device.