Secure Voice Interface in Streaming Media Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

The rapid increase in wireless device usage in wireless networks has led to degraded quality of service, reduced coverage, and security concerns regarding voice command data processing, as untrustworthy applications may gain access to microphones to listen to users.

Innovation Solution

A smart media device equipped with a network controller, memory, and communication interface, which executes a program to receive and process secure voice commands. The device determines whether an application uses secure voice commands and enables a trusted execution environment to decrypt and process encrypted audio data, generating application commands accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If applications are allowed to access the microphone for voice command processing, then voice command functionality is enabled, but security vulnerability increases allowing unauthorized listening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoice command functionalityVSAvoidunauthorized access to microphone data

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments voice processing into two distinct paths: local processing within the smart media device and remote processing through a voice-speech server. This segmentation allows voice commands to be processed without necessarily exposing raw microphone data to potentially malicious applications, as processing can occur in a controlled environment or externally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A trusted execution environment acts as an intermediary between the microphone and applications. This mediator decrypts encrypted audio data in a secure manner and only provides processed information to applications, preventing direct access to raw voice data while maintaining voice command functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If encrypted audio data is decrypted within the application environment, then voice command processing is enabled, but security risk increases from potential malware access

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoice command processingVSAvoidsecurity against malware and viruses

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Audio data is encrypted before being made available to applications. This preliminary encryption action ensures that even if malware is present in the application environment, it cannot access or intercept the voice data in plaintext form, maintaining security while enabling voice processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The trusted execution environment serves as a secure mediator that performs decryption operations. Applications receive decrypted voice commands through this controlled interface, preventing direct exposure to plaintext data while maintaining operational functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If clear voice data is transmitted to remote servers, then voice processing capability is improved, but privacy security is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoice processing capabilityVSAvoiduser privacy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Voice data is encrypted before transmission to remote voice-speech servers. This preliminary encryption preserves user privacy during transmission while still enabling remote processing capability, as the encrypted data cannot be intercepted or misused during transit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the state of voice data from plaintext to encrypted form during transmission. This parameter change (encryption state) maintains the usability of the data for remote processing while protecting privacy, as the data remains secure throughout the transmission process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12223034B2Secure voice interface in a streaming media device to avoid vulnerability attacks

Publication Date: 2025.02.11 ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC

AI summary

An apparatus, method, and computer-readable recording medium receives secure voice commands by an application executing within a smart media device while attached to the Internet. A controller of a smart media device activates an application within the smart media device, determines whether or not the application uses secure voice commands, and when the smart media device determines that the application uses secure voice commands, performs the following: enables the trusted execution environment to receive and decrypt the encrypted audio data and generate application commands corresponding to processing decrypted voice commands, receives, by the application, application commands corresponding to processing decrypted voice commands, and performs the application commands.