Selective Content Sharing Control Apparatus for Privacy Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control apparatuses fail to selectively share content data between communication target apparatuses without invading user privacy during telephone calls, as they do not provide a mechanism to control the sharing of audio or image content.

Innovation Solution

A control apparatus with a processor that determines whether to share reproduced content with a communication target apparatus, using techniques such as inverting audio signals, masking images, or displaying captured images separately to prevent privacy invasion, while allowing selective sharing of content data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If content data is shared with communication target apparatus, then users can have a shared content experience, but user privacy may be invaded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent sharing capabilityVSAvoidprivacy invasion

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the audio signal into two distinct components: speech audio (user's voice during call) and content audio (reproduced content). By separating these audio streams, the system can selectively transmit only the speech audio to the communication target apparatus while withholding the content audio, thus enabling shared communication experience without invading content privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting all audio signals including content audio, the patent inverts the approach by selectively excluding content audio from transmission. The system transmits speech audio normally but deliberately withholds content audio that would otherwise be shared, thereby protecting user privacy while maintaining communication functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Loss of information

If content audio is transmitted to communication target apparatus, then shared content experience is achieved, but user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent accessibilityVSAvoidprivacy invasion

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates the content audio component from the overall audio signal. By taking out the content audio specifically, the system can prevent its transmission to the communication target apparatus while still allowing speech audio to be shared, thus protecting content privacy without affecting communication quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies inversion by deliberately excluding content audio from transmission rather than including it. This reverse approach ensures that content remains private while speech communication proceeds normally, resolving the contradiction between content accessibility and privacy protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If all audio signals are shared, then complete communication experience is provided, but content privacy cannot be protected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidprivacy invasion

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments audio signals into speech audio and content audio components. This segmentation allows the system to transmit speech audio for complete communication experience while selectively blocking content audio transmission, thus maintaining communication quality without compromising content privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by treating different audio components differently. Speech audio is transmitted with normal quality for communication purposes, while content audio is withheld or degraded to protect privacy. This differentiated approach maintains communication quality where needed while protecting privacy where required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9060042B2Control apparatus and control method

Publication Date: 2015.06.16 SATURN LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for selective content sharing with a communication target apparatus are provided. In various aspects, communication with a communication target apparatus may be established, and content indicated by content data may be reproduced, where the reproduced content may represent audio or audio and image content. A determination may be made whether or not to share the reproduced content indicated by the content data with the communication target apparatus and a process to share or not share the reproduced content indicated by the content data with the communication target apparatus may be selectively performed. When the reproduced content is determined not to be shared with the communication target apparatus, a generated speech audio signal may be shared with the communication target apparatus while the reproduced content indicated by the content data may not shared with the communication target apparatus.