Session Continuity via User Engagement Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing authentication methods, especially those requiring multiple factor authentication, can lead to premature session expiration due to inactivity, causing inconvenience and inefficiency as users are logged out automatically without accurately determining their engagement with the application.

Innovation Solution

A method and computer program product that monitor user activities, including physical and computing actions, using IoT devices and machine learning algorithms to determine user engagement, thereby extending or terminating sessions based on actual interaction levels rather than predefined inactivity periods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a timeout mechanism is implemented to automatically log out users after inactivity, then data security is improved, but user convenience deteriorates due to premature session expiration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the Dynamics principle by making the timeout mechanism adaptive rather than static. The system dynamically adjusts session timeout based on real-time user engagement detection. Sensors monitor physical indicators (eye movement, head position, posture) to determine if the user is actually engaged with the session, allowing the timeout to be extended when engagement is detected and enforced when no engagement is present. This resolves the contradiction by making security enforcement flexible rather than rigid.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements Feedback by continuously monitoring user physical states and using this information to adjust timeout behavior. The system provides feedback loops where sensor data about user engagement (eye tracking, motion detection, posture analysis) is processed and fed back to the timeout mechanism to determine whether to extend or enforce the timeout. This creates a closed-loop control system that balances security requirements with actual user behavior patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple factor authentication is required, then data security is improved, but time consumption increases for users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidauthentication time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies Preliminary action by performing authentication-related actions in advance. The system continuously monitors user engagement and maintains session state information ready before timeout occurs. By proactively detecting engagement through sensors and preparing session extension decisions beforehand, the system avoids the need for users to re-authenticate after premature timeouts, thus reducing time loss while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements Self-service by automatically monitoring user engagement and managing session timeouts without requiring user intervention. The sensor-based engagement detection and automatic timeout extension/reduction operates autonomously, eliminating the need for users to manually request session extensions or re-authenticate unnecessarily. This self-managing system reduces authentication time while maintaining security through continuous passive monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If session timeout is based on predefined inactivity period, then system simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision of user engagement deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoiduser engagement detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the simple mechanical timer-based timeout system with a sensor-based engagement detection system. Instead of relying solely on a predefined inactivity period, the system uses physical sensors (eye trackers, motion detectors, posture sensors) to measure actual user engagement. This substitution of the timing mechanism with physical measurement systems dramatically improves engagement detection precision while adding manageable complexity through standardized sensor integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11303649B2Maintaining electronic communications session continuity during session inactivity

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A method, computer program product, and a system where a processor(s) determine that a user of a given computing device has been authenticated to initiate an application session, that the application session is open, and that the application session has a timeout mechanism triggered by inactivity (i.e., the session not receiving a selection within a first predefined period of time). The processor(s) determines that the application session will automatically timeout within a second predefined period of time based on the inactivity. The processor(s) monitors activities of the user during pendency of the application session with the application including physical and computing activities of the user. The processor(s) determines that at least one activity of the activities indicates engagement of the user with the application session. The processor(s) prevent the timeout mechanism from being triggered during a duration of the at least one activity.