Smart Watch Proximity Monitoring for Portable Device Authorization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication methods lack additional functionality for ensuring secure and authorized communication in local areas, particularly in environments like navy vessels, where proximity and authentication are critical for security and emergency procedures.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication system that monitors the proximity of a portable device to its associated smart watch through a short-range wireless connection, generating a monitoring signal to verify user presence and authorize communication tasks, using a server connected to multiple portable devices and smart watches, and integrating authentication processes with personalized smart cards and biometric factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If wireless communication methods are used for providing communication between persons, then communication capability is improved, but security and authorization control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capabilityVSAvoidsecurity and authorization control
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a wearable device as an intermediary between the user and the portable device. This intermediary continuously monitors proximity through wireless connection and acts as a gatekeeper for authorization, thereby maintaining security while enabling communication functionality. The wearable device serves as the mediator that verifies user presence before allowing access to communication tasks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring the wireless connection status between the portable device and wearable device. When the connection is lost or weakened, the system receives feedback about potential unauthorized use and responds by interrupting or blocking communication tasks. This feedback loop ensures security is dynamically maintained based on real-time proximity detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If proximity monitoring is added to ensure security, then security control is improved, but device complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity controlVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wearable device serves multiple functions: it acts as a proximity sensor, an authentication credential, and a security monitor. By making the wearable device multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive security control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the wearable device's existing wireless communication capabilities to perform proximity monitoring without requiring additional specialized hardware. The wearable device itself provides the monitoring function using its own resources, reducing the need for external monitoring infrastructure and simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If continuous monitoring of wireless connection is performed, then authorization accuracy is improved, but energy consumption deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthorization accuracyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of truly continuous monitoring, the system performs periodic checks of the wireless connection status between the portable and wearable devices. This periodic monitoring maintains sufficient authorization accuracy by detecting connection loss at regular intervals, while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to constant real-time monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3378218B1Communication between an electronic portable device and a smart watch
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 INTELLECTUEEL EIGENDOM BEHEER BV
  • EP3378218B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3378218B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a wireless communication method, wherein a multiple number of activated electronic portable communication devices are operatively connected to a server via wireless communication channels for performing a data processing process on data transmitted by said devices. The method comprising a step of monitoring a short range wireless connection between an activated electronic portable communication device and a smart watch worn by a person using said communication device. Further, the method comprises a step of generating, responsive to the monitoring step, a monitoring signal in the server interacting with the data processing process.