Speech Recognition Data Encryption Key Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Client/server speech recognition systems face security vulnerabilities as sensitive information, such as medical dictation, is susceptible to unauthorized access when transmitted and stored in unencrypted form, risking malicious attacks.

Innovation Solution

Implementing encryption and decryption key management to protect sensitive information by encrypting medical dictation data before transmission, using inverse key pairs for secure key transfer, and maintaining decryption keys locally to prevent interception, while ensuring only encrypted data is stored on the server side.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If speech recognition systems transmit and store medical dictation data in unencrypted form, then system operation simplicity and processing efficiency are improved, but security vulnerability and risk of unauthorized access worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem operation simplicityVSAvoidsecurity vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs encryption of medical dictation data before transmission to the server and before storage. This preliminary encryption action ensures that data is protected in transit and at rest, eliminating the security vulnerability while maintaining operational simplicity through automated encryption processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces encryption keys as intermediaries between the client and server. The client encrypts data using keys before transmission, and the server decrypts using corresponding keys for processing. This intermediary mechanism enables secure data exchange without compromising operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the system decrypts medical dictation information on the server side for speech recognition processing, then speech recognition accuracy and processing capability are improved, but data exposure risk and security vulnerability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeech recognition processing capabilityVSAvoiddata exposure risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The server performs decryption of medical dictation data as a preliminary action before speech recognition processing. This ensures that only the necessary data is decrypted and exposed to the speech recognition engine, minimizing data exposure risk while maintaining processing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a temporary decryption approach where data is decrypted only for the specific purpose of speech recognition processing and then discarded. This rushing through the decryption process without retaining unencrypted data reduces data exposure risk while maintaining necessary processing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Reliability

If the system stores encrypted medical dictation information on the server, then data security and protection from unauthorized access are improved, but system complexity and key management requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidkey management requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs encryption of medical dictation data before transmission and storage on the server. This preliminary encryption action ensures data security while the automated encryption processes reduce the operational complexity of key management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service encryption where the client computer encrypts data using its own keys before transmission. This reduces the server's key management burden and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining data security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the system discards decryption keys and decrypted medical dictation information after processing, then data security and prevention of unauthorized access are improved, but processing time and operational complexity worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunauthorized access preventionVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a temporary decryption approach where data is decrypted only for the specific purpose of speech recognition processing and then immediately discarded. This rushing through the decryption process without retaining unencrypted data prevents unauthorized access while minimizing the time data remains exposed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Solution Approach 2:

The system discards decryption keys and decrypted medical dictation information after processing is complete. This ensures that sensitive data does not remain in the system, preventing unauthorized access while the automated discarding process integrates seamlessly into the processing workflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS9065593B2Securing speech recognition data
Publication Date: 2015.06.23 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • US9065593B2 patent drawing
  • US9065593B2 patent drawing
  • US9065593B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for reducing security vulnerabilities in a client/server speech recognition system including one or more client computers and one or more server computers connected via a network. Decryption of sensitive information, such as medical dictation information, is performed on designated servers to limit the attack surface of unencrypted data. Management of encryption and decryption keys to restrict the storage and/or use of decryption keys on the server side of the client/server speech recognition system, while maintaining encrypted data on the server side is also described.