Structure-Based Credentials for Shared Smart Home Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user-specific credential schemes for smart devices and services within structures, such as homes, require constant switching between accounts and manual credential sharing, leading to inefficiency and frustration, especially for collaborative user groups.
Innovation Solution
Assign user credentials to a structure identifier, generating structure-based credentials that allow multiple users within the structure to access devices and services without account switching, using a control computing device to manage these credentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user-specific credentials are used for each user account, then each user can access their own devices and services securely, but constant account switching is required when multiple users need to access different devices/services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple user-specific credentials into a single structure-based credential set. The control computing device combines credentials from multiple users (e.g., husband's music streaming credentials and wife's calendar credentials) into unified structure credentials associated with the home identifier, eliminating the need for separate account switching while maintaining secure access control for each user's devices and services.
Solution Approach 2:
The structure credentials serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide access control for multiple users, maintain security for individual user accounts, and enable cross-user device access without requiring manual credential sharing. A single set of structure credentials replaces multiple user-specific credential sets, making the system universally applicable to all users within the structure.
2Ease of operation
If manual credential sharing is performed between users, then access can be granted without account switching, but additional setup procedures and security risks are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The control computing device automatically performs the credential combination process without requiring manual intervention from users. When users physically co-locate at the structure (detected via geofencing or proximity sensors), the system automatically generates structure credentials by combining the necessary user-specific credentials, eliminating the need for manual credential sharing setup while maintaining security through automated authentication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The control computing device acts as an intermediary that securely manages and combines user credentials. Instead of users directly sharing credentials with each other (which creates security risks and setup complexity), the control device mediates the process by automatically generating structure credentials that grant appropriate access rights without exposing individual user credentials to other users.
3Reliability
If voice recognition is used for account switching, then security is maintained through voice authentication, but users cannot switch accounts when the recognized user is not the intended user
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary credential combination in advance, generating structure credentials before they are needed for access. When users first co-locate at the structure, the control computing device proactively combines their credentials and creates structure credentials that are ready for immediate use. This eliminates the need for real-time account switching during voice recognition, as the structure credentials are already prepared and can be used by any recognized user.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods that perform structure-based access control. In particular, rather than relying upon a user-specific credential scheme, which can require manual sharing of user-specific credentials and/or switching between the multiple accounts to access the particular devices, applications, or services associated with such accounts, the systems and methods of the present disclosure facilitate user credentials to be inherited by or otherwise assigned to a structure identifier associated with a structure (e.g., a home in which the user resides), thereby generating a set of structure credentials. This enables other users in the structure, who may be part of a collaborative user group, to access devices, applications, and/or services using the structure credentials.