Vaping Policy Beacon Authentication Against Wireless Policy Spoofing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic vapor provision systems, such as e-cigarettes, face challenges in establishing reliable wireless data connections for policy notifications, which are complex and prone to unauthorized policy spoofing due to the lack of effective authentication mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A policy notification system that utilizes a wireless vaping policy beacon with a unique identifier and common identifier, authenticated through a beacon authentication server, ensures legitimate policy implementation by verifying GPS coordinates, trusted certificates, or supplementary identification data, preventing unauthorized policy transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a wireless connection is used for data communications between e-cigarette and external system, then user flexibility and movement freedom are improved, but the system becomes more complex and more susceptible to unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser flexibilityVSAvoidconnection complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mobile phone as an intermediary device between the e-cigarette and external systems. The mobile phone handles complex wireless communications, authentication, and data processing, while the e-cigarette maintains a simplified connection. This mediator approach enables wireless operation flexibility while offloading complexity to the smartphone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces wired mechanical connections with wireless electronic communications. The e-cigarette uses wireless protocols (such as Bluetooth) to communicate with the mobile phone, eliminating the need for physical USB cables and providing user flexibility in movement and positioning while maintaining data communication capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If wireless beacons are used for policy notifications, then policy enforcement capability is improved, but vulnerability to unauthorized policy spoofing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolicy enforcement capabilityVSAvoidpolicy authenticity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary authentication of wireless beacons before accepting their policy notifications. The mobile phone authenticates the beacon's identity and authority status in advance using cryptographic verification. Only authenticated beacons can successfully transmit policies to the e-cigarette, preventing unauthorized spoofing while enabling legitimate policy enforcement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the mobile phone continuously monitors and verifies beacon authenticity. The system provides feedback by accepting or rejecting policy notifications based on authentication results. This feedback loop ensures that only verified policies from authorized beacons are enforced, maintaining reliability while enabling policy adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3355731B1Policy notification system and method for electronic vapour provision systems
Publication Date: 2024.03.13 NICOVENTURES TRADING LTD
  • EP3355731B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3355731B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3355731B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mobile communication device comprises a wireless receiver adapted to receive a beacon signal from a wireless beacon, the beacon signal comprising a unique identifier and a common identifier indicating that the beacon is used for the transmission of vaping policies; a processor adapted to detect within the beacon signal the common identifier; a transmitter adapted to transmit the unique identifier to a remote server; and a receiver adapted to receive from the remote server indicator data indicative of the authenticity of the beacon signal.