Electronic Device Privacy Protection via Virtual MAC Address
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices using wireless communication methods, such as active and passive scans, expose users' privacy by revealing their position and movement paths due to the use of their original Media Access Control (MAC) addresses without user intention.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device and method that selectively perform active and passive scans, and generate a virtual MAC address during active scans to protect user privacy by controlling the communication module to choose between scan methods and manage MAC address transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If active scan is used for wireless communication, then communication speed and connection establishment are improved, but user privacy (position and movement path) is exposed due to MAC address collection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the MAC address by generating a virtual MAC address that mimics the functionality of the original MAC address. This virtual copy is used during active scan operations, allowing the device to maintain communication capabilities while preventing the exposure of the real MAC address and associated privacy information.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual MAC address serves as an intermediary between the wireless communication system and the user's private information. It mediates the interaction by allowing external devices to communicate with the electronic device without directly accessing or exposing the user's actual MAC address, thereby protecting position and movement path data.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If passive scan is used to protect privacy, then MAC address exposure is reduced, but communication efficiency and connection establishment speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic approach by making the scan method selectable rather than fixed. The system can adaptively switch between active scan and passive scan based on user preferences or specific communication scenarios, allowing optimization of both privacy protection and communication efficiency for different situations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the wireless communication system by allowing selection between different scan modes. This parameter change enables the system to adjust its behavior to balance privacy protection requirements with communication efficiency needs, rather than being constrained to a single fixed mode.
3Ease of operation
If original MAC address is used for communication, then device identification and connection are simplified, but user position and movement path tracking is enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual MAC address functions as a protective copy that maintains the identification and connection capabilities of the original MAC address while severing the link to personal information. This copy allows devices to be identified and connected without revealing the user's actual identity or location data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the identification function from the original MAC address by creating a separate virtual MAC address. This extraction separates the device identification capability from the personal information contained in the original MAC address, allowing the former to be used while protecting the latter.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device protecting privacy of a user is provided. The electronic device includes a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless communication signals of Wi-Fi networks, and at least one processor configured to detect occurring of an event for identifying a location of the electronic device, determine whether to use the Wi-Fi networks for identifying the location of the electronic device, control the transceiver to perform an active scan, when the Wi-Fi networks is used to identify the location of the electronic device, and control the transceiver to transmit one or more probe request frames including a virtual media access control (MAC) address to an access point of the Wi-Fi networks for identifying the location of the electronic device, when the transceiver to be performed in the active scan.