Visual Tag Token Encoding for Secure Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sharing information between devices are limited by the size and type of data that can be transferred, and often lack security and require complex hardware setups, especially for transferring large files and configuration settings.
Innovation Solution
A method using visual tags encoded with tokens that allow devices to access source data, enabling secure transfer of various types of data, including media files and configuration information, through visual capture and decoding, without the need for direct proximity or specialized hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual tags are used to encode tokens for secure data access, then security is improved and hardware requirements are lowered, but data transfer size and type are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data transfer into two parts: a token encoded in the visual tag for secure authentication, and the actual data transferred separately through established communication channels. This allows the visual tag to carry only essential access credentials while the bulk data moves through other means, resolving the contradiction between security enhancement and data transfer capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual tag acts as an intermediary carrier that holds the token, which then mediates access to the source data. The tag itself doesn't need to contain all data, but provides the key (token) that enables secure retrieval of the actual data through separate communication protocols, thus maintaining security while enabling versatile data transfer.
2Ease of operation
If visual tags are used for information sharing, then complex hardware setups are eliminated and ease of operation is improved, but the communication protocols become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex physical hardware setups (direct proximity requirements, specialized communication hardware) with optical capture using standard cameras. This substitution eliminates the need for specialized hardware while maintaining secure communication through visual tag encoding and decoding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual tag system is designed to work with multiple communication protocols (first and second protocols may differ), allowing the same visual tag mechanism to facilitate diverse data transfers through different protocol stacks. This multi-functionality handles protocol complexity internally while presenting a unified simple interface to users.
3Reliability
If tokens are encoded in visual tags for secure access, then security is enhanced, but the amount of information that can be encoded is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential authentication token from the complete data set and encodes it in the visual tag. The full source data remains separate and is accessed using the token as a key. This extraction approach ensures the visual tag contains sufficient security credentials while avoiding the limitation of encoding entire data sets in the tag.
Solution Approach 2:
The token is prepared and encoded in the visual tag in advance, establishing secure access credentials before the actual data transfer occurs. This preliminary encoding of authentication information allows the system to verify security requirements upfront, then proceed with full data transfer through appropriate channels without being constrained by visual tag capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
Source data stored on a source device may be shared with other devices. Sharing the source data may include facilitating communication associated with the source data, based on a communication protocol, between a first device and another device. Receiving a first token associated with the source data may be facilitated. The first token may be encoded to generate a visual tag. An image of the visual tag may be provided to enable a second device to capture the image, retrieve the first token after decoding the visual tag, and use the first token to access the source data utilizing a communication protocol.