Voice-Based Identification via Near-Field Communication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In social networking services, it is challenging to identify individuals met in the real world quickly while maintaining privacy, as existing methods often rely on facial recognition, which raises privacy concerns.

Innovation Solution

An information processing system that uses near-field communication devices and voice information to specify individuals registered in a database, allowing for interaction notifications without relying on facial images, by analyzing identification information and voiceprint data from wearable terminals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If facial recognition is used to identify individuals, then identification accuracy is improved, but privacy protection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification accuracyVSAvoidprivacy risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces optical/facial recognition systems with acoustic/voice-based identification systems. Instead of using cameras to capture facial images for identification, the system uses microphones to capture voice signals and processes them through voiceprint analysis, substituting a mechanical/optical detection method with an acoustic one that better preserves privacy while maintaining identification functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces voiceprint information as an intermediary between the identification process and the individual's personal data. Rather than directly capturing and analyzing facial features, the system uses voice characteristics as an intermediate representation that can be processed for identification without requiring direct visual observation of the individual, thus mediating the privacy concern

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If interaction information is collected in real-world meetings, then network interaction opportunities are improved, but information collection time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteraction opportunityVSAvoididentification time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary voiceprint analysis and identification during the real-world interaction itself, rather than requiring separate identification steps afterward. The system captures voice information and performs identification in real-time or near-real-time during the meeting, allowing interaction opportunities to be captured immediately without subsequent time-consuming identification processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables automatic identification and interaction notification without requiring manual intervention from the users. The wearable terminal automatically captures voice information, performs identification, and generates interaction notifications, allowing the identification process to serve itself without consuming additional user time or requiring users to manually provide identification information

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10430896B2Information processing apparatus and method that receives identification and interaction information via near-field communication link

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

There is provided an information processing server including a specification unit configured to specify an individual registered in a predetermined database on the basis of identification information sent from a near-field communication device and collected voice information.