Wireless Asset Tampering Detection and User Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing asset management systems lack effective methods to detect unauthorized tampering events and authenticate authorized users, especially in sensitive areas like airports, hospitals, and storage facilities.
Innovation Solution
A wireless sensing system that includes sensors and communication interfaces to detect tampering events, determine their authorization, and transmit notifications to mobile devices. The system uses a network of wireless nodes, including a server with processors and memory to manage data and communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional asset management systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to detect unauthorized tampering events is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the monitoring function into distributed wireless sensor nodes that can be independently deployed on assets. Each node contains local processing capability and communication interface, allowing the system to scale from simple to complex monitoring scenarios without requiring a complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless communication interfaces and gateway devices as intermediaries between the physical assets and the central management system. These intermediaries enable tampering detection capability without requiring direct integration between all assets and the central system, thus managing complexity.
2Reliability
If wireless sensing systems with multiple nodes are deployed, then tampering detection coverage is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless sensor nodes employ periodic sensing and communication cycles rather than continuous operation. The nodes can enter low-power sleep modes between measurement cycles, significantly reducing average energy consumption while maintaining effective tampering detection coverage through strategically timed measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor nodes incorporate energy harvesting capabilities and local decision-making algorithms that allow them to autonomously manage their power consumption. Nodes can determine locally whether tampering events warrant communication activation, avoiding unnecessary energy expenditure on transmitting routine status updates.
3Loss of time
If real-time notification transmission is implemented, then response time to tampering events is improved, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements selective feedback mechanisms where notification transmission is triggered only when tampering events exceed predefined thresholds or patterns. The central system provides feedback to nodes about which events require communication, optimizing the balance between rapid response and communication energy expenditure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs partial notification strategies where only critical tampering events trigger immediate notifications, while less severe events are logged and reported periodically. This partial action approach ensures rapid response to serious threats while minimizing communication overhead for routine monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a wireless sensing system may receive sensor data associated with an asset. The sensor data may be associated with a tampering event and the tampering event may include an action performed on the asset. The wireless sensing system may further determine whether the tampering event is performed by an authorized user of the wireless sensing system. The wireless sensing system may further determine whether the tampering event is performed within an authorized location of the wireless sensing system. The wireless sensing system may transmit a notification to a user of the wireless sensing system. The notification may alert the user of the wireless sensing system that the tampering event has occurred.