Wireless Docking Privacy Control via Virtual Peripheral Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless docking systems lack control over data transfer and rendering on shared peripherals, leading to potential privacy issues as data from one device can be accessed by multiple users without intended restrictions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a control system with configurable virtual peripheral devices that assign privacy levels to manage data transfer and rendering, allowing users to control which data is shared and accessed based on predefined levels of confidentiality, such as public, group, or personal, and mapping these virtual peripherals to actual peripherals during docking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If wireless docking allows multiple dockees to connect simultaneously and share peripherals, then device versatility and resource sharing are improved, but data privacy and security are worsened as data from one device can be accessed by multiple users without intended restrictions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperipheral sharing capabilityVSAvoiddata privacy violation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into different privacy categories (public, private, confidential) and assigns different routing rules to each category. This allows the system to maintain peripheral sharing capability while preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data by routing different data types to appropriate destinations based on their privacy classification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a data routing mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the wireless docking system and peripherals. This intermediary monitors data requests, determines privacy levels, and routes data accordingly - allowing public data to be shared on shared peripherals while blocking private/confidential data from leaving the source device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If all data is transferred to shared peripherals for rendering, then peripheral utilization is improved, but data security and user control are worsened as users cannot control which data is shared

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperipheral utilization efficiencyVSAvoiduser control over data sharing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary classification of data into privacy categories before data transfer occurs. By pre-tagging data with privacy metadata and establishing routing rules in advance, the system automatically routes data appropriately without requiring real-time user intervention, thus maintaining both high peripheral utilization and user control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of data by adding privacy level metadata and classification tags. This transformation allows the routing mechanism to differentiate between data types and apply appropriate routing rules, enabling automatic control over which data is shared while maintaining efficient peripheral utilization for appropriate data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If privacy control mechanisms are implemented to manage data transfer, then data security is improved, but system complexity is worsened due to additional control layers and mapping mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service routing mechanism where data automatically carries privacy metadata that enables the routing system to make decisions without external intervention. Data packets are self-identifying their privacy requirements through embedded metadata, allowing automatic routing to appropriate destinations based on pre-configured rules, thus reducing the need for complex manual control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes routing rules and privacy classifications in advance before data transfer operations begin. By pre-configuring the routing logic and privacy metadata schemas, the system reduces runtime complexity while maintaining strong security controls, as the heavy lifting of decision-making is performed during system setup rather than during actual data operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2989768B1Wireless docking device.
Publication Date: 2019.07.17 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP2989768B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2989768B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2989768B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a wireless docking system a dockee device (120) communicates with a host device (100) that is coupled to at least one peripheral (110,111,112). The host device has a host communication unit (102) and a docking processor (101) arranged for docking at least one dockee device. The dockee device has a dockee communication unit (121), and a dockee processor (122) for docking to the host device. The dockee processor is arranged for providing at least one virtual peripheral device in a virtual docking environment, the virtual peripheral device having a privacy level. When docking, the virtual peripherals are mapped on actual peripherals so as to apply the privacy level to the actual peripheral. When docked, data transfer with the actual peripheral is controlled according to the respective peripheral privacy level.