Wireless Service Identifier Filtering for Secure Beacon Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing peer-to-peer wireless communication methods face challenges in securely exchanging information between devices without the potential for fraud and identity spoofing, leading to concerns over personal safety and privacy.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a central server to manage information exchange between wireless devices using short-range wireless capabilities, where devices communicate with the server to access stored information associated with detected entities, enabling policy-based security and privacy through a central server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If peer-to-peer wireless communication is used to enable direct device communication, then communication efficiency and speed are improved, but security and privacy are worsened due to potential fraud and identity spoofing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary between wireless devices. The server receives device identifiers through short-range wireless communication, verifies identities, manages information exchange policies, and facilitates communication. This mediator approach maintains the speed benefits of direct wireless detection while adding security layers that prevent fraud and identity spoofing by centralizing trust management.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all information is stored locally on peer devices for direct communication, then communication autonomy is improved, but fraud resistance is worsened due to inability to enforce delivery policies
Solution Approach 1:
The central server acts as a trusted intermediary that stores information and enforces delivery policies. While devices maintain autonomy to initiate communication and store local caches, the server verifies identities, manages what information is disclosed, and controls the flow of data. This hybrid approach preserves device autonomy while adding fraud resistance through centralized policy enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing information on the central server and pre-establishing delivery policies before actual communication occurs. When devices communicate, they reference pre-verified identities and pre-approved information sets, reducing the need for complex real-time fraud detection while maintaining security.
3Reliability
If device identifiers are frequently updated to enhance privacy, then privacy protection is improved, but communication reliability is worsened due to disruption of ongoing communication
Solution Approach 1:
The central server maintains a mapping between temporary device identifiers and permanent entity identities. When device identifiers change, the server updates its records and continues to route communications correctly. This intermediary mapping layer decouples identifier stability from communication stability, allowing devices to refresh identifiers for privacy while the server ensures ongoing communication reliability through its centralized identity management.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for reducing communications between servers and a mobile device and providing enhanced security and privacy to wireless beacon services. This can involve a broadcast device transmitting a beacon transmission using a short range wireless radio, such a Bluetooth or WiFi, and including a MAC address, a first unique identifier, and a beacon service identifier. The mobile device then selects one or more unique identifiers from received beacon transmissions, by filtering (that is, selecting) those beacon transmissions which include the beacon service identifier. The wireless device then takes further action, if the first unique identifier is present among the selected one or more unique identifiers, using stored information from the server. The stored information may be delivered to the wireless device in response to the wireless device sending the first unique identifier to a server, or the stored information may have been previously downloaded.