Wireless Signal-Emission Control for Privacy-Preserving RF Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
RF sensing techniques for tracking human activities introduce privacy leakage issues due to illegitimate use of RF communication signals, and existing solutions like electromagnetic shielding or signal jamming impair legitimate use.
Innovation Solution
A signal-emission control device that adjusts RF communication signal parameters such as power, frequency, and beam-form to create variations that mimic human activity, making it difficult for eavesdropping devices to correlate signal changes with actual human presence or movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If electromagnetic shielding or signal jamming is used to prevent illegitimate RF sensing, then privacy protection is improved, but legitimate RF sensing functionality is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different signal parameter variations to different spatial regions. Legitimate receivers within the network receive signals with controlled variations, while eavesdropping devices outside the network receive signals with artificial variations that mimic human activity. This local differentiation protects privacy for legitimate users while preventing illegitimate sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes RF signal parameters (power, frequency, beam-form) according to predetermined variation data. By modifying these parameters in a controlled manner, the system creates verisimilitude in signal variations that fool eavesdropping devices while maintaining reliable communication for legitimate receivers that know the variation pattern.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If signal parameter variations are introduced to fool eavesdropping devices, then privacy protection is improved, but signal consistency for legitimate communication is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where receivers provide information about received signal quality and context data is used to adjust transmission parameters. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain communication reliability despite parameter variations, as the receiver can compensate for known variations while eavesdroppers cannot.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes predetermined variation data and contexts before communication occurs. Receivers are pre-configured with knowledge of expected parameter variations, allowing them to compensate in advance. This preliminary preparation ensures that legitimate communication remains stable while eavesdropping devices without this prior knowledge cannot accurately interpret signal variations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If RF signal parameters are dynamically adjusted, then verisimilitude of signal variations is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the signal-emission control device an integral part of existing wireless communication devices (transmitters, receivers, routers). This multi-functional approach allows the same device to perform both legitimate communication and privacy protection through parameter variation, eliminating the need for separate dedicated shielding or jamming devices and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables communication devices to automatically adjust their own signal parameters based on embedded control logic and predetermined variation data. Each device independently manages its own parameter variations without requiring complex external control systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining signal variation authenticity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is directed to a signal-emission control device (100) for controlling emission of RF communication signals (Si) in a wireless communication network (140) that includes a transmitter device (152) and a receiver device (154). The emission is controllable with respect to a variable signal parameters (P). An emission-value ascertainment unit (102) is configured to ascertain variation-data indicative of an emission-value variation of signal-parameter values. A context-data ascertainment unit (208) is configured to ascertain network-context data pertaining to the devices (152, 154) or to the communication signals (Si) provided or received by the devices (152, 154). A transmitter-control unit (104) is configured to control operation of transmitter device (152) for transmitting the communication signals (Si) according to the emission-value variation of the respective signal-parameter value and to the network-context data, thus enabling an increase of the verisimilitude of the provided communication signals against illegitimate eavesdropping.