Efficient And Secure Communication Using Wireless Service Identifiers
Patent No. US11687971 (titled "Efficient And Secure Communication Using Wireless Service Identifiers") was filed by Secure Communication Technologies Llc on Sep 12, 2022.
What is this patent about?
’971 is related to the field of wireless communication, specifically addressing the problem of efficient and secure information exchange between devices using short-range wireless technologies like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi beacons . The background involves scenarios where mobile devices need to discover and interact with nearby devices or services, but existing peer-to-peer approaches lack security and policy enforcement.
The underlying idea behind ’971 is to leverage a central server to mediate communication between wireless devices that detect each other via short-range wireless signals. Instead of directly exchanging data peer-to-peer, devices transmit identifiers via beacons, which are then used to query a central server for relevant information and policies. This allows for enhanced security, privacy, and policy enforcement, as the server controls the information flow.
The claims of ’971 focus on a method, a mobile wireless device, and a computer program product. The method involves receiving beacon transmissions via a short-range protocol (e.g., Bluetooth), where each beacon includes a MAC address, a unique identifier, and a beacon service identifier. The device then receives stored information from a server via a second wireless protocol. The device filters the received beacons based on the beacon service identifier and takes action if a specific unique identifier is present, using the stored information.
In practice, a mobile device scans for Bluetooth or Wi-Fi beacons broadcasting identifiers. Upon detecting a beacon, the device filters based on the service identifier to determine relevance. If a relevant identifier is found, the device queries a central server using a wide-area wireless connection (e.g., cellular data) to retrieve information associated with that identifier. This information can then be used to trigger actions on the device, such as displaying relevant content or initiating a transaction.
This approach differs from prior solutions by avoiding direct peer-to-peer communication for application data. The central server acts as a broker, enabling policy enforcement and security measures. Furthermore, the identifiers transmitted via beacons can be dynamically changed to enhance privacy, without disrupting ongoing communications. This is particularly useful in scenarios like e-commerce or location-based services, where secure and controlled information exchange is crucial.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2000s when ’971 was filed, mobile devices commonly supported both cellular wide area network (WWAN) and short-range wireless personal/local area network (WPAN/WLAN) connections. At a time when WWAN was typically implemented using standards like CDMA, GSM, or WiMax, WPAN/WLAN connections relied on technologies such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for short-range communication. Peer-to-peer communication between mobile devices was emerging, but hardware or software constraints made enforcing policy and preventing fraud non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art failed to demonstrate a beacon service identifier. The invention uses this identifier in each beacon transmission to indicate that the unique identifier is relevant to stored information associated with a wireless beacon service. This stored information is not otherwise accessible to the wireless device using the short-range wireless protocol, in combination with other limitations in the independent claims.
Claims
This patent contains 83 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 37, and 50. The independent claims are generally directed to a method, a mobile wireless device, and a computer program product, respectively, all relating to receiving beacon transmissions via a short-range wireless protocol, receiving stored information via a second wireless protocol, selecting unique identifiers from the beacon transmissions, and taking action based on the stored information. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and refine the elements and steps recited in the independent claims.
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Description
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US11687971
- Application Number
- US17942197
- Filing Date
- Sep 12, 2022
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Feb 3, 2029
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents