Devices, systems and methods for close contact tracing with strong privacy protection
AssigneeCypress Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsHui Luo, Kamesh Medapalli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method can include, by operation of a user device, receiving beacon data via a wireless signal. Beacon data can include unencrypted data that includes a key identification (ID) corresponding to a private key/public key pair, a time value, and a location value. Beacon data can also include encrypted data that includes at least a beacon ID, a beacon time value, and a beacon location value. If the unencrypted time value is within a predetermined range of a current time value of the user device, the beacon data can be stored in a user record with a user ID. Periodically, the user record can be uploaded to a tracking system. Corresponding devices and systems are also disclosed.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- by operation of a user device, receiving beacon data via a wireless signal, the beacon data including
- unencrypted data that includes a key identification (ID) corresponding to a private key/public key pair, a time value, and a location value, and
- encrypted data that includes at least a beacon ID, a beacon time value, and a beacon location value;
- determining that at least the unencrypted time value is within a predetermined range of a current time value of the user device;
- storing the beacon data in a user record with at least a user ID;
- and
- periodically uploading the user record to a tracking system.
The method of claim of 5, wherein:
- wirelessly transmitting the user beacon data includes transmitting a packet selected from the group of:
- a beacon packet compatible with at least one IEEE 802.11 wireless standard and an advertisement packet compatible with at least one Bluetooth standard, including the BLE standard.
A device, comprising:
- a nonvolatile memory (NVM) configured to store at least
- a user identification (ID), and
- a user tracking record;
- wireless circuits configured to receive beacon data according to at least one protocol, the beacon data including
- unencrypted data that includes a key ID corresponding to a private key/public key pair, a time value, and a location value, and
- encrypted data that includes at least a beacon ID, a beacon time value, and a beacon location value;
- processing circuits configured to
- determine that the unencrypted time value is within a predetermined range of a time for the device, and
- add the received beacon data to the user tracking record with at least the user ID, and
- transmit the tracking record to a tracking system via the wireless circuits.
A system, comprising:
- at least one beacon device comprising
- memory circuits configured to store a beacon identification (ID) value, a public encryption key, and a key ID corresponding to the public encryption key,
- processing circuits configured to
- determine a beacon time value and beacon location value,
- generate encrypted data by encrypting at least the beacon ID value, the beacon time value, and the beacon location value with the public encryption key,
- generate a random network address, and
- construct a beacon packet that includes the random network address, the encrypted data, and unencrypted data, the unencrypted data including the first key ID, the beacon time value, and the beacon location value, and
- wireless circuits configured to wirelessly transmit the beacon packet according to at least one wireless protocol;
- and
- an antenna system coupled to the wireless circuits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.