EP-4738166-A1 - ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC DEVICE

EP4738166A1EP 4738166 A1EP4738166 A1EP 4738166A1EP-4738166-A1

Abstract

An electronic device and a method for controlling the electronic device are disclosed. Specifically, the electronic device may include: at least one sensor; a communication unit; a memory storing at least one instruction; and a processor for executing the at least one instruction, wherein the processor: when a request for access to a first type of sensor is received from an external device through the communication unit, identifies whether the first type of sensor is included in the at least one sensor; when the first type of sensor is identified to be included in the at least one sensor, performs authentication for allowing the external device to access the first type of sensor; blocks other applications remaining after excluding at least one application related to access to the first type of sensor by the external device from among multiple applications of the electronic device and other devices remaining after excluding the external device from accessing the first type of sensor; establishes a security channel for communication with the external device by using encryption information; and when sensing data is obtained through the first type of sensor, controls the communication unit to transmit information on the sensing data to the external device through the established security channel.

Inventors

CHAPAYEV, Eugene
TATARINOVA, Yuliia
ASTRAKHANTSEV, Andrii
VOLOBUIEV, Kostiantyn
GRYSHCHENKO, Sergii

Assignees

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240902

Claims (15)

An electronic apparatus comprising: at least one sensor; a communication unit; a memory storing at least one instruction; and a processor configured to execute the at least one instruction, wherein the processor is configured to: identify whether a first type of sensor is included in the at least one sensor when a request for access to the first type of sensor is received from an external device through the communication unit; perform authentication for allowing the external device to access the first type of sensor when the first type of sensor is identified as being included in the at least one sensor; block another application excluding at least one application related to access to the first type of sensor by the external device from among a plurality of applications of the electronic apparatus and another device excluding the external device from accessing the first type of sensor; establish a security channel for communication with the external device by using encryption information; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, information on sensing data when the sensing data is obtained from the first type of sensor.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information on the sensing data includes at least one of the sensing data, processed data obtained from the sensing data, an analysis result of the sensing data, or control information for performing an operation related to the sensing data.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to: identify whether personal information is included in the sensing data; obtain the processed data obtained from the sensing data by converting the sensing data not to include the personal information when the personal information is identified as being included in the sensing data; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, the processed data among the information on the sensing data.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain the analysis result of the sensing data; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, the analysis result among the information on the sensing data.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain the control information based on the analysis result; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, the control information among the information on the sensing data.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: receive, through the communication unit, the request for access from a hub apparatus for managing an Internet of Things (IoT) network including the electronic apparatus and the external device; and identify whether the first type of sensor is included in the at least one sensor by receiving, from the hub apparatus through the communication unit, information indicating that the first type of sensor is included in the at least one sensor.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the encryption information includes an asymmetric cipher for setting a session key related to establishment of the security channel and a symmetric block cipher for encrypting and decrypting the information on the sensing data.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device, a message indicating that the first type of sensor is not included in the electronic apparatus when the first type of sensor is identified as not being included in the at least one sensor.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: control the communication unit to transmit, to another external device, a message indicating that the request for access to the first type of sensor is blocked when access to the first type of sensor is blocked and the request for access to the first type of sensor is subsequently received from the another device.
The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an output unit, wherein the processor is configured to: control the output unit to output a message indicating that the request for access to the first type of sensor is blocked when access to the first type of sensor is blocked and the request for access to the first type of sensor is subsequently received from the another application.
A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the controlling method comprising: receiving a request for access to a first type of sensor from an external device; identifying whether the first type of sensor is included in at least one sensor; performing authentication for allowing the external device to access the first type of sensor when the first type of sensor is identified as being included in the at least one sensor; blocking another application excluding at least one application related to access to the first type of sensor by the external device from among a plurality of applications of the electronic apparatus and another device excluding the external device from accessing the first type of sensor; establishing a security channel for communication with the external device by using encryption information; and transmitting, to the external device through the established security channel, information on sensing data when the sensing data is obtained from the first type of sensor.
The controlling method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the information on the sensing data includes at least one of the sensing data, processed data obtained from the sensing data, an analysis result of the sensing data, or control information for performing an operation related to the sensing data.
The controlling method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: identifying whether personal information is included in the sensing data; obtaining the processed data obtained from the sensing data by converting the sensing data not to include the personal information when the personal information is identified as being included in the sensing data; and transmitting, to the external device through the established security channel, the processed data among the information on the sensing data.
The controlling method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: obtaining the analysis result of the sensing data; and transmitting, to the external device through the established security channel, the analysis result among the information on the sensing data.
The controlling method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: obtaining the control information based on the analysis result; and transmitting, to the external device through the established security channel, the control information among the information on the sensing data.

Description

[Technical Field] The present disclosure relates to an electronic apparatus and a method for controlling the electronic apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic apparatus capable of transmitting, to an external device, information on sensing data obtained from a sensor, and a method for controlling the electronic apparatus. [Background Art] In recent years, the number of sensors included in various electronic apparatuses has rapidly increased together with the development of devices such as smartphones and smartwatches. In addition, the connectivity and usability among Internet of Things (IoT) apparatuses have been enhanced as technologies related to the IoT have rapidly advanced in recent years. However, the types and numbers of sensors mounted on each apparatus included in an IoT network may be limited, and the types of sensors included in each apparatus may be different from one another. Accordingly, research has been continuously conducted on technologies for enabling one apparatus included in the IoT network to efficiently and stably utilize functions of sensors included in another device. However, conventional technologies have mainly focused on remote access through interconnection between apparatuses, and even when access to sensors themselves is supported, such support has been limited to certain sensors such as humidity sensors or temperature sensors. Meanwhile, although conventional technologies related to use of functions of sensors included in another device by one apparatus exist, it is difficult to enable one apparatus to access sensors included in another device in a seamless manner that enhances overall functions and security. [Disclosure of Invention] [Solution to Problem] The present disclosure provides an electronic apparatus capable of stably and exclusively transmitting information on sensing data to an external device while protecting personal information through a security channel, and a method for controlling the same. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, provided is an electronic apparatus including: at least one sensor; a communication unit; a memory storing at least one instruction; and a processor configured to execute the at least one instruction, wherein the processor is configured to: identify whether a first type of sensor is included in the at least one sensor when a request for access to the first type of sensor is received from an external device through the communication unit; perform authentication for allowing the external device to access the first type of sensor when the first type of sensor is identified as being included in the at least one sensor; block another application excluding at least one application related to access to the first type of sensor by the external device from among a plurality of applications of the electronic apparatus and another device excluding the external device from accessing the first type of sensor; establish a security channel for communication with the external device by using encryption information; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, information on sensing data when the sensing data is obtained from the first type of sensor. The information on the sensing data may include at least one of the sensing data, processed data obtained from the sensing data, an analysis result of the sensing data, or control information for performing an operation related to the sensing data. The processor may be configured to: identify whether personal information is included in the sensing data; obtain the processed data obtained from the sensing data by converting the sensing data not to include the personal information when the personal information is identified as being included in the sensing data; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, the processed data among the information on the sensing data. The processor may be configured to: obtain the analysis result of the sensing data; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, the analysis result among the information on the sensing data. The processor may be configured to: obtain the control information based on the analysis result; and control the communication unit to transmit, to the external device through the established security channel, the control information among the information on the sensing data. The processor may be configured to: receive, through the communication unit, the request for access from a hub apparatus for managing an Internet of Things (IoT) network including the electronic apparatus and the external device; and identify whether the first type of sensor is included in the at least one sensor by receiving, from the hub apparatus through the communication unit, information indicating that the first type of sensor is included in the at