Method and apparatus for defending against laser or other electromagnetic wave-based audio injection attacks on voice-controllable devices and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11948596-B2
Application number	US-202117199081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2021
Priority date	Mar 11, 2020
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments may provide techniques that protect voice-controllable devices and systems such that the microphone can be shielded from attacking modulated laser beams. Embodiments may provide a physical device that may include two or more layers of integrated material that sits on top of the microphones of the voice-controllable devices and/or systems. The device may act as a physical barrier against the injected malicious laser beams while allowing sound waves reach the microphone for normal operation. For example, in an embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a first layer including at least one opening and a second layer including at least one opening, wherein the at least one opening in the first layer and the at least one opening in the second layer are arranged so as to block the passage of light, but to allow the passage of sound.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to block a line of sight passage of light to a microphone of a voice-controllable device, but to allow a passage of sound to the microphone, comprising:
a covering, for removably covering at least a sound inlet to the microphone of the voice-controllable device, wherein the covering comprises at least a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a gap, wherein the gap separates the first layer from the second layer and the second layer from the third layer, wherein the first layer has at least one opening for admission of a sound wave into the gap, wherein the third layer has at least one opening for exit of the sound wave from the gap to the microphone, wherein the gap and the second layer form a serpentine path for the sound wave from the opening in the first layer to the microphone while preventing the microphone and the opening in the first layer from being in line of sight with each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one light-blocking portion configured to block the line of sight passage of light to the microphone, and
at least one opening configured to allow the passage of sound to the microphone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one light-blocking portion comprises at least one layer of a light-blocking material.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one light-blocking portion comprises a plurality of layers of a light-blocking material.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
each layer of the plurality of layers of the light-blocking material incudes at least one opening; and
wherein the at least one opening in a first layer of the plurality of light-blocking layers and the at least one opening in a second layer of the plurality of light-blocking layers are arranged so as to block the line of sight passage of light from the at least one opening in the first layer of the plurality of light-blocking layers to the microphone, but to allow the passage of sound to the microphone.

6. An apparatus for use with a microphone of a voice-controllable device, comprising:
a first light-blocking layer including at least a light-blocking portion and at least one opening;
a second light-blocking layer including at least a light-blocking portion;
a third light-blocking layer including at least a light-blocking portion and at least one opening; and
a gap separating the first light-blocking layer from the second light-blocking layer and also separating the second light-blocking layer from the third light-blocking layer;
wherein the at least one opening in the first light-blocking layer admits a sound wave into the gap, wherein the least one opening of the third light-blocking layer permits the sound wave to exit from the gap to the microphone, and wherein the gap and the second light-blocking layer are arranged to form a serpentine path for the sound wave travelling from the opening in the first light-blocking layer to the microphone and also so as to block a line of sight passage of light to the microphone from the opening in the first light-blocking layer when the apparatus is removably placed over the microphone.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one opening of the third light-blocking layer is arranged so that the at least one opening of the first light-blocking layer and the microphone are not in line of sight of each other.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus comprises more than three layers and a light-blocking portion of at least one layer overlaps with a light-blocking portion of at least one other layer.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first light-blocking layer includes a plurality of openings, the third light-blocking layer includes a plurality of openings, and each opening of the plurality of openings of the first light-blocking layer are arranged relative to each opening of the plurality of openings of the third light-blocking layer so that there is no line of sight passage between each opening of the plurality of openings of the first light-blocking layer and the microphone.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is constructed from an opaque or light-blocking material.

11. An apparatus for preventing a light-based attack on a sound-controllable device comprising:
a covering for removably covering at least a sound inlet to a microphone of the sound-controllable device, wherein the covering comprises at least a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, and a gap, wherein the gap separates the first layer from the second layer and the second layer from the third layer, wherein the first layer has at least one opening for admission of a sound wave into the gap, wherein the third layer has at least one opening for exit of the sound wave from the gap to the microphone, wherein the gap and the second layer form a serpentine path for the sound wave from the opening in the first layer to the microphone while preventing the microphone and the opening in the first layer from being in line of sight with each other.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first layer has a first plurality of openings and the second layer has a second plurality of openings, and the arrangement of the first layer relative to the second layer and to the microphone is such that no opening of the first plurality of openings forms a line-of-sight path with the microphone and with any opening of the second plurality of openings.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer all comprise a material opaque, or nearly opaque, to light in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet wavelength ranges.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second layer in the gap occludes most of the opening in the first layer and most of the opening in the third layer so that there is no line of sight path possible between the opening in the first layer and the opening in the third layer.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the covering is sized so as to be easily placed on or removed from the top of the sound controllable device.

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• John Eugene Britto
• Krishnan Ram Narayan

Classifications

• G10L25/51 Primary

  for comparison or discrimination · CPC title

• G06F21/75 Primary

  by inhibiting the analysis of circuitry or operation · CPC title

• H04R1/086

  Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens · CPC title