Method and apparatus for providing location privacy

• US 10,146,956 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2012
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Boldyrev, Sergey, Oliver, Ian Justin, Kaaja, Jari-Jukka Harald, Uusitalo, Mikko Aleksi, Biswas, Debmalya, Laurila, Juha Kalevi
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US13/465,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20130298248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,402 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26- 30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing real-time controlled location privacy as the location evolves, and providing a user with alternate routes and applications depending on the level of desired location privacy. A location privacy platform determines at least one location associated with at least one device. The location privacy platform also processes and/or facilitates a processing of contextual information associated with the at least one location, the at least one device, one or more applications associated with the at least one device, or a combination thereof to determine one or more privacy metrics for the one or more applications with respect to the at least one location; wherein the one or more privacy metrics relate, at least in part, to an exposure of user data by the one or more applications at the at least one location.

Claims

1. A method comprising

determining at least one location associated with at least one device based on at least one of a location-based service or sensor;

determining one or more privacy metrics based on contextual information associated with at least one of the at least one location, the at least one device, or one or more applications associated with the at least one device, the one or more privacy metrics defining a measurable exposure of user data by the one or more applications executable on the device when the device is at the at least one location; and

processing rules associated with the one or more privacy metrics to determine at least one recommended travel path among the at least one location, wherein processing the one or more privacy metrics comprises including one or more route detours in the at least one recommended travel path to preserve privacy by obtaining at least one of increased anonymity or a decreased sensitivity to locations associated with the detour relative to sensitivity to locations associated with an original travel path, and communicating the one or more route detours to the at least one device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-determining and re-processing the at least one location, the contextual information, or a combination thereof in substantially real-time, periodically, according to a schedule, on demand, or a combination thereof; and

an updating of the one or more privacy metrics based, at least on the re-determining and the re-processing.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transforming the user data based at least on the one or more privacy metrics.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one travel path associated with the at least one device; and

processing the rules associated with the one or more privacy metrics to determine at least one recommended application for use on the at least one travel path.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining source information, accuracy information, use information, or a combination thereof of the user data by the one or more applications,

wherein the contextual information includes, at least in part, the source information, the accuracy information, the use information, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining user sensitivity information for the at least one location,

wherein the one or more privacy metrics are further based at least on the user sensitivity information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more threshold values for the one or more privacy metrics with respect to the one or more applications;

evaluating the one or more privacy metrics against the one or more threshold values to determine whether to cause, at least (a) the exposure of the user data;

(b) a transformation of the user data;

(c) a selection of one or more privacy policies;

(d) a presentation of one or more privacy alerts;

or (e) a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining network information, connectivity information, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one location, the at least one device, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more privacy metrics are further based at least on the network information, the connectivity information, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the at least one location to one or more map tiles of a geographic map; and

determining the one or more privacy metrics with respect to the one or more map tiles.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

determine at least one location associated with at least one device based on at least one of a location-based service or sensor;

determine one or more privacy metrics based on contextual information associated with at least one of the at least one location, the at least one device, or one or more applications associated with the at least one device, the one or more privacy metrics defining a measurable level of exposure of user data by the one or more applications executable on the device when the device is at the at least one location; and

process rules associated with the one or more privacy metrics, to determine at least one recommended travel path among the at least one location, wherein processing the one or more privacy metrics comprises including one or more route detours in the at least one recommended travel path to preserve privacy by obtaining at least one of increased anonymity or a decreased sensitivity to locations associated with the detour relative to sensitivity to locations associated with an original travel paath, and communicating the one or more route detours to the at least one device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause at least re-determining and re-processing of the at least one location, the contextual information, or a combination thereof in substantially real-time, periodically, according to a schedule, on demand, or a combination thereof; and

cause, at least in part, an updating of the one or more privacy metrics based at least on the re-determining and the re-processing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause at least a transformation of the user data based at least on the one or more privacy metrics.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine at least one travel path associated with the at least one device; and

process the rules associated with the one or more privacy metrics, to determine at least one recommended application for use on the at least one travel path.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine source information, accuracy information, use information, or a combination thereof of the user data by the one or more applications,

wherein the contextual information includes at least the source information, the accuracy information, the use information, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine user sensitivity information for the at least one location,

wherein the one or more privacy metrics are further based at least on the user sensitivity information.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine one or more threshold values for the one or more privacy metrics with respect to the one or more applications;

evaluate the one or more privacy metrics against the one or more threshold values to determine whether to cause at least (a) the exposure of the user data;

(b) a transformation of the user data;

(c) a selection of one or more privacy policies;

(d) a presentation of one or more privacy alerts;

or (e) a combination thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine network information, connectivity information, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one location, the at least one device, or a combination thereof,

wherein the one or more privacy metrics are further based, at least in part, on the network information, the connectivity information, or a combination thereof.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

associate the at least one location to one or more map tiles; and

determine the one or more privacy metrics with respect to the one or more map tiles.