Position privacy in an electronic device

• US 20030001774A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Application Number:
  US10/065,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A privacy enhancement device for electronic device such as a cellular telephone. In one mode, the cellular telephone operates in its normal mode, whereby its position can be detected by either wap techniques or by GPS techniques. In a second mode of operation, the wap/GPS operation is overridden, so that the position cannot be detected.

Claims

1.n. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic device having a position detection module therein which determines a position of said electronic device and reports information indicative of said position of said electronic device to a remote object; and

an override control, which includes a manual actuating mechanism and which, in response to manual actuation of said actuating mechanism produces a signal state that prevents said position detection module from determining its position, but which allows other parts of said electronic device to operate.

2.n. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said position detection module is a satellite positioning system receiver.

3. A method, comprising:

operating a cellular phone in a first mode in which its position can be detected by an automatic position sensing device and automatically reported to a remote location; and

responsive to an action by a user of a specific type, operating said cellular phone in a second, privacy enhanced mode, in which cellular phone functions can be used to place and/or receive calls, but its position can not be automatically detected by said automatic position sensing device.

4. A method as in claim 3, further comprising testing said cellular phone while operating in said second, privacy enhanced mode, to determine whether privacy is actually enhanced.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein said testing comprises using a network based service to test whether privacy is enhanced.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said network based service updates software that carries out said testing.

7. A method as in claim 3, wherein said action by said user of the specified type comprises actuating an actuation element on the cellular telephone.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising, responsive to actuating said actuating element, interfering with said position being reported to said remote location.

9.n. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic device having a position detection module therein which determines a position of said electronic device and reports information indicative of said position of said electronic device to a remote object; and

an override control, which includes a manual actuating mechanism and which, in response to manual actuation of said actuating mechanism produces a signal state that prevents said position detection module from reporting said information about its position, but which allows other parts of said electronic device to operate, wherein said override control operates in response to said manual actuation to produce a signal that prevents said position detection module from reporting any information, in any mode of said electronic device, until said manually deactuated.

10.n. An apparatus, comprising:

a portable telephone, including;

(1)telephone electronics enabling telephone communication;

(2) a position detection module therein which enables determining a position of said portable telephone as a determined position; and

(3) a reporting device which reports information indicative of said determined position of said portable telephone to a remote object; and

a manually operable override control, associated with said portable telephone, operating in response to a manual operation, to prevent said reporting device from reporting any information indicative of the determined position, but allowing said telephone electronics to continue to operate.

11.n. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said override control prevents said position detection module from determining said determined position.

12.n. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said operating said override control allows said position detection module to determine said determined position, but prevents said reporting device from reporting said information indicative of said determined position.

13.n. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said position detection module includes a satellite positioning system device.

14.n. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said override control includes a button.

15.n. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said override control produces an enable signal state which enables the position detector to determine its position and report that position to said remote object.

17.n. An apparatus as in claim 10, further comprising an indicator which indicates whether the override control is in a state which prevents said reporting device from reporting.

18.n. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein said indicator includes an optical indicator.

19.n. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said optical indicator includes an indicator which can be selectively illuminated.

20.n. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic device having a first electronics module, and a position detection module therein which determines a position of said electronic device and produces a signal for reporting information indicative of said position of said electronic device to a remote object; and

a position reporting control, which includes a manual control, which is manually actuatable by a user, and which, in response to a first specified actuation by a user, prevents any reporting of said information about position until a second specified actuation by a user, but which allows said first electronics module to continue to operate after said first specified actuation and before said second specified actuation.

21.n. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said manual control includes a button which commands circuitry in said telephone to stop performing certain operations when in a first state produced by said first specified actuation.

22.n. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said first specified actuation prevents said position detection module from determining said determined position.

23.n. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said first specified actuation prevents said position reporting device from reporting information indicative of the determined position.

24.n. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said first electronics module includes communication circuitry, which continues to operate after said first specified actuation.

25.n. An apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said apparatus includes a portable telephone, and said first electronics module includes circuitry associated with said portable telephone, including circuitry for communicating with a base station associated with the telephone.

26.n. An apparatus as in claim 20, further comprising an indicator, which indicates a state of said first specified actuation.

27.n. An apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said indicator is an optical indicator.

28.n. An apparatus, comprising:

a cellular telephone, having a cellular electronics module, and a position detection module which determines a position of said cellular telephone and produces a signal for reporting information indicative of said position of said cellular telephone to a remote object;

a position reporting control, which includes a manual control, which is manually actuable by a user, and which, in response to a first specified actuation by a user, prevents any reporting of said information about position until a second specified actuation by a user, but which allows said cellular electronics module to continue to operate; and

an optical indicator, which produces an optical indication which indicates that said first specified actuation has been carried out, and that a privacy enhanced mode has been entered.

29.n. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said first specified actuation prevents said position detection module from determining said determined position.

30.n. An apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said first specified actuation prevents a reporting device from reporting information indicative of the determined position.

31. A method of operating a cellular telephone, comprising:

allowing, in a first mode of operation, automatic reporting of a position of said cellular telephone, and allowing communication between said cellular telephone and a cellular telephone base station; and

responsive to a manual actuation, allowing a second mode of operation which prevents any automatic reporting of said position of said cellular telephone, but which still allows communications between said cellular telephone and said cellular telephone base station.

16.n. An apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said remote object includes a base station associated with a telephone system.

32. A method as in claim 31, wherein said automatic reporting in said first mode of operation comprises automatic detection of a position of said electronic device via satellite positioning.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein said second mode of operation prevents said position module from detecting the position via satellite positioning.

34. A method as in claim 32, wherein said second mode of operation allows said position module to detect a position via satellite positioning, but prevents reporting of the detected position.

35. A method as in claim 31, further comprising indicating that said reporting is blocked, using an optical indicator.

38. A system as in claim 37, wherein said tested module tests whether said electronic device is currently reporting a position.

39. A system as in claim 37, wherein said electronic device includes a wireless communication element.

40. A system as in claim 37, wherein said electronic device includes a cellular telephone.

41. A system as in claims 39, wherein said electronic device communicates using said wireless communication element to obtain updates to test said amount of privacy.

42. A system as in claim 41, wherein said updates include information about latest ways to improperly obtain a position of the wireless communication element.

43. A system as in claim 37, wherein said test module attempts to obtain certain information, and evaluates a success at obtaining said information to test said amount of privacy.

44. A system as in claim 43, wherein said certain information includes position information of the electronic device.

46. A method as in claim 45, wherein said determine privacy comprises determining if said electronic device is automatically reporting its position.

47. A system as in claim 37, further comprising using said electronic device for wireless communication.

48. A system as in claim 47, who further comprising updating a way that testing is carried out using said wireless communication medium.

49. A system as in claim 48, wherein said testing is carried out using requests that attempt to violates the users privacy, and evaluating whether the electronic device responds to said requests.

50. A system as in claim 49, wherein said updating comprises updating new attempts to violate the users privacy.

36. A method, comprising:

operating a cellular phone in a first mode in which its position can be automatically reported to a remote location; and

responsive to an action by a user of a specific type, operating said cellular phone in a second, privacy enhanced mode, in which cellular phone functions can be used to place and/or receive calls, but its position can not be automatically reported to said remote location; and

wherein said action by said user comprises attaching an external blocking device to said cellular phone.

37. A system, comprising:

a test module, associated with an electronic device, and operable to test an amount of privacy for the electronic device.

45. A method, comprising:

testing an electronic device to determine its privacy, and reporting a result of said testing.