Method and apparatus for dynamically controlling release of private information over a network from a wireless device

• US 20030181205A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Venketaramani, Ramkumar, Bashyam, Suresh B., Yiu, Jennifer O., Ramasubramani, Seetharaman
• Granted Patent: US 6,928,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A proxy gateway is coupled to one or more wireless hand-held devices over a wireless network and to one or more origin servers over a wired network. The proxy gateway proxies requests and responses between the wireless devices and the origin servers. The proxy gateway determines when private information associated with a wireless device is needed or requested by another network entity, such as an origin server. In response to such determination, the proxy gateway communicates with the wireless device to enable the wireless device to present a user interface which allows a user of the wireless device to dynamically control release of the private information.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically controlling release of information on a network, the method comprising:

determining that protected information associated with a hand-held wireless communication device is needed or requested by a remote network entity; and

enabling a user of the hand-held wireless communication device to dynamically control release of the protected information based on a result of said determining.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said enabling comprises using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) to communicate with the wireless device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the protected information comprises presence information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the protected information comprises location information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the protected information comprises information identifying the hand-held wireless communication device or its user.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote network entity is a remote web-based application implemented on a wired network.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said enabling comprises presenting a user interface on the hand-held wireless communication device to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said enabling comprises transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless communication device over a wireless network, the second information for use by the hand-held wireless communication device to present a user interface to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless communication device over a wireless network comprises transmitting the second information to the hand-held wireless communication device over a wireless network using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP).

10. A hand-held wireless communication device comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver to communicate with a remote device over a wireless medium;

an input control;

an output device; and

a memory storing instructions which configure the processor to generate a user interface on the output device to enable a user to use the input control to dynamically control release of information associated with the hand-held wireless communication device to a remote application.

11. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the information comprises presence information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

12. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the information comprises location information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

13. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the protected information comprises information identifying the hand-held wireless communication device or its user.

14. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the remote application is a remote web-based application implemented on a wired network.

15. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 10, wherein the user interface enables the user to dynamically control release of the information in response to a request for the information.

16. A hand-held wireless communication device comprising:

transceiver means for communicating with a remote device over a wireless medium; and

user interface means for enabling a user to dynamically control release of information associated with the hand-held wireless communication device to a remote application.

17. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the information comprises presence information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

18. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the information comprises location information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

19. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the protected information comprises information identifying the hand-held wireless communication device or its user.

20. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the remote application is a remote web-based application implemented on a wired network.

21. A hand-held wireless communication device as recited in claim 16, wherein the user interface means comprises means for enabling the user to dynamically control release of the information in response to a request for the information.

22. A machine readable program storage medium for use in a wireless handheld communications device, the storage medium storing sequences of instructions, which when executed on the hand-held communications device, cause the hand-held communications device to generate a user interface on a display device of the hand-held communications device, to enable a user of the hand-held communications device to use an input control of the hand-held communications device to dynamically control release of information associated with the hand-held wireless communication device to a remote application, in response to a request for the information.

23. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the information comprises presence information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

24. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the information comprises location information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

25. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the protected information comprises information identifying the hand-held wireless communication device or its user.

26. A method of dynamically controlling release of information on a network, the method comprising:

determining that protected information associated with a remote, handheld wireless communication device is needed or requested by another network entity;

communicating with the hand-held wireless communication device to allow a user of the hand hand-held wireless communication device to dynamically control release of the protected information; and

releasing the protected information according to a result of said communicating.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said communicating comprises using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) to communicate with the hand-held wireless communication device.

28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the protected information comprises presence information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

29. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the protected information comprises location information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

30. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the protected information comprises information identifying the hand-held wireless communication device or its user.

31. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising operating as a proxy between the hand hand-held wireless communication device and remote applications.

32. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising providing a gateway to interface a wireless network on which the hand hand-held wireless communication device operates with a wired network.

33. A method as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

operating as a proxy between the hand hand-held wireless communication device and remote applications; and

providing a gateway to interface a wireless network on which the hand hand-held wireless communication device operates with a wired network.

34. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the network entity is a remote web-based application implemented on a wired network.

35. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said communicating with the handheld wireless communication device comprises transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless communication device over a wireless network, the second information for use by the hand-held wireless communication device to present a user interface to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

36. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

intercepting a request to the network entity from the hand-held wireless communication device.

37. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

receiving a request for said information from the network entity.

38. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

receiving a communication from the network entity, wherein the communication from the network entity is responsive to a request from the hand-held wireless communication device to the network entity.

39. A method of dynamically controlling release of information on a network, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from a remote application on a wired network, the communication responsive to a prior request sent by a hand-held wireless client device on a wireless network to the remote server;

determining, in response to the communication, that information associated with the hand-held wireless client device is needed to fulfill the request;

communicating with the hand-held wireless client device to allow a user of the wireless device to dynamically control release of the information; and

releasing the information to the remote application according to a result of said communicating.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein said communicating comprises using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) to communicate with the hand-held wireless client device.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein said communicating with the handheld wireless client device comprises transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless client device over the wireless network, the second information for use by the hand-held wireless client device to present a user interface to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

42. A method of dynamically controlling release of information on a network, the method comprising:

intercepting a request sent from a hand-held wireless client device over a wireless network, the request directed to a remote application on a wired network;

determining whether information associated with the hand-held wireless client device is needed to fulfill the request;

if said information is required to fulfill the request, communicating with the hand-held wireless client device to allow a user of the hand-held wireless client device to dynamically control release of the information; and

releasing the information to the remote server according to a result of said communicating.

43. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said communicating with the handheld wireless client device comprises using Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) to communicate with the hand-held wireless client device.

44. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein said communicating with the handheld wireless client device comprises transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless client device over the wireless network, the second information for u se by the hand-held wireless client device to present a user interface to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

45. A processing system comprising:

a data communication device;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processing system to execute a process comprising;

determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed or requested by another network entity;

communicating with the hand-held wireless communication device, using the data communication device, to allow a user of the hand hand-held wireless communication device to dynamically control release of the protected information; and

releasing the protected information according to a result of said communicating.

46. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein the protected information comprises presence information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

47. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein the protected information comprises location information relating to the hand-held wireless communication device.

48. A processing system as recited in claim 45, further comprising a proxy server to operate as a proxy between the hand hand-held wireless communication device and remote applications.

49. A processing system as recited in claim 45, further comprising a gateway to interface a wireless network on which the hand hand-held wireless communication device operates with a wired network.

50. A processing system as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

a proxy server to operate as a proxy between the hand hand-held wireless communication device and remote applications; and

a gateway to connect a wireless network on which the hand hand-held wireless communication device operates with a wired network.

51. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein the network entity is a remote web-based application implemented on a wired network.

52. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein said communicating with the hand-held wireless communication device comprises transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless communication device over a wireless network, the second information for use by the hand-held wireless communication device to present a user interface to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

53. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

intercepting a request to the network entity from the hand-held wireless communication device.

54. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

receiving a request for said information from the network entity.

55. A processing system as recited in claim 45, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

receiving a communication from the network entity, wherein the communication from the network entity is responsive to a request from the hand-held wireless communication device to the network entity.

56. A machine readable program storage medium storing sequences of instructions, which when executed on a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method comprising:

determining that protected information associated with a remote, handheld wireless communication device is needed or requested by another network entity;

communicating with the hand-held wireless communication device, using the data communication device, to allow a user of the hand hand-held wireless communication device to dynamically control release of the protected information; and

releasing the protected information according to a result of said communicating.

57. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein the network entity is a remote web-based application implemented on a wired network.

58. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein said communicating with the hand-held wireless communication device comprises transmitting second information to the hand-held wireless communication device over a wireless network, the second information for use by the hand-held wireless communication device to present a user interface to enable the user to select from a plurality of options relating to release of the information.

59. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

intercepting a request to the network entity from the hand-held wireless communication device.

60. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

receiving a request for said information from the network entity.

61. A machine readable program storage medium as recited in claim 56, wherein said determining that protected information associated with a remote, hand-held wireless communication device is needed by another network entity comprises

receiving a communication from the network entity, wherein the communication from the network entity is responsive to a request from the hand-held wireless communication device to the network entity.