Telecommunications system and method for controlling privacy

• US 20050014485A1
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ignatius, Jan, Kokkonen, Petri, Varonen, Tomi, Maanoja, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 7,242,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A telecommunications system comprises at least one user and provides a first entity for storing information defining a privacy profile for at least one user. A second entity is arranged to store an association between at least one user and the first entity and the system is such that in response to a request for information relating to the user, the association stored in the second entity is used to identify the first entity so that a check can be made with respect to the privacy profile as to whether or not the requested information, can be provided.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system comprising:

at least one user;

a first entity for storing information defining a privacy profile for said at least one user;

a second entity arranged to store an association between at least one user and said first entity;

wherein said system is such that in response to a request for information relating to said user, said association stored in said second entity is used to identify said first entity so that a check can be made with respect to the privacy profile as to whether or not the requested information can be provided.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a third entity is provided, wherein said third entity is arranged in use to receive said request for information.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said third entity comprises one of a GMLC, a SGSN, HLR, user equipment, mobile station or a MSC.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said third entity is arranged to obtain from the second entity information identifying the first entity.

5. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said third entity is arranged to communicate with said first entity so that it can be determined if the user can be provided with the requested information.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second entity is arranged to communicate with said first entity so that it can be determined if the requested information can be provided.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said privacy profile comprises at least one of the following types of information:

information defining time when the information on the user can be provided;

information defining time when the information on the user can not be provided;

information defining locations of the user when the information on the user can be provided;

information defining locations of the user when the information on the user can not be provided;

information defining that the identity of said user is to be hidden;

information defining when and/or in what circumstances that the identity of the user is to be hidden;

information defining entities to which information can be provided; and

information defining entities to which information can not be provided.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request for information comprises a location request.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request for information is received from a further entity external to said system.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request for information is received from a further entity in said system.

11. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said entity comprises a service provider.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second entity is a home location register, user equipment or mobile station or a mobile services switching centre .

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first entity comprises a server, a mobile station or user equipment.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one user is user equipment.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said at least one user is a mobile station.

16. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first entity is arranged to check if said requested information can be provided.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein if the first entity requires further information to carry out said check, a further check is carried out by said first entity when said further information is available.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first entity is arranged to provide first information and second information, said first information being usable if there is a call/session and second information being usable if there is no call/session

19. A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first information is usable if there is a call/session related to a location request and said second information is usable if there is no call/session related to a location request.

20. A system as claimed in claim 18claim 18, wherein said first information and second information are sent to said third entity.

21. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first entity is arranged to receive information indicating if there is a call/session and to provide information in dependence on whether or not there is a call/session.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said information indicates if there is a call/session related to a location request.

23. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said first entity is arranged to receive information indicating if there is a call/session from a mobile services switching centre, a signalling GPRS support node or a gateway mobile location center.

24. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said first entity is arranged to receive location information and the information relating to said call/session after a positioning procedure has been carried out.

25. A system as claimed in claim 24 wherein based on the location information and/or the information relating to the call/session the first entity is arranged to reject or approve the location request.

26. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the requested information is provided without providing the identity of the user.

27. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the requested information is provided with a pseudonym of said user.

28. A method for controlling the privacy of a user in a telecommunications system comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for information relating to said user;

obtaining information from a second entity identifying a first entity, said first entity storing information defining a privacy profile for said user; and

carrying out a check with respect to the privacy profile as to whether or not the requested information can be provided.

29. An entity for use in a telecommunications system, said entity being arranged to store information defining a privacy profile for at least one user, said privacy profile comprising at least one of the following types of information:

information defining time when the information on the user can be provided;

information defining time when the information on the user can not be provided;

information defining locations of the user when the information on the user can be provided;

information defining that the identity of said user is to be hidden;

information defining when and/or in what circumstances that the identity of the user is to be hidden; and

information defining locations of the user when the information on the user can not be provided.

30. A home location register for use in a telecommunication system, said home location register being arranged to store information for a plurality of users identifying for each user an entity, the or each entity being arranged to store a privacy profile for the respective plurality of users.

31. A home location register as claimed in claim 30, wherein said home location register is arranged to store for said plurality of users an address of the entity storing the privacy profile for the respective user.

32. A telecommunications system comprising:

at least one user;

a first entity for storing information relevant for or related to at least one user;

a second entity arranged to store an association between at least one user and said first entity;

wherein when there is a request relating to or from said user, said system is such that said association stored in said second entity is used to identify said first entity so that a check can be made with respect to the stored information to thereby provide a response in dependence on said stored information to said request.

33. A telecommunication system comprising;

at least one user;

a first entity for storing information relevant for or related to at least one user;

wherein when there is a request relating to or from said user, said information takes into account whether or not there is a call/session related to said request.

34. A telecommunication system comprising;

at least one user;

a first entity for storing information relevant for or related to at least one user;

wherein when there is a request relating to or from said user, first information and second information are provided, said first information being usable if there is a call/session and said second information being usable in the absence of a call/session.