Anonymous positioning of a wireless unit for data network location-based services

• US 20060189328A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Cedervall, Mats, Ekerborn, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0414 during transmission, i.e. party's identity is protected against eavesdropping, e.g. by using temporary identifiers, but is known to the other party or parties involved in the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

This invention concerns a process and a system for providing location information for a wireless unit in a wireless network to a location-based service provider, using a data network. In particular, the location information is provided to the location-based service provider without necessarily providing the identity of wireless unit, e.g., a subscriber'"'"'s wireless identification number, to the service provider. In this regard, a subscriber'"'"'s identification number may be hidden from the positioning service provider via a process in which an alias is used instead of the subscriber'"'"'s normal identity. The subscriber'"'"'s number may further be concealed from the service provider via a process wherein encrypted information is used instead of the subscriber'"'"'s normal identity.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based services relating to a wireless communications unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for location-based services regarding a wireless communications unit in a wireless communications network;

obtaining an identifier for said wireless communications unit, said identifier being different than a subscriber identification for said wireless communications unit used to administer said wireless communications network; and

using said identifier to provide location-based service information regarding said wireless communications unit via a data network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving comprises receiving a request that originates from said wireless communications unit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said identifier comprises a data network address assigned to said wireless communications unit.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said identifier comprises a code provided by said wireless communications unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein using said identifier to provide said location-based services further comprises:

utilizing said identifier to determine said subscriber identification used to administer said wireless communications network; and

based on said subscriber identification, procuring location information for said wireless communications unit.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of utilizing said identifier comprises accessing stored information wherein said identifier is indexed to said subscriber identification for said wireless communications unit.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein procuring said location information comprises requesting location information for said wireless unit associated with said subscriber identification from a location platform in said wireless communications network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said location platform is operable to provide said location information from at least one of:

stored location information and location-finding equipment.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said steps of utilizing and procuring are performed at a second network node separate from a first network node that provides said location-based service information regarding said wireless communications unit via a data network.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said location information is provided to said first network-node free of said subscriber identity.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a message to said wireless communications unit indicating that said location-based services have been requested.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said message requests authorization to provide said location-based services.

13. An apparatus for providing location-based services relating to a wireless unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising:

a processor supporting correlation logic;

a first computer-readable data structure interconnected with said processor for storing a plurality of identifiers for wireless units, said identifiers being different than subscriber identifiers for said wireless communications units utilized to administer said wireless communications network;

a second computer-readable data structure operatively interconnected with said processor for storing a plurality of subscriber identifiers for said wireless communications units, wherein for each said wireless unit at least one said identifier and at least one said subscriber identifier are indexed relative to one another; and

an interface associated with said processor interconnected to at least one of said wireless communications network and said data network for receiving an identifier associated with a wireless unit from a requesting party, wherein said processor is operative to correlate said identifier with a corresponding subscriber identifier associated with said wireless unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said processor is operative to provide said corresponding subscriber identifier to at least one of:

said requesting party and a location platform operative to provide location information for said wireless unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said plurality of first identifiers comprises data network addresses.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least two of said processors, said first computer-readable data structure and said second computer-readable data structure are located at a common location.

17. A method for providing location-based services relating to a wireless communications unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising the steps of:

receiving, via said data network, a request for location-based services, wherein said request originates from a wireless communications network;

identifying a data network address associated with said request;

receiving location information associated with said data network address from location equipment; and

based on said location information, providing said location-based services to said data network address.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising requesting location information for a wireless communications unit associated with said data network address from a location platform in communication with said wireless communications network.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said location platform utilizes said data network address to determine a subscriber-identity of said wireless communications unit.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said subscriber identity of said wireless communications unit is utilized to procure location information for said wireless communications unit from said location equipment.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said location information is received free of said subscriber identity of said wireless communications unit.

22. A method for providing location-based services relating to a wireless communications unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for location information from a location-based service provider, wherein said request includes a data network address associated with a wireless communications unit;

translating said data network address into a wireless network identification associated with said wireless communications unit;

utilizing said wireless network identification to procure location information for said wireless communications unit; and

providing said location information to said location-based service provider.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said request originates from said wireless communications unit.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said location information is provided free of said wireless network identification associated with said wireless communications unit.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said request for location information is received at a platform within said wireless communications network.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of translating comprises accessing a platform within said wireless communications network, wherein a plurality of data network addresses are indexed to a plurality of wireless network identifications associated with a plurality of wireless communications units.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein utilizing said wireless network identification to procure location information comprises at least one of:

accessing stored location information and invoking location-finding equipment.