SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION PRIVACY AND LOCATION INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OVER WIRELESS SYSTEMS

• US 20110190009A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Power Generation IP, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated), Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Loc-Aid Technologies Incorporated (TechnoCom Corporation)
• Inventors: Allen, David D., Gerber, Robert B. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 9,832,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A method for allowing the management of permissions, notifications and reporting pertaining to a wireless device and the physical location of the device obtained via automatic location identification (ALI) technologies. A location preferences management system and method is provided for wireless users utilizing a mobile application requesting location fixes via any telecommunication technology. The location management system provides these mobile users with a comprehensive understanding of the location permissions and notifications and hence the location transactions associated with their wireless device and with the ability to manage it in a way that makes sense for their personal or business needs.

Claims

1. A system for managing location privacy of location based service applications, the system comprising:

a computing device; and

a location privacy unit accessible by the user over a link wherein the location privacy unit allows the user to set a location privacy setting for one or more location based service applications that are executed on the computing device and controls the access of each of the one or more location based service applications to location information about the computing device based on the location privacy setting associated with each of the one or more location based service applications.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a short message service (SMS) center associated with the location privacy unit, wherein the location privacy unit sends an SMS message to a particular computing device to authenticate the particular computing device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location privacy unit further comprises a manager unit that authenticates each computing device and manages a location privacy setting for the one or more location based service applications.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the location privacy setting for each of the one or more location based service applications further comprises a location switch, a permission level reminder setting, a location activation date and a control portion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for a particular location based service application and disabling location determining for the particular location based service application.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for a particular location based service application, disabling location determining for the particular location based service application and asking the user each time the particular location based service application attempts to determine the location.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the location privacy unit sends an SMS message to notify a particular computing device of changes in the location privacy settings for a user associated with the particular computing device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each computing device is one of a mobile device, a smartphone and a personal computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the link is one of a wireless link and a wired link.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the location privacy unit further comprises one or more server computers.

11. A method for managing location privacy of location based service applications, comprising:

accessing a location privacy setting unit by a user;

setting, using the location privacy setting unit, a location privacy setting for one or more location based service applications that are executed on a computing device; and

controlling, using the location privacy setting unit, the access of each of the one or more location based service applications to location information about the computing device based on the location privacy setting associated with each of the one or more location based service applications.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending, using a short message service (SMS) center associated with the location privacy unit, an SMS message to a particular computing device to authenticate the particular computing device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein accessing the location privacy setting unit further comprises authenticating each computing device before providing access to the location privacy setting unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein authenticating each computing device further comprises sending an SMS message that contains a PIN code to a particular computing device and entering, by the user of the particular computing device, the PIN code into a user interface of the location privacy setting unit to authenticate the particular computing device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein setting the location privacy setting for each location based service application further comprises one or more of changing a location switch and changing a permission level reminder setting.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein changing the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for a particular location based service application and disabling location determining for the particular location based service application.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein changing the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for a particular location based service application, disabling location determining for the particular location based service application and asking the user each time the particular location based service application attempts to determine the location.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending an SMS message to notify a particular computing device of changes in the location privacy settings for a user associated with the particular computing device.