VARIABLE PRECISION LOCATION SHARING

• US 20120050033A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Westen, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A secure location sharing system is disclosed that allows publishers to share their locations with subscribers. Each publishing device generates, encrypts and publishes its location information with a specified precision to a distribution service for distribution to one or more subscribing devices. The distribution service provides secure distribution of the location information to the distribution list but cannot access the publisher'"'"'s precise location information, which remains encrypted until decrypted at the subscribing devices. Publishers can share their location information with varying levels of precision for different subscribers. Publishers can select at least two dimensions of location information precision: spatial and temporal. For less precise location sharing, the publishing device can randomize or otherwise obscure the precise location of the publishing device. The publisher can move a subscriber or a group of subscribers to a lower or higher level of location precision by generating new key pairs at the publishing device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more hardware processors of a device, comprising:

obtaining location information describing the location of the device;

receiving a specification of a precision of the location information;

modifying the location information based on the specified precision;

encrypting the modified location information; and

publishing the encrypted location information to a distribution service for distribution to the one or more subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1, where receiving a specification of a precision of the location information, comprises:

receiving a specification of a spatial precision of the location information.

3. The method of claim 1, where receiving a specification of a precision of the location information, comprises:

receiving a specification of a temporal precision of the location information.

4. The method of claim 1, where modifying the location information, comprises:

randomizing the location of the mobile device so that the modified location of the mobile device is within a geographic area containing the location of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, where encrypting the modified location information, comprises:

encrypting the modified location information using a public location key associated with the specified precision of the location information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting a message containing a private location key using a public message key associated with the one or more subscriber; and

publishing the message to the distribution service for distribution to the one or more subscribers.

7. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more hardware processors of a mobile device, comprising:

receiving encrypted location information from a publishing device, the location information being modified from a precise location according to a specified precision; and

decrypting the location information using decrypting information provided by the publishing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the decrypting information includes a private location key provided by the publishing device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving an encrypted message from the publishing device; and

decrypting the message to recover the private location key.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a map on a display of the device; and

overlying a graphical object on the map defining a geographic region on the map that contains the location of the publishing device based on the decrypted location information.

11. A system for sharing location information of variable precision, comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

obtaining location information describing the location of the device;

receiving a specification of a precision of the location information;

modifying the location information based on the specified precision;

encrypting the modified location information; and

publishing the encrypted location information to a distribution service for distribution to the one or more subscribers.

12. The system of claim 11, where the memory includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations comprising:

receiving a specification of a precision of the location information, comprises;

receiving a specification of a spatial precision of the location information.

13. The system of claim 11, where the memory includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations comprising:

receiving a specification of a temporal precision of the location information.

14. The system of claim 11, where the memory includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations comprising:

randomizing the location of the mobile device so that the modified location of the mobile device is within a geographic area containing the location of the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 11, where the memory includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations comprising:

encrypting a message containing a private location key using a public message key associated with the one or more subscriber; and

publishing the message to the distribution service for distribution to the one or more subscribers.

16. A system for sharing location information of variable precision, comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving encrypted location information from a publishing device, the location information being modified from a precise location according to a specified precision; and

decrypting the location information using decrypting information provided by the publishing device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the decrypting information includes a private location key provided by the publishing device.

18. The system of claim 17, where the memory includes instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations comprising:

receiving an encrypted message from the publishing device; and

decrypting the message to recover the private location key using a public message key.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a display operable for displaying a map with an overlying graphical object defining a geographic region on the map that contains the location of the publishing device based on the decrypted location information.

20. The system of claim 18, where the message and the public message key are received over two different communications channels.