Method and Apparatus for Transmitting Bulk Emergency Data while Preserving User Privacy

• US 20120284511A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: PADDON, Michael W., BROWN, Craig M., NORTHWAY, Craig W., PURSER, Jessica M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for performing bulk transmissions of information (e.g., emergency information, etc.) while preserving user privacy. An example mobile device described herein includes an information aggregation module configured to compile first information associated with the device, the first information including location-related information, an encryption module communicatively coupled to the information aggregation module and configured to encrypt the first information using at least one session key, and a transmitter communicatively coupled to the encryption module and configured to transmit encrypted first information to at least one receiver prior to a triggering event and to transmit the at least one session key to the at least one receiver after the triggering event.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

an information aggregation module configured to compile first information associated with the device, the first information comprising location-related information;

an encryption module communicatively coupled to the information aggregation module and configured to encrypt the first information using at least one session key; and

a transmitter communicatively coupled to the encryption module and configured to transmit encrypted first information to at least one receiver prior to a triggering event and to transmit the at least one session key to the at least one receiver after the triggering event.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further configured to regularly transmit the encrypted first information.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the transmitter is further configured to conduct an automatic on-demand transmission of the at least one session key in response to the triggering event.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the encrypted first information according to a transmission schedule.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further configured to embed the encrypted first information into transmissions of second information separate from the first information.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of a call initiated by the device and directed to an emergency number, receipt of a triggering signal, or a triggering action performed by a user of the device.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises at least one of a disparate mobile device, a base station or an emergency response entity.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the encryption module is further configured to encrypt the first information according to a cipher suite and the transmitter is further configured to transmit information relating to the cipher suite to the at least one receiver after the triggering event.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the information aggregation module is further configured to compile at least one of satellite navigation information, network cell identifiers, network cell strengths, wireless access point identifiers, wireless access point strengths, compass readings or accelerometer readings.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the first information further comprises network-related information.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the network-related information comprises at least one of call records, data flow records or network topology observations associated with the device.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the information aggregation module is further configured to compile information from one or more medical monitoring sensors associated with a user of the device.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the encrypted first information if the device is in an idle state or if a battery charge level of the device is above a threshold.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the encryption module is further configured to discard the at least one session key upon transmission of the at least one session key to the at least one receiver.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the encryption module is further configured to encrypt the first information using a second session key in response to discarding of a first session key, wherein the first session key differs from the second session key.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the encryption module is configured to encrypt a first subset of the first information using a first session key and to encrypt a second subset of the first information using a second session key, thereby obtaining a first encrypted information subset and a second encrypted information subset, respectively.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the first encrypted information subset to a first receiver and to transmit the second encrypted information subset to a second receiver.

18. A method of securely transmitting emergency information, the method comprising:

compiling first information associated with a mobile device, the first information comprising location-related information;

encrypting the first information using at least one session key, thereby obtaining encrypted information;

prior to a triggering event, transmitting the encrypted information to at least one receiver; and

after the triggering event, transmitting the at least one session key to the at least one receiver.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the encrypted information comprises regularly transmitting the encrypted information.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the encrypted information comprises transmitting the encrypted information according to a transmission schedule.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the encrypted information comprises embedding the encrypted information into transmissions of second information that is separate from the first information and the encrypted information.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of a call placed to an emergency number, receipt of a triggering signal, or a triggering action performed by a user of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein encrypting the first information comprises encrypting the first information based on a selected cipher suite and the method further comprises, after the triggering event, transmitting information relating to the selected cipher suite to the receiver.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the location-related information comprises at least one of satellite navigation data, network cell identifiers, network cell strengths, wireless access point identifiers, wireless access point strengths, compass readings or accelerometer readings.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the first information further comprises network-related information.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the network-related information comprises at least one of call records, data flow records or network topology observations.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein transmitting the encrypted information comprises transmitting the encrypted information if the mobile device is in an idle state or if a battery charge level of the mobile device is above a threshold.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising discarding the at least one session key upon transmitting the at least one session key.

29. The method of claim 18 further comprising, after the triggering event, disabling a low battery charge shutoff mechanism associated with the mobile device.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein encrypting the first information comprises:

encrypting at least a first portion of the first information using a first session key; and

encrypting at least a second portion of the first information using a second session key.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein transmitting the at least one session key comprises:

transmitting the first session key to at least a first receiver; and

transmitting the second session key to at least a second receiver.

32. A mobile device comprising:

means for collecting first information associated with the device, the first information comprising location-related information;

means for encrypting the first information using at least one session key;

means for transmitting encrypted first information to at least one receiver prior to a triggering event; and

means for transmitting the at least one session key to the at least one receiver after the triggering event.

33. The device of claim 32 wherein the means for transmitting the encrypted first information is further configured to transmit the encrypted first information according to a transmission schedule.

34. The device of claim 32 wherein the means for transmitting the encrypted first information is further configured to embed the encrypted first information into transmissions of second information that is separate from the first information.

35. The device of claim 32 wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of a call initiated by the device and directed to an emergency number, receipt of a triggering signal, or a triggering action performed by a user of the device.

36. The device of claim 32 wherein the means for encrypting is configured to encrypt the first information according to a cipher suite and the device further comprises means for transmitting information relating to the cipher suite to the at least one receiver after the triggering event.

37. The device of claim 32 wherein the location-related information comprises at least one of satellite navigation information, network cell identifiers, network cell strengths, wireless access point identifiers or wireless access point strengths.

38. The device of claim 32 wherein the first information further comprises network-related information.

39. The device of claim 38 wherein the network-related information comprises at least one of call records, data flow records or network topology observations associated with the device.

40. The device of claim 32 wherein the means for encrypting is configured to discard the at least one session key upon transmission of the at least one session key to the at least one receiver.

41. A computer program product residing on a processor-readable medium and comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

compile first information associated with a mobile device, the first information comprising location-related information;

encrypt the first information using at least one session key in order to obtain encrypted first information;

transmit the encrypted first information to at least one receiver prior to a triggering event; and

transmit the at least one session key to the at least one receiver after the triggering event.

42. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit the encrypted first information are further configured to cause the processor to transmit the encrypted first information according to a transmission schedule.

43. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit the encrypted first information are further configured to cause the processor to embed the encrypted first information into transmissions of second information that is separate from the first information.

44. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the triggering event comprises at least one of a call placed to an emergency number, receipt of a triggering signal, or a triggering action performed by a user of the mobile device.

45. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to encrypt the first information comprises instructions configured for causing the processor to encrypt the first information based on a selected cipher suite and the computer program product further comprises instructions configured to cause the processor to transmit information relating to the selected cipher suite to the receiver after the triggering event.

46. The computer program product of claim 41 further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to discard the at least one session key upon transmitting the at least one session key.

47. The computer program product of claim 41 further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to disable a low battery charge shutoff mechanism associated with the mobile device after the triggering event.

48. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the first information further comprises network-related information.