Anonymous location service for wireless networks

• US 6,738,808 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moton, Jr., Robert T., Enzmann, Mark J., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/606,535
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/238, 709/249, 709/311, 709/313, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• 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: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

An anonymous location wireless network service for use in a wireless network that tracks the location and identity of network users, such as networks complying with enhanced 911 standards. The service provides content providers with the location of network users without revealing their identities. The service includes a wireless network having a proxy server, a network communication link to a plurality of web sites, and a wireless communication link to a plurality of handheld devices. The proxy server blocks identity by reading the location and identity information of network devices, generating dummy identifications, relating the dummy identifications to the identity information, storing the relationships in a memory storage, and forwarding the location information and dummy identifications to the global computer network. Upon receiving return messages from the global computer network, the proxy server reads the dummy identifications, looks up the related identity information in the memory storage, and forwards the data to the appropriate network devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing an anonymous location service for use in a wireless network that tracks locations and identities of network users, the method comprising:

receiving the identity of a wireless network device, wherein the identity includes a mobile identification number;

associating a dummy identification with the identity of the wireless network device into a relationship;

storing the relationship in memory;

receiving a message from a web site through a global computer network, wherein the message includes the dummy identification;

locating the dummy identification in the memory;

using the relationship to determine the identity of the network device;

forwarding the message to the network device;

receiving the location of the wireless network device;

substituting the dummy identification for the identity of the wireless network device; and

forwarding the location and the dummy identification of the wireless network device to the web site through the global computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the identity and the receiving the location are initiated when the network device accesses the global computer network through the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the identity and the receiving the location are initiated when the network device places a wireless telephone call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dummy identification is the location of the wireless network device.

4. A method for providing an anonymous location service for use in a wireless network that tracks locations and identities of network users, the method comprising:

receiving the identity of a wireless network device, wherein the identity includes a mobile identification number;

receiving the location of the wireless network device;

substituting a dummy identification for the identity of the wireless network device; and

forwarding the location and the dummy identification of the wireless network device to a web site through a global computer network,

wherein the forwarding further comprises receiving a message from the web site requesting communication with wireless devices in a particular location;

reading the location of the wireless network device; and

forwarding the location and the dummy identification of the wireless network device to the web site if the location matches the particular location.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving the identity and the receiving the location are initiated when the network device accesses the global computer network through the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving the identity and the receiving the location are initiated when the network device places a wireless telephone call.

8. A method for providing an anonymous location service for use in a wireless network that tracks locations and identities of network users, the method comprising:

receiving the location and the identity of a network device;

providing the location and the identity to a first web site, the first web site receiving content;

receiving a request for content from the first web site including the location and the identity;

generating a dummy identification and substituting the dummy identification for the identity;

recording an association between the dummy identification and the identity;

forwarding to a second web site a modified request for content including the location and the dummy identification, the second web site providing content;

receiving from the second web site a content that references the dummy identification;

determining the identity of the network device using the dummy identification and the recorded association;

replacing the dummy identification referenced in the content with the identity of the network device; and

forwarding the content including the location and the identity of the network device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the forwarding the content further comprising forwarding the content to the first web site.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a web page from the first web site including the content; and

forwarding the web page to the network device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the forwarding the content further comprising forwarding the content to the network device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a proxy server of the wireless network executes the listed steps.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the dummy identification is the location of the network device.

14. A system for providing an anonymous location service for use in a wireless network that tracks locations and identities of network users, the system comprising:

a proxy server having memory storage;

a plurality of web sites in communication with the proxy server over a global computer network;

a plurality of handheld devices in communication with the proxy server over the wireless network; and

a location system in communication with the proxy server,

wherein the proxy server receives the locations of the network users from the location system, receives the identities of the network users from the plurality of handheld devices, wherein each of the identities includes a mobile identification number, translates the identities of the network users into dummy identifications, and forwards the locations of the network users and the dummy identifications to the plurality of web sites.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory storage is a database separate from the proxy server.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the global computer network is the Internet.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the location system is a wireless access protocol location service provisioned in the wireless network.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the location system is handheld location systems provisioned in the plurality of handheld devices.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the handheld location systems are global positioning systems.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the proxy server provides routing selection, access control, addressing, protocol conversion, caching, and transport interface, and the plurality of handheld devices are thin clients with thin browsers.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the proxy server stores relationships between the identities and the dummy identifications in the memory storage.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the proxy server receives messages from the plurality of web sites, wherein the messages reference the dummy identifications, wherein the proxy server consults the relationships in the memory storage and uses the dummy identifications to locate corresponding identities of network users, and wherein the proxy server forwards the messages to the corresponding identities.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the proxy server reads the locations of the network users and forwards the locations of the network users and the dummy identifications to the plurality of web sites only if the locations correspond to a specific location requested by the plurality of web sites.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the dummy identifications are the locations of the network users.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the proxy server comprises a mobile gateway and a privacy agent,

wherein the privacy agent determines if the network users want to block their identities, and if so, translates the identities of the network users into dummy identifications, and

wherein the privacy agent contains the memory storage and stores relationships between the identities and the dummy identifications in the memory storage.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the location system comprises a location agent that determines the locations of the network users and a location monitor in communication with the location agent, wherein the location monitor determines if the locations of the network users match a specific location requested by the plurality of web sites.

27. A proxy server for providing an anonymous location service for use in a wireless network that tracks locations and identities of network users, the proxy server comprising:

a wireless communication link with a plurality of wireless handheld devices;

a communication link with a global computer network; and

a memory storage,

wherein the proxy server receives, as part of data messages, the locations and the identities of the plurality of wireless handheld devices, wherein each of the identities includes a mobile identification number,

wherein the proxy server-generates dummy identifications and substitutes the dummy identifications for the identities,

wherein the proxy server records the dummy identifications and their associated identities in the memory storage,

and wherein the proxy server forwards the data messages with the locations and dummy identifications to web sites via the global computer network.

28. The proxy server of claim 27, wherein the proxy server receives return data messages from web sites,

wherein the proxy server reads the dummy identifications and consults the memory storage to determine identities that correspond to the dummy identifications,

and wherein the proxy server replaces the dummy identifications with the identities and forwards the return data message to a corresponding wireless handheld device of the plurality of wireless handheld devices.

29. The proxy server of claim 27, wherein the proxy server is dedicated to providing the plurality of wireless handheld devices with access to the global computer network.

30. The proxy server of claim 27, wherein the proxy server is a Wireless Application Protocol server.