Location blocking service for wireless networks

• US 7,664,509 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark J., Moton, Jr., Robert T., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US10/704,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20040097243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,288 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.7, 455/456.4, 455/410, 455/413, 342/352.12, 342/449, 342/388
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 12/06 Authentication
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

The invention disclosed is a location blocking 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 a network user with the ability to prevent the location of her wireless handheld device from being disclosed to parties other than the wireless network provider and PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points). The network user blocks the forwarding of location information by signaling to the wireless handheld device when the location information originates from the wireless handheld device, or by signaling to the network when the location information originates from the wireless handheld device or the network. Primary components of the present invention include at least one user interface and at least one location block processor provisioned in the wireless handheld device and/or the wireless network. The user interface prompts the user of the handheld device to enter the commands that send the signals to the device or network.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a location blocking service in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of a wireless handheld device, a request to block location information associated with the wireless handheld device, wherein the request to block the location information is associated with at least one condition comprising at least one of the following;

a time and a current user location;

storing the at least one condition under which the location information is to be blocked in a user profile;

receiving, at a location block processor, the request to block the location information;

determining, at the location block processor, whether a transmission meets the at least one condition; and

in response to the location block processor determining that the transmission meets the at least one condition, the location block processor;

blocking the location information from being included in the transmission;

disabling a location system that generates the location information; and

forwarding the transmission without the location information to the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location block processor disabling the location system comprises at least one of the location block processor disabling a handhold location system in the wireless handhold device and the location block processor disabling a network-based location system in the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the transmission without the location information comprises forwarding the transmission with dummy information instead of the location information.

4. A method for implementing a location blocking service in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface of a wireless handheld device, a request to block location information associated with the wireless handheld device from being transmitted to a third party, wherein the request to block the location information is associated with at least one condition comprising at least one of the following;

a time and a current user location;

storing the at least one condition under which the location information is to be blocked in a user profile;

receiving, at a location block processor, the request to block the location information;

the location block processor disregarding the request to block the location information if the third party is a public safety answering point (PSAP);

the location block processor determining whether a transmission meets the at least one condition;

if the third party is not a PSAP and, in response to determining that the transmission meets the at least one condition, the location block processor;

blocking the location information from the transmission;

disabling a location system that generates the location information; and

providing the transmission to the third party without any location information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the PSAP is a 911 call center.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the request to block the location information applies to the transmission and subsequent transmissions, and the method further comprises:

receiving, via the user interface, a request to stop blocking the location information in the subsequent transmissions;

enabling the location system to generate the location information; and

forwarding the subsequent transmissions that include the location information to subsequent third parties.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the request to block the location information includes a request to block identity information and the step of the location block processor disabling the location system further comprises the location block processor removing the identity information from the transmission.

8. A system comprising:

a location system that provides location information of a wireless handheld device in a wireless network;

a user interface that accepts a request from a user to block the location information, wherein the request to block the location information is associated with at least one condition comprising at least one of the following;

a time and a user location;

a storage medium for storing the at least one condition under which the location information is to be blocked in a user profile; and

a location block processor in communication with the user interface, wherein the location block processor receives directions from the user interface to;

determine whether a transmission meets the at least one condition, and in response to determining that the transmission meets the at least one condition;

block the location information from a transmission;

disable the location system from generating the location information; and

forward the transmission without any location information to a third party.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the location system and the location block processor are provisioned in the wireless handheld device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the location block processor is provisioned in the wireless network.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the location system and the location block processor is provisioned in the wireless network.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the location system is provisioned in both the wireless handheld device and the wireless network, and the location block processor is provisioned in the wireless network.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is provisioned in the wireless handheld device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is a menu selection.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is a key sequence.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is provisioned in the wireless network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user interface is an interactive voice response system.