Method, components and system for tracking and controlling end user privacy

• US 7,877,494 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Briacon, Alan Charles Louis, Carlton, Alan G., Menon, Narayan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava; Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): MIRZA, ADNAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/749,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies

Abstract

A privacy service is provided for use in protection of user data transferred in a network, including a converged network. The privacy service extracts and measures service elements of a message containing user data. The service elements include an identity element, a trust element, a rights element and a security element. The privacy service performs security by comparing service elements with a user defined privacy policy. The privacy policy may also be based on particular factors relating to the application, context, and time of the message. In another embodiment, the privacy service provides controls that indicate when user data is misappropriated as a result of an infringement of the user defined privacy policy. Further the privacy service provides a means to audit and trace deviations from the privacy policy for the purpose of repudiation, or future defense of security threats.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the use and communication of User Data in a network, the method comprising:

maintaining in connection with a Privacy Service (PS), a policy for User Data related to one or more of an End User identity element, a User Data trust element, a User Data usage rights element or a User Data security element for use or communication of the User Data;

in connection with a communication of the User Data from a sending node to a receiving node, receiving information by the PS related to attributes of the communication related to at least one of the Application, Context or Time of the communication;

updating the policy for the User Data based on the received information;

controlling the communication and use of the User data based on the updated policy for the User Data, wherein the controlling includes the sending of control information by the PS via a wireless interface;

using a processor for measuring and tracking PS metrics related to the End User identity element and for determining a selected policy manifold metric based on selected PS metrics accumulated or a selected time period whereby the policy manifold metric provides an overall privacy indication with respect to the User Data and selected time period upon which the selected PS metrics are based;

measuring by the PS metrics related to the End User identity element, the User Data trust element, the User Data usage rights element and the User Data security element for use or communication of the User Data in connection with the communication of the User Data and using the measurement in connection with maintaining the policy and controlling the User Data; and

using the PS metrics to provide policy deviation indications to an End User, wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes the sending of control information by the PS including policy control information originating from the End User based on the policy deviation indications.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes the sending of control information by the PS.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes controlling the exposure of an End User'"'"'s identity identified with the User Data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes providing an indication of the trustworthiness of the User Data in connection with the communication of the user Data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data defining a set of rights for usage of the User Data by the receiving node following the communication of the User Data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes controlling the security of the transmission and access to the User Data in connection with the communication of user data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the controlling of security includes at least one of controlling a communication encryption level, User Data password protection, and a site key.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving information by the PS related to attributes of the communication includes receiving information related to the Application, Context and Time of the communication.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes the sending of control information by the PS.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes controlling the exposure of an End User'"'"'s identity identified with the User Data.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes providing an indication of the trustworthiness of the User Data in connection with the communication of the user Data.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data defining a set of rights for usage of the User Data by the receiving node following the communication of the User Data.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the controlling the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data includes controlling the security of the transmission and access to the User Data in connection with the communication of user data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the controlling of security includes at least one of controlling a communication encryption level, User Data password protection, and a site key.

15. The method of claim 1 where the PS is implemented in a wireless communication device for a user of the communication device as a network.

16. The method of claim 1 where the PS is implemented in a network component that is separate from a communication device used by an End User of the PS, further comprising communicating with the communication device by the End User to establish or modify the policy for the User Data.

17. A privacy server configured to control the use and communication of User Data in a network comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium configured for execution of components by the processor, the components including;

a component configured to maintain a policy for User Data related to one or more of an End User identity element, a User Data trust element, User Data usage rights element and User Data security element for use or communication of the User Data;

a component configured to receive information related to attributes of to a communication of the User Data from a sending node to a receiving, the attributes related to at least one of the Application, Context or Time of the communication;

a component configured to update the policy for the User Data based on the received information; and

a component configured to send control information via a wireless interface to control the communication and use of the User Data based on the updated policy for the User Data; and

a component configured to measure and track privacy service (PS) metrics and to determine a selected policy manifold metric based on selected PS metrics accumulated or a selected time period whereby determined policy manifold metrics provide an overall privacy indication with respect to the User Data and selected time period upon which the selected PS metrics are based;

a component configured to measure metrics related to the End User identity element, the User Data trust element, the User Data usage rights element and the User Data security element for use or communication of the User Data in connection with the communication of the User Data, wherein the measurement is used to maintain the policy and to control the communication and the use of the User Data; and

a component configured to use the PS metrics to provide policy deviation indications to an End User, wherein the control information includes policy control information originating from the End User based on the policy deviation indications.

18. The privacy server claim 17 wherein PS components are implemented in a single device for configured to serve a single policy setting End User.

19. he privacy server of claim 17 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to control the exposure of an End User'"'"'s identity identified with the User Data.

20. The privacy server of claim 17 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information providing an indication of the trustworthiness of the User Data in connection with the communication of the user Data.

21. The privacy server of claim 17 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to define a set of rights for usage of the User Data by the receiving node following the communication of the User Data.

22. The privacy server of claim 17 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the

User Data is configured to send information to control the security of the transmission and access to the User Data in connection with the communication of user data.

23. The privacy server of claim 22 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to control at least one of a communication encryption level, User Data password protection, and a site key.

24. The privacy server of claim 17 wherein the component configured to maintain the policy for User Data is configured to maintain a policy related to an End User identity element, a User Data trust element, a User Data usage rights element and a User Data security element for use or communication of the User Data.

25. The privacy server of claim 24 wherein component configured to receive information related to attributes of the communication is configured to receive information related to the Application, Context and Time of the communication.

26. The privacy server of claim 24 wherein the PS components are implemented in a single device for configured to serve a single policy setting End User.

27. The privacy server of claim 24 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to control the exposure of an End User'"'"'s identity identified with the User Data.

28. The privacy server of claim 24 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information providing an indication of the trustworthiness of the User Data in connection with the communication of the user Data.

29. The privacy server of claim 24 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to define a set of rights for usage of the User Data by the receiving node following the communication of the User Data.

30. The privacy server of claim 24 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to control the security of the transmission and access to the User Data in connection with the communication of user data.

31. The privacy server of claim 30 wherein component configured to send information to control the communication and use of the User Data is configured to send information to control at least one of a communication encryption level, User Data password protection, and a site key.

32. The privacy server of claim 17 implemented in a communication device configured for use as a network node by a user of the PS.

33. The privacy server of claim 17 implemented in a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) configured for use as a network node by a user of the PS wherein the WTRU is configured to send the control information via a wireless interface.

34. The privacy server of claim 17 where the PS is implemented in a network component that is separate from a communication device used by an End User of the PS, further comprising a component for communicating with the communication device used by the End User to establish or modify the policy for the User Data.