Network information collection and access control system

• US 8,739,271 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Schultz, Paul T., Hahn, Mark J., Sartini, Robert A., Goodman, William D
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORTHY, ARAVIND K
• Application Number:
  US13/327,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26, 726/27, 726/13, 726/22, 705/50, 705/64, 705/74, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 713/154, 713/168
• US Class Current: 726/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification

Abstract

An approach is provided for collecting and controlling access to network information. A network information anonymizer receives network information associated with a device, separates the network information into anonymized network information and user identifiable information, and enables access to the anonymized network information independently of the user identifiable information based on a privacy setting.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, network information associated with a device;

separating the network information into separately accessible anonymized network information and user identifiable information;

enabling access to the anonymized network information independently of the user identifiable information based on a privacy setting;

generating a correlation key associated with the anonymized network information and the user identifiable information; and

appending the correlation key to the anonymized network information and the user identifiable information.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the correlation key from a requester; and

enabling access by the requester to the user identifiable information associated with the correlation key.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the privacy setting includes at least one of the following:

anonymizing all of the network information;

enabling access to the network information, the anonymized network information, the user identifiable information, or a combination thereof to improve a user experience associated with the device; and

enabling access to the network information, the anonymized network information, the user identifiable information, or a combination thereof by one or more third parties.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user identifiable information is a User Name, Mobile Directory Number (MDN), Media Access Control (MAC Address), Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN), a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) serial number, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), or a combination thereof.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the anonymized network information is location history, network usage history, user context information, or a combination thereof.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query for the network information; and

generating a response to the query using the anonymized network information.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

rendering a user interface for presenting the response to the query,

wherein the user interface is an augmented reality display, a virtual reality display, a mapping display, a signal strength display, or a combination thereof.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

processing the anonymized network information to determine a radio antenna configuration, a handoff configuration, or a combination thereof for facilitating communications associated with the device.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using the anonymized network information to obfuscate contextual information associated with a network resource,

wherein the contextual information includes at least a location of the network resource.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one process, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive network information associated with a device;

separate the network information into separately accessible anonymized network information and user identifiable information;

enable access to the anonymized network information independently of the user identifiable information based on a privacy setting;

generate a correlation key associated with the anonymized network information and the user identifiable information; and

append the correlation key to the anonymized network information and the user identifiable information.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive the correlation key from a requester; and

enable access by the requester to the user identifiable information associated with the correlation key.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the privacy setting includes at least one of the following:

anonymize all of the network information;

enable access to the network information, the anonymized network information, the user identifiable information, or a combination thereof to improve a user experience associated with the device; and

enable access to the network information, the anonymized network information, the user identifiable information, or a combination thereof by one or more third parties.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the user identifiable information is a User Name, Mobile Directory Number (MDN), Media Access Control (MAC Address), Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN), a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) serial number, International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), or a combination thereof.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the anonymized network information is location history, network usage history, user context information, or a combination thereof.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive a query for the network information; and

generate a response to the query using the anonymized network information.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

render a user interface for presenting the response to the query,

wherein the user interface is an augmented reality display, a virtual reality display, a mapping display, a signal strength display, or a combination thereof.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process the anonymized network information to determine a radio antenna configuration, a handoff configuration, or a combination thereof for facilitating communications associated with the device.

18. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

use the anonymized network information to obfuscate contextual information associated with a network resource,

wherein the contextual information includes at least a location of the network resource.