Maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location for users in a mobile environment
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- obtaining locations of a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of users, each of the plurality of users being a user of a corresponding one of the plurality of mobile devices;
obtaining user profiles of the plurality of users of the plurality of mobile devices;
creating anonymous user records for the plurality of users for a first time interval of a plurality of successive time intervals;
storing the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for the first time interval by location; and
repeating the steps of creating anonymous user records and storing the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for each remaining time interval of the plurality of successive time intervals to thereby provide a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third party services.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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obtaining locations of a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of users, each of the plurality of users being a user of a corresponding one of the plurality of mobile devices; obtaining user profiles of the plurality of users of the plurality of mobile devices; creating anonymous user records for the plurality of users for a first time interval of a plurality of successive time intervals; storing the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for the first time interval by location; and repeating the steps of creating anonymous user records and storing the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for each remaining time interval of the plurality of successive time intervals to thereby provide a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A server comprising:
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a communication interface communicatively coupling the server to a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of users via a network, each of the plurality of users being a user of a corresponding one of the plurality of mobile devices; and a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to; obtain locations of the plurality of mobile devices of the plurality of users; obtain user profiles of the plurality of users of the plurality of mobile devices; create anonymous user records for the plurality of users for a first time interval of a plurality of successive time intervals; store the anonymous user records as the anonymized user profile data for the first time interval by location; and repeat the steps of creating anonymous user records and storing the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for each remaining time interval of the plurality of successive time intervals to thereby provide a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location.
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14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for instructing a controller of a server to:
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obtain locations of a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of users, each of the plurality of users being a user of a corresponding one of the plurality of mobile devices; obtain user profiles of the plurality of users of the plurality of mobile devices; create anonymous user records for the plurality of users for a first time interval of a plurality of successive time intervals; store the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for the first time interval by location; and repeat the steps of creating anonymous user records and storing the anonymous user records as anonymized user profile data for each remaining time interval of the plurality of successive time intervals to thereby provide a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location.
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Specification