Location validation system and methods

• US 9,155,125 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Xue, Wen, Green, Douglas R., Santharam, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/560,859
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/414.1, 455/187.1, 455/456.1, 455/418, 455/452.2, 455/455, 455/435.2, 455/461, 455/456.6, 455/517, 455/422.1, 455/404.1, 455/522, 455/405, 455/438, 455/450, 455/458, 455/456.5, 455/457, 455/436, 370/342, 370/328, 709/238, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A location validation system comprising a communication interface configured to receive an asserted location of a wireless communication device and a processing system configured to determine a trusted location of the wireless communication device, receive the asserted location from the communication interface, compare the asserted location to the trusted location, and generate a notification if the asserted location differs from the trusted location.

Claims

1. A location validation system to validate an asserted location of a wireless communication device to a vendor for an electronic purchase, the location validation system comprising:

a communication interface configured to wirelessly receive the asserted location of the wireless communication device from the wireless communication device for the electronic purchase from the vendor, wherein the asserted location comprises a location of the wireless communication device determined from a zip code entered by a user of the wireless communication device;

a processing system configured to receive the asserted location from the communication interface, after receiving the asserted location from the communication interface, determine a trusted location of the wireless communication device based on wireless signals from the wireless communication device to a wireless access network, compare the asserted location to the trusted location to verify the asserted location, and notify the vendor if the asserted location differs from the trusted location.

2. The location validation system of claim 1 wherein the trusted location is determined using data transmitted by the wireless communication device prior to the transmission of the asserted location by the wireless communication device.

3. The location validation system of claim 1 wherein the trusted location is determined using data compiled from interactions between the wireless communication device and an application server prior to the transmission of the asserted location by the wireless communication device.

4. The location validation system of claim 1 wherein the trusted location is determined using the location of a base station receiving radio frequency transmissions from the wireless communication device.

5. The location validation system of claim 4 wherein the trusted location is determined by analyzing characteristics of the radio frequency transmissions between the wireless communication device and the base station.

6. The location validation system of claim 5 wherein the trusted location is determined through triangulation.

7. The location validation system of claim 1 wherein the communication interface comprises a plurality of base stations and an access network.

8. A method of operating a location validation system to validate an asserted location of a wireless communication device to a vendor for an electronic purchase, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving the asserted location of the wireless communication device from the wireless communication device for the electronic purchase from the vendor, wherein the asserted location comprises a location of the wireless communication device determined from a zip code entered by a user of the wireless communication device;

after receiving the asserted location, determining a trusted location of the wireless communication device based on wireless signals from the wireless communication device to a wireless access network;

comparing the asserted location to the trusted location to verify the asserted location; and

notifying the vendor if the asserted location differs from the trusted location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the trusted location is determined using data transmitted by the wireless communication device prior to the transmission of the asserted location by the wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the trusted location is determined using data compiled from interactions between the wireless communication device and an application server prior to the transmission of the asserted location by the wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the trusted location is determined using the location of a base station receiving radio frequency transmissions from the wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the trusted location is determined by analyzing the characteristics of radio frequency transmissions between the wireless communication device and the base station.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the trusted location is determined through triangulation.