Management of private information

• US 9,202,016 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2012
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Counterman, Raymond C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nalven, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): MALINOWSKI, WALTER J
• Application Number:
  US13/586,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20140053242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A network device is configured to receive a request, from a device, for private information associated with a user of a user device, on behalf of another user device. The network device may authenticate the device, the user device, and the other user device. The network device may request and receive the user'"'"'s authorization to send the private information to the other user device. The network device may generate and send a token used to request the private information. The network device may receive the token from the device, determine that the token is valid, and send the private information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network device and from a server device, a request for private information, associated with a user of a user device,

the request originating from another user device;

authenticating, by the network device, the server device associated with the request for private information, based on receiving the request,

the authenticating the server device including authenticating that a party associated with the server device has agreed to a network provider'"'"'s terms of use regarding the party'"'"'s use of private information associated with the user of the user device;

authenticating, by the network device, that the user device is registered with the network provider that provides service to the user device, based on receiving the request;

authenticating, by the network device, that the other user device is authorized to receive the private information, based on receiving the request;

sending, by the network device, a message to the user device requesting authorization to send the private information to the server device, based on results of authenticating the server device, authenticating the user device, and authenticating the other user device;

receiving, by the network device, authorization from the user device to send the private information to the server device;

generating, by the network device, a token used to request the private information, based on receiving the authorization;

sending, by the network device, the token to the server device;

receiving, by the network device, the token from the server device,

the server device using the token to request the private information associated with the user; and

sending, by the network device, the private information to the server device, based on receiving the token.

2. The method of claim 1, where generating the token includes:

assigning a finite amount of time regarding how long the token can be used;

terminating use of the token, by the server device, after the finite amount of time; and

sending a notification to the server device that the token cannot be used to receive the private information after terminating use of the token.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request, from the user device, to terminate the token;

terminating the token, based on the request to terminate the token; and

sending a notification to the server device that the token cannot be used to receive the private information after terminating the token.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request, from a second server device, for different private information, associated with the user of the user device, the different private information including information regarding a location of the user device;

sending a second authorization request, to the user device, requesting the different private information;

receiving a message from the user device that the second server device cannot receive the different private information; and

sending a notification to the second server device that the user device does not provide authorization for the second server device to receive the different private information.

5. The method of claim 1, where generating the token includes:

determining the private information that the token can be used to access, based on an agreement between the party and the network provider,

the agreement including conditions for receiving and using the private information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information that indicates that the private information can only be sent when the user device is receiving content from a specified content provider; and

where sending the private information includes;

sending the private information based on the stored information.

7. A system comprising:

a network device to;

receive a request, from a server device, for private information, associated with a user of a user device,

the server device providing the request on behalf of another user device;

authenticate, based on receiving the request, that the server device is associated with the request for private information,

the authenticating including authenticating that a party associated with the server device has agreed to a network provider'"'"'s terms of use regarding the party'"'"'s use of private information associated with the user of the user device based on receiving the request;

authenticate that the user device is registered with the network provider, based on receiving the request;

authenticate that the other user device is allowed to receive the private information,

the other user device executing an application associated with the party that agreed to the network provider'"'"'s terms of use;

send a message, to the user device, requesting authorization to send the private information to the other user device, based on results of authenticating the server device, authenticating the user device, and authenticating the other user device;

receive, from the user device, the authorization to send the private information to the other user device,

the authorization including how the private information can be used by the other user device;

generate a token used to request the private information, based on receiving the authorization;

send the token to the server device;

receive the token from the server device,

the server device using the token to request the private information;

determine that the token is valid to request the private information; and

send the private information to the server device, based on determining that the token is valid.

8. The system of claim 7, where the network device is further to:

store information that indicates that the private information can only be sent when the user device is located in a specific geographic location; and

where, when sending the private information, the network device is to;

send the private information based on the stored information.

9. The system of claim 7, where the network device is further to:

store information that indicates that the private information can only be sent when the user device is being used to send messages in a specific geographic location; and

where, when sending the private information, the network device is to;

send the private information based on the stored information.

10. The system of claim 7, where the network device is further to:

store information that indicates that the private information can only be sent when the user device is being used at a particular time; and

where, when sending the private information, the network device is to;

send the private information based on the stored information.

11. The system of claim 7, where the network device is further to:

receive a request to terminate use of the token by the user device;

terminate use of the token, based on the request to terminate the token; and

send a message to the other user device that the other user device can no longer receive the private information associated with the user device.

12. The system of claim 11, where the network device is further to:

send a message to the server device that the private information, associated with the user device, cannot be sent to another device; and

receive an acknowledgment from the server device that the private information is not to be sent to another device.

13. The system of claim 7, where the network device is further to:

store information associated with a total number of times that the server device uses the token to request the private information associated with the user device; and

use the stored information to determine whether the token is valid.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising:

a plurality of instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of one or more network devices, cause the one or more processors to;

receive information associated with an agreement to provide private information associated with a user device,

the agreement including a condition that the private information is to be sent to a server device;

store the information associated with the agreement;

receive a request to receive private information, associated with the user device, from the server device, based on the agreement;

authenticate that the server device is associated with the request for private information, based on receiving the request,

the authenticating including authenticating that a party associated with the server device has agreed to a network provider'"'"'s terms of use regarding the party'"'"'s use of private information associated with the user of the user device based on receiving the request;

authenticate that the user device is registered with a network, based on receiving the request;

authenticate that another user device is allowed to receive the private information from the server device, based on a relationship between the other user device and the server device;

send an authorization request, based on results of authenticating the server device, authenticating the user device, and authenticating the other user device;

receive authorization to send the private information to the server device;

generate a token, based on receiving the authorization; and

send the token to the server device,

the server device using the token to request the private information associated with the user device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

store information that indicates that the private information can only be sent when the user device is receiving content from a particular content provider; and

send the private information based on the stored information.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the plurality of instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

store information that indicates that the private information can only be sent during a finite period of time after the token is generated; and

send the private information based on the stored information.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a change to the agreement regarding what private information may be sent to the server device; and

modify the agreement based on the received change.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

revoke use of the token based on the agreement; and

send a message to the server device that the token is revoked and that the server device cannot use the token to receive the private information.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

store information associated with a total quantity of times that the token is used to request the private information; and

use the stored information to determine whether the token is valid.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a notification from the user device, regarding how the private information may be used; and

use the notification to amend the agreement.