Method for ensuring data localization on an ad hoc moving data network

• US 9,532,174 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SOFTBANK Corporation (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Teller, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lafontant, Gary
• Application Number:
  US13/692,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20140155093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/456.1, 726/1, 340/686.1, 370/252
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/00 Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods operable in a balloon network. The method can include determining that a balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area. An area profile of the legally-defined geographic area may identify geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from the legally-defined geographic area. The method can also include determining that the balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data. The method can also include determining that the balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area. The method can also include removing the geographically-restricted data from the memory of the balloon.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area in a balloon network, wherein the balloon network comprises a plurality of moveable balloons that provide service to client devices in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein the first balloon is one of the plurality of moveable balloons;

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is at the location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, accessing an area profile that identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, wherein the geographically-restricted data is saved in at least one physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data in physical data storage on the first balloon;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, (i) determining that one or more additional balloons of the plurality of moveable balloons are at a location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, (ii) determining that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, (iii) responsive to the determination that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, initiating a transfer of the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a second balloon of the one or more additional balloons, and (iv) removing the geographically-restricted data from the physical data storage on the first balloon before the first balloon exits the legally-defined geographic area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a RF air-interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a free-space optical link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises:

determining a velocity of the first balloon;

based on the determined velocity of the first balloon, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

5. A method operable by a first balloon in a balloon network, wherein the balloon network comprises a plurality of moveable balloons that provide service to client devices in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein the first balloon is one of the plurality of moveable balloons, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of geographically-restricted data in physical data storage on the first balloon when the first balloon enters a legally-defined geographic area;

responsive to a determination that the first balloon entered the legally-defined geographic area, accessing an area profile that identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, wherein the geographically-restricted data is saved in at least one physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, (i) determining that one or more additional balloons of the plurality of moveable balloons are at a location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, (ii) determining that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, (iii) responsive to the determination that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, initiating a transfer of the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a second balloon of the one or more additional balloons, and (iv) removing the geographically-restricted data from the physical data storage on the first balloon before the first balloon exits the legally-defined geographic area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a RF air-interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographically-restricted data is transferred via a free-space optical link.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises:

determining a velocity of the first balloon;

based on the determined velocity of the first balloon, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in a computing device, cause that computing device to perform functions, the functions comprising:

determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area in a balloon network, wherein the balloon network comprises a plurality of moveable balloons that provide service to client devices in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein the first balloon is one of the plurality of moveable balloons;

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is at the location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, accessing an area profile that identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, wherein the geographically-restricted data is saved in at least one physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data in physical data storage on the first balloon;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, (i) determining that one or more additional balloons of the plurality of moveable balloons are at a location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, (ii) determining that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, (iii) responsive to the determination that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, initiating a transfer of the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a second balloon of the one or more additional balloons, and (iv) removing the geographically-restricted data from the physical data storage on the first balloon before the first balloon exits the legally-defined geographic area.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of 9, wherein determining the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area comprises the functions of:

determining a velocity of the first balloon;

based on the determined velocity of the first balloon, determining a probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

determining that the probability that the first balloon will move out of the legally-defined geographic area is greater than a threshold probability.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining that a first balloon is at a location associated with a legally-defined geographic area in a balloon network, wherein the balloon network comprises a plurality of moveable balloons that provide service to client devices in a plurality of legally-defined geographic areas, and wherein the first balloon is one of the plurality of moveable balloons;

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is at the location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, accessing an area profile that identifies geographically-restricted data that must not be removed from physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area, wherein the geographically-restricted data is saved in at least one physical data storage that is located in the legally-defined geographic area;

determining that the first balloon contains at least some of the geographically-restricted data in physical data storage on the first balloon;

encrypting the geographically-restricted data with an encryption key;

determining that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area; and

responsive to the determination that the first balloon is likely to move out of the legally-defined geographic area, (i) determining that one or more additional balloons of the plurality of moveable balloons are at a location associated with the legally-defined geographic area, (ii) determining that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, (iii) responsive to the determination that none of the one or more additional balloons contain the geographically-restricted data, initiating a transfer of the geographically-restricted data from the first balloon to a second balloon of the one or more additional balloons, and (iv) removing the geographically-restricted data from the physical data storage on the first balloon before the first balloon exits the legally-defined geographic area.