System and method for location privacy and location information management over wireless systems

• US 9,832,633 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Loc-Aid Technologies Incorporated (TechnoCom Corporation)
• Inventors: Gerber, Jr., Robert B., Allen, David D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US13/019,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20110190009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,492 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-4143, 4554561-457
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A method for allowing the management of permissions, notifications and reporting pertaining to a wireless device and the physical location of the device obtained via automatic location identification (ALI) technologies. A location preferences management system and method is provided for wireless users utilizing a mobile application requesting location fixes via any telecommunication technology. The location management system provides these mobile users with a comprehensive understanding of the location permissions and notifications and hence the location transactions associated with their wireless device and with the ability to manage it in a way that makes sense for their personal or business needs.

Claims

1. A system for managing location privacy of location based service applications, the system comprising:

a computing device accessing a plurality of location based service applications to be executed using the computing device; and

a location privacy gateway remote from and accessible by the computing device over a communication link, wherein the location privacy gateway transmits information for a graphical user interface (GUI) and a listing of the plurality of location based service applications to be executed using the computing device to be displayed in the GUI;

receives selection input for setting a location privacy setting for each of the plurality of location based service applications;

receives permission level input for selecting a permission reminder for each of the plurality of location based service applications to be sent to the computing device, wherein the permission level input designates if or how often the user should be reminded about location permissions;

receives a request to access location information of the computing device by a particular location based service application of the plurality of location based service applications; and

controls the access of the particular location based service application to location information of the computing device based on the location privacy setting associated with the particular location based service application.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a short message service (SMS) center associated with the location privacy gateway, wherein the location privacy gateway sends an SMS message to a particular computing device to solicit a reply to authenticate the particular computing device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the location privacy gateway sends an SMS message to notify a particular computing device of changes in the location privacy settings for a user associated with the particular computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the location privacy gateway further comprises a manager unit that authenticates each computing device and manages a location privacy setting for the one or more location based service applications.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the location privacy setting for each of the one or more location based service applications further comprises a location switch, a location activation date and a control portion.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for the particular location based service application and disabling location determining for the particular location based service application.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for the particular location based service application, disabling location determining for the particular location based service application and asking a user each time the particular location based service application attempts to determine the location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of a mobile device, a smartphone and a personal computer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the location privacy gateway further comprises one or more server computers.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the permission reminder for each of the plurality of location based service applications includes a designation for how often a reminder is sent to the computing device for the location privacy setting for each of the plurality of location based service applications.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the location privacy gateway further receives selection input for controlling how the location information of the computing device is determined based on a particular location technology being used.

12. A method for managing location privacy of location based service applications, comprising:

accessing a location privacy gateway over a communication link;

transmitting information for a graphical user interface (GUI) and a listing of a plurality of location based service applications that are currently subscribed by a computing device remote from the location privacy gateway to be displayed in the GUI;

receiving selection input by the location privacy gateway for a location privacy setting for each of the plurality of location based service applications that are currently subscribed by the computing device;

receiving permission level input by the location privacy gateway for selecting a permission reminder for each of the plurality of location based service applications to be sent to the computing device, wherein the permission level input designates if or how often the user should be reminded about the location permissions;

receiving a request to access location information about the computing device by a particular location based service application of the plurality of location based service applications; and

controlling, using the location privacy gateway, the access of the particular location based service application to the location information about the computing device, based on the location privacy setting associated with the particular location based service application.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising sending, using a short message service (SMS) center associated with the location privacy gateway, an SMS message to a particular computing device to authenticate the particular computing device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein accessing the location privacy gateway further comprises authenticating each computing device before providing access to the location privacy gateway.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein authenticating each computing device further comprises sending an SMS message that contains a PIN code to a particular computing device and entering, by the user of the particular computing device, the PIN code into a user interface used by the location privacy gateway to authenticate the particular computing device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein setting the location privacy setting for each location based service application further comprises changing a location switch.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein changing the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for the particular location based service application and disabling location determining for the particular location based service application.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein changing the location switch further comprises one of enabling location determining for the particular location based service application, disabling location determining for the particular location based service application and asking the user each time the particular location based service application attempts to determine the location.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising sending an SMS message to notify the particular computing device of changes in the location privacy settings for a user associated with the particular computing device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the permission reminder for each of the plurality of location based service applications includes a designation for how often a reminder is sent to the computing device for the location privacy setting for each of the plurality of location based service applications.