Method of operation of mobile wireless communication system with location information

• US 6,377,810 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Miles R., Geiger, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/330,739
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/457, 455/11.1, 455/410, 455/411, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/61 Time-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Location information is generated for a mobile device using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver (17) or by other means. A request for receipt of location information is received at the mobile device, over a wireless communications channel from a requesting entity (25), and a confirmation of permission to receive location information is sent to the requesting entity, over the wireless communication channel. The confirmation includes a digital signature for the requesting entity to use as verifiable proof of confirmation of permission. The requesting entity can use the digital signature to obtain the location information from a location server (21). The requesting entity and/or the location server are optionally located in the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a mobile device of a mobile wireless communications system comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device, over a wireless communications channel, a request for authorization of receipt of location information from a requesting entity; and

sending to the requesting entity, over the wireless communication channel, an authorization for access to location information, which includes a digital signature verifying the user'"'"'s authorization of access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signature comprises data encoded with a key unique to the mobile device, whereby a verification process when performed on the data verifies that the data has been encoded with the key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization includes at least one constraining attributes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the constraining attribute includes a time constraint.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the time constraint provides for periods of unauthorized access between periods of authorized access.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the time constraint provides for periods of authorized and unauthorized access dependent on time of day.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the time constraint provides for periods of authorized and unauthorized access dependent on calendar day.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the time constraint identifies an authorization expiration time.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the constraining attribute includes a location constraint.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the location constraint is a geographic location constraint.

11. A method of operation of a mobile wireless communications system comprising:

at a location server, maintaining location information for a mobile device;

at a requesting entity, sending to the mobile device a request for authorization for receipt of location information;

sending from the mobile device to the requesting entity an authorization for access to location information, which includes a digital signature verifying the users authorization of access;

sending a request for location information along with the received authorization from the requesting entity to the location server;

verifying the digital signature at the location server; and

releasing the location information to the requesting entity if the request is valid.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the location server obtains the location information from the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the location server is located within the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the location server obtains the location information from a fixed station of the mobile wireless communications system that is in communication with the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 11:

wherein the authorization for access to location information includes at least one constraining attribute;

wherein the step of verifying the digital signature includes verifying at least one constraining attribute; and

;

wherein the step of releasing the location information comprises releasing the location information to the requesting entity if the request is valid and the constraining attribute is satisfied.

16. A communication system comprising:

a mobile device having a digital signature;

a location server being effective to maintain location information for the mobile device, the location server having a digital signature verifier for verifying the digital signature of the mobile device; and

a requesting entity coupled to the mobile device and the location server, the requesting entity being effective to send a first request to the mobile device for an authorization to access the location information, receive the authorization which includes the digital signature from the mobile device in response to the first request, send a second request to the location server for the location information along with the authorization received from the mobile device, and receive the location information from the location server in response to the second request after the digital signature has been verified by the location server.

17. A mobile communications device comprising location server software for storing location data for the mobile communications device, and for making the location data available to requesting entities via a wireless communication link upon receipt of a valid digital certificate when at least one constraint of the digital certificate is valid, wherein the at least one constraint includes a time constraint that provides for periods of unauthorized access between periods of authorized access.