Anonymous positioning of a wireless unit for data network location-based services

• US 7,062,279 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Cedervall, Mats, Ekerborn, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/323,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.5, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/432.1, 455433-434, 380/247, 380/248, 380/249, 380/255
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0414 during transmission, i.e. party's identity is protected against eavesdropping, e.g. by using temporary identifiers, but is known to the other party or parties involved in the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

This invention concerns a process and a system for providing location information for a wireless unit in a wireless network to a location-based service provider, using a data network. In particular, the location information is provided to the location-based service provider without necessarily providing the identity of wireless unit, e.g., a subscriber'"'"'s wireless identification number, to the service provider. In this regard, a subscriber'"'"'s identification number may be hidden from the positioning service provider via a process in which an alias is used instead of the subscriber'"'"'s normal identity. The subscriber'"'"'s number may further be concealed from the service provider via a process wherein encrypted information is used instead of the subscriber'"'"'s normal identity.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based services relating to a wireless unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising the steps of:

during a registration process, performing the steps of;

receiving a first identifier from a location-based service provider that is not indexed to a second identifier;

receiving a second identifier from a location platform; and

storing said first identifier indexed to said second identifier;

receiving the first identifier associated with the wireless unit from the location-based service provider;

correlating said first identifier to said second identifier associated with said wireless unit based on the indexing of said first identifier to said second identifier;

providing said second identifier to said location platform operable to utilize said second identifier to obtain location information for said wireless unit;

receiving said location information from said location platform; and

providing said location information to said location-based service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first identifier is encrypted by said location-based service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said second identifier is encrypted by said location platform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein storing said first identifier indexed to said second identifier comprises:

storing said first identifier encrypted by said location-based service provider indexed to said second identifier encrypted by said location platform.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein during the registration process comprises, upon receiving said first identifier from said location-based service provider which is not indexed to a second identifier, further comprising the step of:

providing a data link to said location platform, wherein said wireless unit requesting services may register with said location platform.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein, said location platform decrypts said encrypted second identifier to determine an identity of said wireless unit.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said identity of said wireless communications unit is utilized to procure location information for said wireless unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said location information is procured from at least one of:

stored information; and

location-finding equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said location information is received free of an identity of said wireless unit.

10. An apparatus for providing location-based services relating to a wireless unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising:

a server;

a first interface for receiving an encrypted service provider identifier associated with a wireless unit from a location-based service provider;

a second interface for receiving an encrypted subscriber identifier associated with said wireless unit from a wireless network provider; and

a computer-readable data structure operatively interconnected with said server for storing said encrypted service provider identifier and said encrypted subscriber identifier, wherein said encrypted service provider identifier and said encrypted subscriber identifier are indexed relative to one another.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

correlation logic supported by said server for correlating an encrypted service provider identifier received in a location information request from a location-based service provider with a corresponding encrypted subscriber identifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

transfer logic supported by said server for transferring said encrypted subscriber identifier to said wireless network provider in response to receiving said request.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said transfer logic is further operable to receive location information from said wireless network provider and forward said location information to said location-based service provider.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first and second interfaces each comprise at least one of a data network interface and a wireless communications network interface.

15. A method for use in providing location-based services to a wireless unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising the steps:

monitoring data communications between a wireless communications network and a data network originating from a wireless unit in said wireless communications network;

identifying a request for location-based services in a communication from said wireless unit to a location-based service provider in said data network;

procuring a subscriber identification number for said wireless unit in response to identifying said request;

encrypting said subscriber identification number for said wireless unit; and

providing said encrypted subscriber identification number to said location-based service provider.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said communications are data communications.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said communications are SMS communications.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said location-based-service provider utilizes said encrypted subscriber identification number to procure location information for said wireless unit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said location-based service provider provides said encrypted subscriber identification number to a location platform operable to provide location information for said wireless unit in said wireless communications network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said location platform is operable to decrypt said subscriber identification number to determine an identity of said wireless unit.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said identity of said wireless unit is utilized to procure location information for said wireless unit.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said location information is provided to said location-based service provider.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said location information is provided free of said identity of said wireless unit.

24. A method for providing location-based services relating to a wireless unit in a wireless communications network using a data network, comprising the steps of:

storing a first identifier encrypted by a location-based service provider indexed to a second identifier encrypted by a location platform;

receiving said first identifier associated with a wireless unit from the location-based service provider;

correlating said first identifier to said second identifier associated with said wireless unit based on said first identifier being indexed to said second identifier;

providing said second identifier to a location platform operable to utilize said second identifier to obtain location information for said wireless unit;

receiving said location information from said location platform; and

providing said location information to said location-based service provider.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein, upon receiving said first identifier from said location-based service provider which is not indexed to a second identifier, further comprising the step of:

providing a data link to said location platform, wherein said wireless unit requesting services may register with said location platform;

receiving said second identifier from said location platform, wherein said second identifier information is indexed to said first identifier.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein, said location platform decrypts said encrypted second identifier to determine an identity of said wireless unit.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said identity of said wireless unit is utilized to procure location information for said wireless unit.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said location information is procured from at least one of:

stored information; and

location-finding equipment.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said location information is received free of an identity of said wireless unit.