Position privacy in an electronic device

• US 7,327,312 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US10/714,096
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.15, 342/419, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.51
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A privacy enhancement device for electronic device such as a cellular telephone. The privacy enhancement device may include a jammer which may produces false information, e.g. false information indicative of pseudo ranges. In addition, the navigation information used on the position detecting device may be locally stored versions of dynamically changing information. The navigation operation may be carried out using a Web service.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a portable computer having a processor, an information detection part and a communication part, said portable computer acquiring at least a plurality of items of information that are sensed by said information detection part, and said communication part communicating information indicative of said plurality of items of information to a remote server, and said communication part obtaining current position information, indicative of a user'"'"'s current position, which position information is based on response from said remote server.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said processor controls assembling said plurality of items of information into a form having a specified format, and sending said form to said remote server.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein said form is in an XML format.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein said detection part detects an indication of whether current information is being received from a satellite positioning as at least one of said items of information.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein said detection part detects a time since said current information has been acquired as at least one of said items of information.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein said items of information does not include satellite positioning signals or information derived from satellite positioning signals.

7. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a computer at said remote server which receives said information, calculates a position based on said information, and returns information indicative of said position to said portable computer.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein said items of information include at least one item with environmental clues.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein item with said environmental clues includes visual information that is detected in an area of said portable computer as at least one of said items of information.

10. A system as in claim 8, wherein said item with said environmental clues includes sounds being detected in an area of said portable computer as at least one of said items of information.

11. A system as in claim 1, wherein said portable computer includes a cellular telephone.

12. A system as in claim 11, wherein said detection part detects information about at least one base station which is communicating with said cellular telephone as at least one of said items of information.

13. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a remote server with a computer which receives said information, calculates a position based on said information, and returns information indicative of said position to said portable computer.

14. A system as in claim 13, wherein said at least one items of information include at least one item with environmental clues.

15. A system as in claim 14, wherein item with said environmental clues includes visual information that is detected in an area of said portable computer as at least one of said items of information.

16. A system as in claim 14, wherein said item with said environmental clues includes sounds being detected in an area of said portable computer as at least one of said items of information.

17. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said environmental clues include information on the signature of noise which is being received.

18. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said environmental clues include information about which of a plurality of cellular telephone sites are being communicated with.

19. An apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said environmental clues include local sounds.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said environmental clues include local visual elements.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20, further comprising a privacy enhancement element, which prevents said transceiver from transmitting said information indicative of current location.

22. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said information indicative of a current location is sent as an XML form.

23. A method, comprising:

acquiring information about a local area, from a client that is located in the local area;

sending the information over a data channel from the client to a remote server;

using the information at the remote server, to determine a position of the local area; and

returning information indicative of the position of the local area, to the client in the local area.

24. A method as in claim 23, wherein said information about the local area includes at least one item of the information which is not satellite positioning information or acquired from satellite positioning information.

25. A method as in claim 24, wherein said at least one item includes environmental clues about the local area.

26. A method as in claim 24, wherein said client is part of a cellular phone.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein said sending and said returning are carried out over said wireless telephone network.

28. A method as in claim 26, wherein said at least one item includes information from the wireless telephone switching network.

29. A method comprising:

sensing information about a local area of a local processing element;

transmitting said information to a remote processing element;

in the remote processing element, calculating a position of the local processing element, based on said information, and sending said position to said local processing element; and

in said local processing element, taking an action based on said position, without calculating said position in said local processing element.

30. A method as in claim 29, wherein said taking an action comprises displaying the position at the local processing element.

31. A method as in claim 29, wherein said information about the local area includes at least one item of the information which is not satellite positioning information or acquired from satellite positioning information.

32. A method as in claim 31, wherein said at least one item includes environmental clues about the local area.

33. A method as in claim 29, further comprising communicating to a wireless telephone switching network, from said local area.

34. A method as in claim 33, wherein said transmit and said returning are carried out over said wireless telephone network.

35. A method as in claim 33, wherein said at least one item includes information from the wireless telephone switching network.