Device, system and method for controlling and storing sensitive information on a GPS device

• US 7,692,580 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Longhorn Automotive Group LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga X
• Application Number:
  US11/220,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20070052585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 34235701-35717, 340 551- 554, 726 26- 30
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3885 Transmission of map data to client devices; Reception of map data by client devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

A system and method for controlling and storing sensitive information on a global positioning system (GPS) device are provided. The system includes a locational information module for determining location information of the device; an encryption module for encrypting the location information; a processing module for storing the encrypted location information in a storage module; and an input module for inputting a code string for decrypting the location information. Information inputted to and/or generated by the device will be encrypted on the storage module. The storage module can be in any form currently available including optical media, or various types of removable memory cards or cartridges. Furthermore, the storage module may be internal memory and the GPS device may further include a transmission module or connection, e.g., hardwire or wireless, to port the information to a computer.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a housing;

a locational information module for determining location information of the device, the determined location information being at least one route traveled by the device;

an encryption module for encrypting the determined location information;

a removable storage module for storing the encrypted location information, the removable storage module being removably disposed in the housing;

a processing module for sending the encrypted location information to the removable storage module disposed in the device and retrieving the encrypted location information in the removable storage module;

an input module disposed on the housing configured for receiving a code string from a user, wherein the user inputted code string is used for encrypting and decrypting the location information stored in the removable storage module;

a user verification module including an identity capture device for indicating an identity of the user, wherein the user verification module verifies the identity of the user of the device, and upon verification, the processing module is configured to submit the received user inputted code string of the user to the encryption module for decrypting the location information stored in the removable storage module; and

a hardware interlock for preventing removal of the removal storage module, wherein upon verification of the identity of the user, the processing module is further configured to unlock the hardware interlock to enable removal of the removable storage module.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the location information is at least one of traveled routes, a home address, destination addresses and velocity of the device at predetermined times.

3. The device as in claim 2, wherein the storage module is internal storage memory.

4. The device as in claim 3, further comprising a transmission module for transmitting the encrypted location information to a computing device.

5. The device as in claim 2, further comprising a display module for displaying the location information.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein the identity capture device is a biometric device.

7. A system for controlling and storing location information comprising:

a device comprising;

a housing;

a locational information module for determining location information of the device, the determined location information being at least one route traveled by the device;

an encryption module for encrypting the determined location information;

a removable storage module for storing the encrypted location information, the removable storage module being removably disposed in the housing;

a processing module for sending the encrypted location information to the removable storage module disposed in the device and retrieving the encrypted location information in the removable storage module;

an input module disposed on the housing configured for receiving a code string from a user, wherein the user inputted code string is used for encrypting and decrypting the location information stored in the removable storage module;

a user verification module including an identity capture device for indicating an identity of the user, wherein the user verification module verifies the identity of the user of the device, and upon verification, the processing module is configured to submit the received user inputted code string of the user to the encryption module for decrypting the location information stored in the removable storage module; and

a hardware interlock for preventing removal of the storage module, wherein upon verification of the identity of the user, the processing module is further configured to unlock the hardware interlock to enable removal of the removable storage module; and

a computer comprising;

a reader configured for reading the removable storage module of the device; and

a processor configured to execute a decryption program for decrypting the encrypted location information on the removable storage module disposed in the reader based on the user inputted code string.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the location information is at least one of traveled routes, a home address, destination addresses and velocity of the device at predetermined times.

9. The system as in claim 8, wherein the storage module is internal storage memory and the device further comprises a transmission module for transmitting the encrypted location information to the computer.

10. The system as in claim 8, wherein the device further comprises a display module for displaying the location information.

11. The system as in claim 8, wherein the computer further comprises a memory for storing a plurality of geographical maps and the processor is configured to overlay the location information on at least one of the plurality of geographical maps.

12. The system as in claim 7, wherein the identity capture device is a biometric device.

13. A method for controlling and storing location information in a global positioning system (GPS) device, the method comprising:

determining location information of the GPS device, the determined location information being at least one route traveled by the GPS device;

inputting a code string into the device for encrypting and decrypting the location information stored on a removable storage module of the GPS device, the removable storage module being removably disposed in a housing of the GPS device;

encrypting the determined location information with the user inputted code string;

sending the encrypted location information to the removable storage module;

storing the encrypted location information in the removable storage module disposed in the device;

capturing an identity of a user by the device and verifying the identity of the user; and

upon verification, submitting the user inputted code string for decrypting the location information stored in the removable storage module, retrieving the encrypted location information from the removable storage module and decrypting the encrypted location information,

wherein the GPS device further comprises a hardware interlock for preventing removal of the removable storage module from the housing, the method further comprising preventing removal of the storage module until the code string is inputted and, upon verification of the identity of the user, unlocking the hardware interlock to enable removal of the removable storage module.

14. The method as in claim 13, wherein the location information is at least one of traveled routes, a home address, destination addresses and velocity of the device at predetermined times.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein the storage module is internal storage memory.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising transmitting the encrypted location information to a computing device and decrypting the location information by executing a decryption program on a processor of the computing device.