Anonymous location service for wireless networks

• US 8,402,117 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moton, Jr., Robert T., Enzmann, Mark J., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US13/246,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20120034930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/228, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• 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: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

An anonymous location wireless network service for use in a wireless network. The service provides content providers with the location of network users without revealing their identities. The service includes a wireless network having a proxy server, a network communication link to a plurality of web sites, and a wireless communication link to a plurality of handheld devices. The proxy server blocks identity by reading the location and identity information of network devices, generating dummy identifications, relating the dummy identifications to the identity information, storing the relationships in a memory storage, and forwarding the location information and dummy identifications to the global computer network. Upon receiving messages from the global computer network, the proxy server reads the dummy identifications, looks up the related identification information in the memory storage, and forwards the data to the appropriate network devices.

Claims

1. A proxy server comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine that each of multiple wireless devices is associated with a predetermined vicinity;

determine respective identification information corresponding to each of the wireless devices;

associate the respective identification information corresponding to the wireless devices to a dummy identification in response to determining that each of the wireless devices is associated with the predetermined vicinity;

receive a request, from a requester, relating to the predetermined vicinity, wherein the requester is distinct from the wireless devices; and

send the dummy identification to the requester in response to receiving the request and determining that the wireless devices are associated with the predetermined vicinity.

2. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein:

the multiple wireless devices, the dummy identification, and the predetermined vicinity are, respectively, first wireless devices, a first dummy identification, and a first predetermined vicinity; and

the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the processor to;

determine that each of multiple second wireless devices is associated with a second predetermined vicinity;

determine respective identification information corresponding to each of the second wireless devices; and

associate the respective identification information corresponding to the second wireless devices to a second dummy identification in response to determining that each of the second wireless devices is associated with the second predetermined vicinity.

3. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein the instructions, in causing the processor to associate the respective identification information corresponding to the wireless devices to the dummy identification, cause the processor to associate each of the wireless devices to the dummy identification, wherein the dummy identification is associated with the predetermined vicinity.

4. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to send, to the requester, the dummy identification and geographic information corresponding to the wireless devices.

5. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein the respective identification information corresponding to the wireless devices includes a distinct device identification corresponding to each of the multiple wireless devices.

6. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein:

associating the respective identification information to the dummy identification forms an association; and

the dummy identification cannot be used to send messages to the wireless devices without use of the association.

7. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein the dummy identification associated with the respective identification information for the multiple wireless devices is a single dummy identification.

19. The proxy server of claim 1, wherein the request received at the proxy server seeks communication with a wireless device associated with the predetermined vicinity.

8. A method, for providing a privacy service, comprising:

determining, at a proxy server, that each of multiple wireless devices is associated with a predetermined vicinity;

determining, at the proxy server, respective identification information corresponding to each of the wireless devices;

associating, at the proxy server, the respective identification information corresponding to the wireless devices to a dummy identification in response to determining that each of the wireless devices is associated with the predetermined vicinity;

receiving, at the proxy server, a request, from a requester, relating to the predetermined vicinity, wherein the requester is distinct from the wireless devices; and

sending, from the proxy server, the dummy identification to the requester in response to receiving the request and determining that the wireless devices are associated with the predetermined vicinity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the multiple wireless devices, the dummy identification, and the predetermined vicinity are, respectively, first wireless devices, a first dummy identification, and a first predetermined vicinity; and

the method further comprises;

determining that each of multiple second wireless devices is associated with a second predetermined vicinity;

determining respective identification information corresponding to each of the second wireless devices; and

associating the respective identification information corresponding to the second wireless devices to a second dummy identification in response to determining that each of the second wireless devices is associated with the second predetermined vicinity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the respective information corresponding to the wireless devices includes a distinct device identification corresponding to each of the multiple wireless devices.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

associating the respective identification information to the dummy identification forms an association; and

the dummy identification cannot be used to send messages to the wireless devices without use of the association.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the dummy identification associated with the respective identification information for the multiple devices is a single dummy identification.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein associating the respective identification information corresponding to the wireless devices to the dummy identification includes associating each of the wireless devices to the dummy identification, wherein the dummy identification is associated with the predetermined vicinity.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending, to the requester, the dummy identification and geographic information corresponding to the wireless devices.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the request received at the tangible proxy server seeks communication with a wireless device associated with the predetermined vicinity.

15. A method, for providing a privacy service, comprising:

receiving, at a privacy-service system having at least one computer server, from a requester, a request regarding a pre-identified vicinity;

receiving, at the privacy-service system, identification information corresponding to a wireless device associated with the pre-identified vicinity; and

sending to the requester, from the privacy-service system, a dummy identification corresponding to the wireless device, wherein the requester is distinct from the wireless device.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the request, received at the privacy-service system, seeks communication with the wireless device associated with the pre-identified vicinity.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, at the privacy-service system, location information indicating a location of the wireless device; and

determining, at the privacy-service system, that the wireless device is associated with the pre-identified vicinity using the location information.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, at the privacy-service system, that a privacy setting relating to the wireless device is set to allow communication of location information corresponding to the wireless device and disallow communication of the identification information; and

the privacy-service system, in response to determining that the privacy setting set to disallow communication of the identification information, associating the identification information to the dummy identification, in a memory, to form a stored association between the identification information and the dummy identification.