Systems and methods for managing location data and providing a privacy framework

• US 9,411,967 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Environmental Systems Research Institute Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Environmental Systems Research Institute Incorporated
• Inventors: Parecki, Aaron D., Case, Amber L., Chambliss, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): LEMMA, SAMSON B
• Application Number:
  US14/010,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20140059695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes providing a user interface on an internet-protocol (IP) connected mobile device, the user interface configured to receive a user input corresponding to one or more data privacy parameters for geo-location data, and controlling a transferring of geo-location data to and from each of a plurality of mobile applications on the mobile device based on the user input. A change in one or more of the data privacy parameters can change how geo-location data is provided to each of the plurality of applications and can affect location data accuracy, location data reporting frequency, geo-functions, and more. The user interface can be configured to allow a user to view, manage, and delete a personal location history. Furthermore, one or more profiles can be associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile applications, where each of the one or more profiles is assigned individual data privacy parameters.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing, by a hardware processor, a user interface on an internet-protocol (IP) connected mobile device, the user interface configured to receive a user input corresponding to one or more data privacy parameters for geo-location data,

wherein the data privacy parameters affect geofunctions including geofencing, geotriggers and geoenrichment; and

controlling, by the hardware processor, a transferring of geo-location data to and from each of a plurality of mobile applications on the mobile device based on the user input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a change in one or more of the privacy parameters affects how geo-location data is provided to each of the plurality of applications.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data privacy parameters further affects one or more of location data accuracy and location data reporting frequency.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling includes selectively disabling location tracking for one or more mobile applications for a predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling a granularity of personal data associated with the geo-location data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the personal data is anonymized or anonymized and aggregated.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface is configured to a user to view or delete a personal location history.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more profiles are associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile applications, wherein each of the one or more profiles is assigned individual data privacy parameters.

9. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

one or more hardware processors;

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

providing a user interface on an internet-protocol (IP) connected mobile device, the user interface configured to receive a user input corresponding to one or more data privacy parameters for geo-location data,

wherein the data privacy parameters affect geofunctions including geofencing, geotriggers and geoenrichment; and

controlling a transferring of geo-location data to and from each of a plurality of mobile applications on the mobile device based on the user input.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein a change in one or more of the privacy parameters affects how geo-location data is provided to each of the plurality of applications.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the data privacy parameters further affects one or more of location data accuracy and location data reporting frequency.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein controlling includes selectively disabling location tracking for one or more mobile applications for a predetermined period of time.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising controlling a granularity of personal data associated with the geo-location data.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein one or more profiles are associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile applications, wherein each of the one or more profiles is assigned individual data privacy parameters.

15. A non-transitory computer-program product, embodied in a machine-readable non-transitory storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

provide a user interface on an internet-protocol (IP) connected mobile device, the user interface configured to receive a user input corresponding to one or more data privacy parameters for geo-location data,

wherein the data privacy parameters affect geofunctions including geofencing, geotriggers and geoenrichment; and

control a transferring of geo-location data to and from each of a plurality of mobile applications on the mobile device based on the user input.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein a change in one or more of the privacy parameters affects how geo-location data is provided to each of the plurality of applications.

17. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein the data privacy parameters further affects one or more of location data accuracy and location data reporting frequency.

18. The computer-program product of claim 15 wherein controlling includes selectively disabling location tracking for one or more mobile applications for a predetermined period of time.

19. The computer-program product of claim 15 further comprising controlling a granularity of personal data associated with the geo-location data.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein one or more profiles are associated with one or more of the plurality of mobile applications, wherein each of the one or more profiles is assigned individual data privacy parameters.