IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,054,648
Granted Patent B2
US 7,054,648 · App. 10/038,233 · Granted May 30, 2006

Location privacy proxy server and method in a telecommunication network

Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,054,648
App. No.
10/038,233
Granted
May 30, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling positioning of a user and the user's privacy related information on the mobile Internet includes a location privacy proxy which upon receipt of a request to position a user determines whether a location based service is allowed to position the user. The user retains the right to manually override the rejection of a location based service requesting to position the user.

Claims (68)

1. A method for positioning of a user on the mobile Internet, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to position the user using a location based service;

accessing a location privacy proxy to determine if the location based service may position the user, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the location based service has previously positioned the user:

if the location base service has not previously positioned the user, determining if the user manually authorizes positioning by the location based service: and

storing an indication of whether the location based service is authorized to position the user;

generating a unique ID within the location privacy proxy for a request from an untrusted application;

associating the unique ID with the MSISDN of the user being positioned; and

positioning the user based on the determination made by the location privacy proxy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received from a mobile portal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received from a WAP gateway.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received from a positioning server.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of accessing further comprises the steps of:

determining if the location based service has previously positioned the user;

if the location based service has previously positioned the user, accessing a user profile to determine if the user may be positioned if the user manually authorizes the positioning.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of positioning further comprises the steps of attaching the unique ID of the user to a positioning request prior to positioning the user.

7. A method for controlling positioning of a user on the mobile Internet, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to position the user using a location based service;

determining if the location based service has previously positioned the user using a location privacy proxy;

if the location based service has previously positioned the user, accessing a user profile to determine if the user may be positioned;

if the location based service has not previously positioned the user, determining if the user manually authorizes positioning by the location based service;

storing an indication of whether the location based service is authorized to position the user;

generating a unique ID within the location privacy proxy for a request from an untrusted application;

associating the unique ID with the MSISDN of the user making the request; and

positioning the user based on the determination made by at least one of the location privacy proxy or manual authorization by the user.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the request is received from a mobile portal.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the request is received from a WAP gateway.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the request is received from a positioning server.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of positioning further comprises the steps of:

attaching the unique ID of the user to a positioning request prior to positioning the user.

12. A method for controlling positioning of a user on the mobile Internet, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to position the user using a location based service;

accessing a location privacy proxy to determine if the location based service may position the user, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the location based service has previously positioned the user;

if the location based service has not previously positioned the user, determining if the user manually authorizes positioning by the location based service; and

storing an indication of whether the location based service is authorized to position the user;

generating a unique ID within the location privacy proxy for a request from an untrusted application;

associating the unique ID with the MSISDN of the user making the request;

attaching the unique ID of the user to a positioning request prior to positioning the user; and

positioning the user based on the determination made by the location privacy proxy.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the request is received from a mobile portal.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the request is received from a WAP gateway.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the request is received from a positioning server.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of accessing further comprises the steps of:

determining if the location based service has previously positioned the user;

if the location based service has not previously positioned the user, accessing a user profile to determine if the user may be positioned.

17. A location privacy proxy, comprising:

a first interface for receiving positioning requests for a user;

a second interface for accessing location based services;

a third interface for accessing a positioning server; and

control logic configured to:

receive a request to position the user using a location based service;

determine if the application may position the user, further configured to:

determine if the location based service has previously positioned the user;

if the location based service has not previously positioned the user, determine if the user authorizes positioning by the location based service; and

store an indication of whether the location based service is authorized to position the user;

generate a unique ID within the location privacy proxy for a request from an untrusted application;

associate the unique ID with the MSISDN of the user making the request; and

position the user based on the determination made by the location privacy proxy using the positioning server.

18. The location privacy proxy of claim 17 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:

determine if the location based service has previously positioned the user;

if the location based service has not previously positioned the user, determine if the user authorizes positioning by the location based service; and

store an indication of whether the location based service is authorized to position the user.

19. The location privacy proxy of claim 17 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:

determine if the location based service has previously positioned the user;

if the location based service has not previously positioned the user, access a user profile to determine if the user may be positioned.

20. The location privacy proxy of claim 17 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:

attach the unique ID of the user to a positioning request prior to positioning the user.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2002
From: ABTIN, AFSHIN; JANSSON, OLOF
To: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
Reel/Frame 012776/0375 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20030078053A1 · Apr 24, 2003