IP Library Granted Patent US 9,414,194
Granted Patent B2
US 9,414,194 · App. 14/291,375 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

Privacy control of location information

Inventors: Scott Frank (Dunwoody, GA); Robert Starr (Decatur, GA); John Ruckart (Atlanta, GA); Steven Tischer (Atlanta, GA); Samuel Zellner (Dunwoody, GA)
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
H04W4/021H04L63/0407H04L63/10H04L63/107H04L67/18H04M3/42348H04M3/4878H04W12/02H04M2203/353H04M2242/15H04M2250/10H04W8/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,414,194
App. No.
14/291,375
Granted
Aug 9, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

One embodiment of the present is a method of implementing privacy control of location information. Such a method comprises defining a geographic zone for which pseudo-location information is to be reported as the current location of the user, wherein the pseudo-location information is not the current location of the user; receiving the current location of the user; determining that the current location is in the geographic zone; and reporting the pseudo-location information as the current location of the user when the current location is determined to be in the geographic zone. Other methods and systems are also provided.

Claims (51)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

determining a zone;

determining a substitute-location;

determining a first group of persons eligible to receive an indication of the substitute-location;

determining a current location at which a call is initiated;

determining if the current location is within the zone;

determining if an intended recipient of the call is a member of the first group; and

upon a determination that the current location is within the zone and the intended recipient is a member of the first group, incorporating in the call, an indication of the substitute-location as the current location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

upon a determination that the current location is not within the zone and the intended recipient is not a member of the first group, determining if the intended recipient is a member of a second group of persons not eligible to receive location information; and

upon a determination that the intended recipient is not a member of the second group, incorporating in the call, an indication of the current location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

determining that the intended recipient is a member of a second group of persons not eligible to receive location information; and

incorporating no indication of location in the call.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substitute-location comprises a predetermined location based on time.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substitute-location is determined by the apparatus physically moving to an area and selecting a location address of the area as the substitute-location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substitute-location is determined based on the intended recipient.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substitute-location is determined by adding a distance to the current location.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the zone comprises a geographic zone.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the zone comprises any location visited by the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the zone is determined by the apparatus physically moving to an area defining a perimeter of the zone and selecting that area as part of the zone.

11. A method comprising:

determining, by a device, a zone;

determining, by the device, a substitute-location;

determining, by the device, a first group of persons eligible to receive an indication of the substitute-location;

determining, by the device, a current location of the device when a call is initiated;

determining, by the device, if the current location is within the zone;

determining, by the device, if an intended recipient of the call is a member of the first group; and

upon a determination that the current location is within the zone and the intended recipient is a member of the first group, incorporating in the call, an indication of the substitute-location as the current location.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

upon a determination that the current location is not within the zone and the intended recipient is not a member of the first group, determining if the intended recipient is a member of a second group of persons not eligible to receive location information; and

upon a determination that the intended recipient is not a member of the second group, incorporating in the call, an indication of the current location.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining that the intended recipient is a member of a second group of persons not eligible to receive location information; and

incorporating no indication of location in the call.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substitute-location comprises a predetermined location based on time.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substitute-location is determined by the device physically moving to an area and selecting a location address of the area as the substitute-location.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substitute-location is determined based on the intended recipient.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the substitute-location is determined by adding a distance to the current location.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the zone comprises any location visited by the device.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the zone is determined by the apparatus physically moving to an area defining a perimeter of the zone and selecting that area as part of the zone.

20. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

determining a zone;

determining a substitute-location;

determining a first group of persons eligible to receive an indication of the substitute-location;

determining a current location of the device when a call is initiated;

determining if the current location is within the zone;

determining if an intended recipient of the call is a member of the first group; and

upon a determination that the current location is within the zone and the intended recipient is a member of the first group, incorporating in the call, an indication of the substitute-location as the current location.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2022
From: FRANK, SCOTT; STARR, ROBERT J.; RUCKART, JOHN P.; TISCHER, STEVEN N.; ZELLNER, SAMUEL N.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060314/0398 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2022
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: WORKDAY, INC.
Reel/Frame 059591/0066 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 032995 FRAME 0845. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: FRANK, SCOTT; STARR, ROBERT; ZELLNER, SAMUEL; TISCHER, STEVEN; RUCKART, JOHN
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058525/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2021
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 058519/0158 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 14, 2021
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058920/0992 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 14, 2021
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058921/0552 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 14, 2021
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 058921/0792 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2014
From: FRANK, SCOTT; STARR, ROBERT; ZELLNER, SAMUEL; TISCHER, STEVEN; RUCKART, JOHN
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 032995/0845 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 13941650 · Jul 15, 2013
Continuation 11747618 · May 11, 2007
Provisional Application 60799762 · May 12, 2006
Related Publication 20140274157A1 · Sep 18, 2014