Systems and methods for rule-driven management of sensor data across geographic areas and derived actions

1. An information gathering method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors at an information distributor:

identifying a location of a package;

identifying at least two sets of location-based restrictions on collecting data associated with the identified location;

determining a set of the at least two sets of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

receiving, over a network, sensor data violating the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence from a sensor located inside or in proximity to the package; and

selectively restricting access to the received sensor data by deleting or obfuscating the received sensor data at the information distributor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein restricting access to the data further comprises preventing collection of the sensor data by the sensor after said receiving the sensor data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the package is in transit, and the identified location of the transiting package is in a regulatory jurisdiction requiring the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence is required by a party associated with delivery of the package.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a profile of a sensor inside or in proximity to the package, the profile indicating data that the sensor is capable of collecting.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

identifying two or more sets of location-based restrictions using the sensor profile and a location associated with the package; and

from the two or more identified sets, determining the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a delivery route of the package in accordance with one or more location-based restrictions of possible delivery routes, wherein the one or more location-based restrictions of the determined delivery route maximize the amount of data a sensor is permitted to collect during delivery of the package.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data is environmental data.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor at an information distributor causes the at least one processor to perform an information gathering method, comprising:

identifying a location of a package;

identifying at least two sets of location-based restrictions on collecting data associated with the identified location;

determining a set of the at least two sets of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

receiving, over a network, sensor data violating the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence from a sensor located inside or in proximity to the package; and

selectively restricting access to the received sensor data by deleting or obfuscating the received sensor data at the information distributor.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein restricting access to the data further comprises preventing collection of the sensor data from the sensor after said receiving the sensor data.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the package is in transit, and the identified location of the transiting package is in a regulatory jurisdiction requiring the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence on collecting the sensor data is required by a party associated with delivery of the package.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

identifying a profile of the sensor inside or in proximity to the package, the profile indicating the environmental data the sensor is capable of collecting.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising:

identifying two or more sets of location-based restrictions using the sensor profile and a location associated with the package; and

from the two or more identified sets, determining the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , the method further comprising:

determining a delivery route of the package in accordance with one or more location-based restrictions of possible delivery routes, wherein the one or more location-based restrictions of the determined delivery route maximize the amount of data the sensor is permitted to collect during delivery of the package.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the sensor data is environmental data.

17. An information gathering system comprising an information distributor configured to:

receive information about a location of a package;

look up at least two sets of location-based restrictions on collecting data using the received location information;

determine a set of the at least two sets of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

instruct a sensor located inside or in proximity to the package to collect sensor-collectable data subject to the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

receive sensor data violating the set of location-based restrictions taking precedence from the sensor over a network, the sensor data comprising at least a subset of the sensor-collectable data; and

selectively restrict access to the received sensor data by deleting or obfuscating the received sensor data.

18. The information gathering system of claim 17 , wherein, after transmitting the sensor data to the information distributor, the sensor is configured to collect the sensor-collectable data by at least one of:

preventing collection of the sensor data that violates the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

deleting the sensor data that violates the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence after collection; or

obfuscating the sensor data that violates the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence after collection.

19. The information gathering system of claim 17 , wherein the package is in transit, and the received location of the transiting package is in a regulatory jurisdiction requiring the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

20. The information gathering system of claim 17 , wherein the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence are required by a party associated with delivery of the package.

21. The information gathering system of claim 17 , wherein the information distributor is further configured to:

identify a profile of a sensor, the profile indicating data that the sensor is capable of collecting;

identify two or more sets of location-based restrictions using the sensor profile and a location associated with the package; and

from the two or more identified sets, determine the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

22. The information gathering system of claim 17 , wherein the information distributor is further configured to:

determine a delivery route of the package in accordance with one or more location-based restrictions of possible delivery routes, wherein the one or more location-based restrictions of the determined delivery route maximize the amount of data the sensor is permitted to collect during delivery of the package.

23. A sensor located inside or in proximity of a package, comprising a detecting portion configured to:

identify a location of the package;

identify at least two sets of location-based restrictions on collecting data associated with the identified location;

determine a set of the at least two sets of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

collect sensor-collectable data subject to the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

determine whether sensor data from the sensor-collectable data violates the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence; and

send the sensor data violating the set of location-based restrictions taking precedence to an information distributor over a network for deletion or obfuscation.

24. The sensor of claim 23 , wherein the detecting portion is configured to collect the sensor-collectable data after sending the senor data by at least one of:

preventing collection of the sensor data that violates the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence;

deleting the sensor data; or

obfuscating the sensor data.

25. The sensor of claim 23 , wherein the package is in transit, and the identified location of the transiting package is in a regulatory jurisdiction requiring the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.

26. The sensor of claim 23 , further comprising:

a processor configured to download the set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence from the information distributor; and

a memory configured to store the downloaded set of location-based restrictions that takes precedence.