A-GPS Agent and Verification Server for Location Authorization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack effective authorization mechanisms to control access to location-determining technologies on user devices and service provider networks, posing privacy and security risks as rogue applications can disclose user location without authorization.
Innovation Solution
A mobile network device with an A-GPS agent acting as an interface between applications and the A-GPS chipset, coupled with a verification server that approves or denies access based on application credentials, ensuring only authorized applications can access location information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If A-GPS chipset is used to determine user location, then location determination speed and cost are improved, but user privacy and security are compromised due to lack of application authorization control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authorization system consisting of a verification server and device software that mediates between applications and the A-GPS chipset. This intermediary layer verifies application credentials and user consent before allowing location access, thus maintaining the fast A-GPS functionality while preventing unauthorized access and protecting user privacy.
2Ease of operation
If application access to location is authorized via user credentials only, then user identification is simplified, but application-specific authorization control is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authorization process into multiple independent components: user credential verification, application credential verification, and location request approval. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simple user authentication while adding granular application-specific control, enabling different authorization levels for different applications without complicating the overall user experience.
3Reliability
If authorization mechanisms are integrated into A-GPS chipset or Assistance Server, then location access control is strengthened, but system complexity and implementation difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than integrating complex authorization logic directly into the A-GPS chipset or Assistance Server, the patent uses an intermediary verification server that handles all authorization decisions. This approach strengthens security by centralizing control while keeping the A-GPS chipset and Assistance Server simple and unchanged, thereby reducing overall system complexity and implementation difficulty.
4Ease of manufacture
If all applications are granted equal access to location data, then application development is simplified, but user security and service provider liability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic authorization system where application access rights are not fixed but determined at runtime based on verified credentials and user consent. This dynamic approach allows applications to be developed with standard location access requests while the system adaptively grants or denies access based on security verification, thus simplifying development without compromising user security.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which authorize applications to access location-determining technologies on user devices and on service provider networks. An A-GPS agent resident on the device acts as an interface between applications requesting access to the user's location from the A-GPS chipset and helps to coordinate connections between the A-GPS chipset and the Assistance Server. Introduced into the network maintained by the service provider is a verification server running an application identification engine which determines if the request for preliminary location information engendered by the requesting application is approved.