Deniable Location Obfuscation via Trust-Based Semantic Labeling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
User privacy is compromised due to the need for mobile applications to access geographic locations, as existing solutions fail to effectively obfuscate user locations without impacting application functionality.
Innovation Solution
Implementing deniable obfuscation methods that determine an application's trust level to decide whether to transmit actual or obfuscated user locations, using semantic labels to generate obfuscated locations that preserve privacy while maintaining application functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If actual geographic location is transmitted to mobile applications, then application functionality is ensured, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating location obfuscation strategies based on application trust levels. Trusted applications receive actual or minimally obfuscated locations, while untrusted applications receive heavily obfuscated locations with semantic labels. This selective approach ensures that each application receives the appropriate level of location precision based on its trustworthiness, thereby maintaining functionality for trusted apps while protecting privacy from untrusted ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of location precision dynamically based on application trust levels. Instead of using a fixed obfuscation level, the system adjusts the location data parameter - providing high precision to trusted applications and low precision to untrusted applications. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by allowing full functionality where trusted and limiting privacy exposure where untrusted.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If location obfuscation is applied to protect user privacy, then privacy is preserved, but application functionality may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the location obfuscation level adjustable and context-dependent rather than static. The system dynamically determines the appropriate obfuscation level based on application trust levels, allowing it to adapt between providing precise locations and obfuscated locations. This dynamic approach ensures that application functionality is maintained when needed while privacy is protected when appropriate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the location data into different levels of obfuscation based on application trust categories. Instead of applying a uniform obfuscation level to all applications, the system divides applications into trusted and untrusted segments, providing different location precision levels to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to preserve functionality for trusted applications while protecting privacy from untrusted ones.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If trust-based differentiation is implemented, then privacy protection is optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing application trust levels in advance before location data is shared. The system pre-categorizes applications as trusted or untrusted based on predefined criteria, and this preliminary classification determines the level of location obfuscation applied. By doing the trust assessment beforehand, the system avoids complex real-time decisions about location precision, thereby optimizing privacy protection while managing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the invention include receiving, using a processing system, a geographic location of a user. A trust level of an application is determined. Based at least in part on the trust level of the application meeting a threshold, the geographic location of the user is transmitted to the application. Based at least in part on the trust level of the application not meeting the threshold, a semantic label associated with the geographic location of the user is determined. The semantic label describes a type of place located at the geographic location of the user. An obfuscated geographic location that preserves the privacy of the geographic location of the user and is associated with a semantic label consistent with the semantic label associated with the geographic location of the user is generated. The obfuscated geographic location is transmitted to the application in place of the geographic location of the user.