Electronic Device Location Sharing with Encrypted Access Rights
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack secure methods for providing location information of electronic devices, leading to privacy invasions and a lack of trust between individuals being tracked and those tracking them, with few legitimate use cases for continuous tracking.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving a server arrangement that encrypts location information from an electronic device, determines access rights based on user permissions, and decrypts and provides location data only to authorized entities, ensuring privacy and control over data access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If location information is easily accessible to any entity, then tracking services can be provided without restrictions, but user privacy is invaded and trust is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that mediates between location information requests and the actual location data. This intermediary verifies authorization credentials and controls access, preventing unauthorized entities from directly accessing location information while still allowing legitimate tracking services to function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements differential access rights where different entities have different levels of access to location information based on their authorization. Instead of universal access or complete restriction, the system grants specific access permissions to specific entities based on their needs and trust level, creating localized quality variations in data accessibility.
2Reliability
If continuous tracking is implemented, then location information is always available, but user trust decreases and privacy concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic access control where tracking permissions can be modified, suspended, or revoked based on user preferences and authorization changes. The system allows location information to be available when needed while providing users control over when tracking occurs, making the tracking dynamic rather than continuous, thereby maintaining reliability when required while reducing privacy concerns during non-tracking periods.
3Reliability
If encryption is applied to location information, then security is improved, but access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies encryption to location information before it is stored or transmitted, and authorization credentials are verified in advance before granting access. This preliminary encryption and pre-verification of credentials ensures security is built into the system architecture rather than added as a complex access control layer, maintaining security while simplifying the access mechanism for authorized entities.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a system (100) for securely providing location information of an electronic device (102). The system comprises a server arrangement (104) communicatively coupled to the electronic device.