Network-Based Geolocation Attestation via Signed Certificates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Locally calculated GPS geolocations on user devices cannot be trusted by third parties due to the potential for falsification, which undermines the reliability of geolocation data shared by these devices.
Innovation Solution
A location service that uses network-based localization techniques to determine user device geolocations, providing digitally signed certificates attesting to these locations, thereby ensuring the authenticity of the data and preventing falsification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS receivers on user devices calculate geolocations locally, then the devices can determine their positions independently, but the geolocation data cannot be trusted by third parties due to potential falsification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a location service as an intermediary between GPS receivers and third parties. This mediator calculates geolocations based on GPS data and provides digitally signed certificates that verify the authenticity of location information, resolving the trust issue without requiring third parties to directly verify device-reported locations
Solution Approach 2:
The location service performs preliminary verification and signing of geolocation data before it is shared with third parties. By pre-calculating locations and attaching digital signatures in advance, the system ensures that third parties receive already-verified trustworthy data without needing to implement their own verification mechanisms
2Reliability
If a location service uses network-based localization to determine geolocations, then the authenticity of location data is ensured, but the system requires additional infrastructure and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The location service leverages existing network infrastructure (cell towers, base stations) that already provide coverage for mobile communications. By utilizing these existing resources for location determination, the system avoids building entirely new infrastructure while still achieving reliable network-based localization
3Reliability
If digitally signed certificates are provided to attest geolocations, then tamper-proof verification is achieved, but the process requires additional computational resources and time
Solution Approach 1:
The location service generates and attaches digital signatures to geolocation data in advance, before the data is shared with third parties. This preliminary signing action ensures that verification can be performed quickly by third parties using the pre-computed signatures, reducing the time loss associated with cryptographic verification
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for a location service to determine geographic locations (or “geolocations”) of user devices connected to a telecommunications network, and provide signed certificates that attest to the user devices being at geolocations at particular times. The location service may calculate, or receive, geolocations of user devices that have been determined using network-based localization techniques for telecommunications networks where the network infrastructure is used to determine the geolocations. Because user devices cannot fake or spoof these geolocations, the location service may populate certificates with indications of geolocations of user devices at different times. Additionally, the location service may act as a certificate authority by digitally signing these certificates and issuing digitally signed certificates that attest to geolocations of user devices. These digitally signed certificates can be presented with the guarantee that they have not been modified since they were issued, and that the information in the signed certificate is trustworthy.