Location Privacy Control via Mutual Consent and Obfuscation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing location-aware mobile communication systems lack flexible security and privacy features to customize or contextually enable/disable location display capabilities, raising concerns about unauthorized tracking and privacy breaches.

Innovation Solution

A location-based social network manager process executed on a server computer, allowing users to manage their location privacy through a graphical user interface, requiring mutual consent for location sharing, and enabling features like blocking or obfuscating location information among trusted users, with customizable privacy settings and controls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If location display capability is enabled for all users, then social networking capability is enhanced, but security and privacy concerns arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesocial networking capabilityVSAvoidsecurity and privacy risks

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by enabling location display selectively for specific users or user groups rather than universally. The system allows a user to choose which contacts can view their location, creating differentiated access levels. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining social networking benefits for trusted users while preventing privacy breaches for others.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the user base into different categories (e.g., trusted contacts, acquaintances, strangers) with different location sharing permissions. This segmentation allows the system to enhance social networking capability for appropriate segments while protecting privacy for others, thus resolving the security-privacy contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If location display is completely disabled, then privacy is protected, but social networking capability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidsocial networking capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic location sharing controls where users can adjust their privacy settings in real-time. The system transitions between different privacy states (public, private, selective) allowing users to adapt their location sharing based on current social contexts. This dynamic approach protects privacy when needed while enabling social networking when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of location visibility from a binary state (on/off for all) to a multi-state parameter system. Users can modify visibility parameters individually for different contacts or groups, allowing flexible balance between privacy protection and social networking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If wholesale enabling or disabling of location display is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but flexibility and context-specific control are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcontext-specific control

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the location display control into multiple independent controllable elements (individual user settings, contact-level permissions, group-specific controls). This segmentation provides context-specific flexibility while maintaining a relatively simple user interface through hierarchical organization of controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension to location control by introducing granular, fine-grained permissions alongside the traditional on/off switch. Users can now control location visibility at multiple levels (global, contact-level, group-level), adding dimensional complexity to the control structure while providing necessary flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS9560479B2Secure and private location sharing for location-aware mobile communication devices

Publication Date: 2017.01.31 GREEN DOT CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of a location sharing network manager process are described. The process is executed on a server computer coupled to a plurality of mobile communication devices over a wireless network. Each mobile device is a location-aware mobile communication device. The process determines the geographic location of a mobile communication device operated by a user within an area, displays a map representation of the area around the mobile communication device on a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device, and superimposes on the map the respective locations of one or more other trusted users of mobile communication devices coupled to the mobile communication device over the network. A security component allows users to establish trusted relationships by requiring mutual consent and disclosure of identifier and phone number information for each trusted user. Location information can be blocked among trusted users or obfuscated on the display of the mobile devices of the other users.