Location Server Privacy Profile Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing location information services in wireless mobile communications systems lack user privacy management and authentication based on user location, failing to provide differentiated privacy settings for various locations or areas.

Innovation Solution

A method that allows users to set privacy profiles for specific locations or areas, performing user authorization and verification before reporting location information, using a network system to check if the user is within a preferred area and determining whether to transmit location data based on privacy settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If location information is transmitted to external clients, then location service functionality is provided, but user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocation service functionalityVSAvoiduser privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing location-based privacy profiles that allow different privacy settings for different geographical areas. Users can define preferred locations where location information should not be reported, and the system checks the current location against these profiles before transmitting data. This resolves the contradiction by providing location service functionality while protecting privacy in specific local areas through differentiated privacy management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If privacy checking is performed for all location requests, then user privacy is protected, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser privacy protectionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing privacy profiles and preferred location lists in advance before actual location requests occur. The system pre-configures privacy rules for different locations, and when a location request comes in, it simply checks whether the current location matches any preferred locations in the pre-defined list. This approach protects user privacy while avoiding the complexity of real-time privacy analysis for each request.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of time

If location information is reported without verification, then service response time is reduced, but authorization reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice response timeVSAvoidauthorization reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the system to automatically verify authorization reliability through self-contained mechanisms. The privacy profile checking and preferred location verification are performed autonomously by the location server without requiring external intervention or complex multi-step verification processes. This maintains fast response time while ensuring authorization reliability through automated self-verification of privacy rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7937092B2Method for providing a location information service in mobile communications system
Publication Date: 2011.05.03 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • US7937092B2 patent drawing
  • US7937092B2 patent drawing
  • US7937092B2 patent drawing

AI summary

In a method for providing a location information service based upon a user's location, when a user is currently located within a preferred location or preferred area set by the user to apply privacy with respect to a transmission of location information thereto, a procedure for requesting the user's authorization is performed before transmitting the user's location information, namely, a location server checks a location information request for the user located within the preferred location or preferred area according to a privacy profile within the corresponding location or area and performs a user notification and verification process according to the privacy profile, to thereafter determine whether to forward the location information according to the result of the verification.