Location Service Agent for Mobile Privacy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current privacy preference systems, such as P3P, are inadequate for mobile users as they lack clear wireless privacy rules and regulations, leading to potential unauthorized disclosure of personal information due to location tracking and increased data collection by wireless providers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that consolidates user privacy preferences for location-based services, allowing users to control the transmission of their location and receive content from service providers based on defined privacy preferences, using XML location documents and a location service agent to manage data transmission in 'push' and 'pull' modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wireless location technology is used to track user movements and provide location-based services, then service quality and personalization are improved, but user privacy and security deteriorate due to potential unauthorized disclosure of personal information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a location service agent as an intermediary component that mediates between the mobile device and service providers. This agent consolidates privacy preferences and controls location information transmission, preventing direct exposure of personal information to multiple service providers while still enabling location-based services.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments privacy preferences into location-specific contexts, allowing users to define different privacy rules for different geographic locations. This segmentation enables fine-grained control over when and where location information is shared, resolving the contradiction between service versatility and privacy protection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If service providers collect and cross-reference location data and personal information, then service personalization and relevance are improved, but information security and user control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The location service agent acts as a trusted intermediary that enables service personalization through location context while maintaining information security. It selectively transmits location information based on consolidated privacy preferences, preventing unauthorized cross-referencing by service providers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of information disclosure from binary (disclose/not disclose) to contextual (disclose based on location, service type, and user preferences). This enables service personalization while maintaining security through conditional disclosure controlled by the location service agent.
3Ease of operation
If users are asked to decide on personal information disclosure for each website, then privacy control is improved, but user convenience and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having users define comprehensive privacy preferences in advance, organized by location contexts. The location service agent then automatically applies these pre-defined preferences to all location-based service interactions, eliminating the need for repeated decisions at each service encounter.
Solution Approach 2:
The location service agent provides universal privacy control across multiple service providers and locations through a single consolidated preference system. This multi-functional approach replaces numerous individual privacy decisions with one comprehensive preference configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
User privacy preferences are consolidated for location-based services. A mobile user is able to control the service providers to which the mobile user's location is transmitted as well as control the service providers from which the user wishes to receive content. Service providers and other online vendors request the location and network identifiers of mobile users in order to provide the mobile users with content. The user's privacy preferences are described in a document that includes the location format being used by the user, a link to the user's preference data, and the current location of the user's mobile device. The privacy preference file includes global privacy preferences that apply when the user is outside of established privacy locations and one or more privacy locations defined by a geographical boundaries. These preferences that apply while the user is inside the defined privacy location.