Network Intermediary for Geolocation Privacy Preservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users' geolocation information is inadvertently shared, compromising privacy, especially in sensitive areas, due to constant connectivity and unawareness of applications transmitting this data, leading to potential security threats and legal requirements for protection.
Innovation Solution
A process and architecture that analyze packets for geolocation information, replace it with virtual data, and forward it through the network, ensuring privacy preservation without modifying the terminal, using detection, computing, and patching devices within the network architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If geolocation means are deactivated manually to protect privacy, then geolocation information leakage is prevented, but network connectivity and service functionality are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network device as an intermediary between the terminal and external servers. This mediator analyzes packets, detects geolocation information, replaces it with virtual data, and forwards modified packets, thereby protecting user privacy while maintaining normal network connectivity and service functionality without requiring terminal modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts geolocation information from data packets at the network level using detection modules. By separating the geolocation data from the original packets and replacing it with virtual information, the system protects privacy while allowing the rest of the communication to proceed normally.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications run simultaneously accessing geolocation data, then service functionality is maintained, but privacy protection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The network device serves as a centralized intermediary that monitors and controls all geolocation data transmissions from multiple applications. By intercepting and processing packets at the network level, it provides unified privacy protection regardless of how many applications are accessing geolocation services simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms real geolocation parameters into virtual geolocation parameters through computation and replacement. This parameter transformation maintains the functional integrity of location-based services while fundamentally changing the location data to protect user privacy.
3Reliability
If geolocation data is transmitted continuously for service quality, then network connectivity is maintained, but privacy risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network device continuously monitors and processes all outgoing packets, acting as an ongoing protective barrier. It maintains network connectivity by allowing communication to flow through it while simultaneously protecting privacy by replacing geolocation information in every packet that contains such data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous packet analysis and geolocation information replacement without interrupting network communication. The detection, computation, and patching operations occur seamlessly in the background, maintaining uninterrupted network connectivity while providing ongoing privacy protection.
Data Source
AI summary
Process for preserving the privacy of a user connected to a network through a terminal that comprises geolocation means adapted to emit geolocation information about the geographical position of said user, said process providing for: analyzing a packet from said terminal to detect the eventual presence of geolocation information into said packet; replacing in said packet said detected geolocation information by virtual geolocation information that have been computed for said user; forwarding through said network said packet with said virtual geolocation information.