Rideshare Privacy Protection via Destination Area Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In traffic modes where users ride together in a vehicle, there is a concern that one user's personal information, such as their destination or departure points, may be inadvertently shared with another user, leading to privacy issues and hesitation in using such services.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that sets user combinations in a rideshare system so that the destination or departure points of one user do not belong to the predetermined areas of another user, thereby protecting privacy by ensuring these points are outside the range of activity of the first user, making it difficult for the first user to grasp detailed information about the second user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users are matched based on common destinations or departure points to optimize vehicle usage, then productivity is improved, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes sensitive location information (destination points and departure points) from the user profile data that is used for matching. By separating this sensitive information from the matching criteria, the system can optimize vehicle usage based on other factors without compromising user privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the server apparatus acts as a mediator between users. The server performs matching based on non-sensitive criteria and only reveals minimal necessary information to users, preventing direct exposure of sensitive location data while still enabling efficient rideshare matching.
2Productivity
If detailed location information is shared among users for better route optimization, then productivity is improved, but reliability of privacy protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the location information into different levels of detail. Instead of sharing complete destination and departure point data, the system only shares segmented, anonymized location data that is sufficient for route optimization but insufficient for identifying specific user locations or patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of location information from precise coordinates to generalized area data. By transforming exact destination points into broader geographic zones, the system maintains route optimization capability while significantly reducing the risk of privacy breaches.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus according to this disclosure is an information processing apparatus applied to a traffic mode where a plurality of users including a first user and a second user ride in an identical vehicle and travel, and the second user gets off the identical vehicle earlier than the first user does, including a controller configured to execute: acquiring destination points of the first user and the second user; and setting a combination between the first user and the second user allowed to ride in the identical vehicle so that the destination point of the second user does not belong to a destination area that is a predetermined area including the destination point of the first user.