Route Information Masking by Movement Type
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for masking route information from communication terminals struggle to balance data usefulness with individual anonymity, particularly when dealing with varying modes of transportation like walking and transportation, which affects the masking range and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A server device and method that acquires positional information, identifies the type of movement, and dynamically masks route segments based on the type of movement, adjusting masked segments by traveling time or distance to maintain data usefulness while ensuring anonymity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed masking range is applied to all route information, then individual anonymity is improved, but data usefulness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different masking ranges to different segments of route information based on the means of movement detected in each segment. For walking segments, a smaller masking range is applied to preserve data usefulness, while for transportation segments, a larger masking range is applied to enhance anonymity. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by tailoring the masking intensity to the specific context of each route segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking range is dynamically adjusted based on the detected means of movement rather than using a fixed value. The system identifies whether the terminal is moving by walking or by transportation and adapts the masking parameters accordingly. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize between anonymity and data usefulness in real-time based on movement characteristics.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a large masking range is used to ensure anonymity, then individual identification difficulty is improved, but data usefulness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different masking intensities are applied to different route segments based on the means of movement. Walking segments use smaller masking ranges that preserve more detailed information for analysis, while transportation segments use larger masking ranges that provide stronger anonymity. This localized approach ensures that data usefulness is maintained where needed while anonymity is enhanced where critical.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking parameters (such as masking distance or time) are changed based on the detected means of movement. When walking is detected, parameters are set to preserve finer-grained data; when transportation is detected, parameters are increased to enhance anonymity. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by optimizing the balance between identification difficulty and data usefulness for each segment type.
3Device complexity
If uniform masking is applied to all movement types, then processing simplicity is improved, but anonymity effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The route information is segmented into multiple segments based on detected means of movement (walking segments and transportation segments). Each segment is then processed with appropriate masking parameters tailored to its specific movement type. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity in processing each individual segment while achieving effective anonymity overall through differentiated treatment of segment types.
Data Source
AI summary
In a server device, an acquisition unit acquires positional information on a communication terminal. An extraction unit extracts route information including a start point and an end point from the positional information. An identification unit identifies a type of a means of movement of the communication terminal based on the positional information. A masking unit masks a segment of the route information including the start point and a segment including the end point to generate output route information. The masking unit defines a masked segment of the route information in accordance with a type of the means of movement.