Virtual Sensor Server for Mobile Privacy and Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
In settings where privacy and security are concerns, existing location-based services on mobile devices continuously broadcasting their whereabouts can lead to power consumption issues and expose sensitive information, compromising security and privacy.
Innovation Solution
A virtual sensor service is provided by a virtual sensor server that virtualizes sensors on mobile client devices, allowing sensor data to be reported externally or placed in a low power state, thereby reducing power consumption and minimizing security risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mobile devices continuously broadcast sensor data for location-based services, then location tracking accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases and privacy security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A virtual sensor server acts as an intermediary between mobile devices and external services. The server collects sensor data from multiple devices, processes it centrally, and provides location information to services. This eliminates the need for each device to continuously broadcast data, significantly reducing individual device power consumption while maintaining location tracking accuracy through aggregated data from the server.
2Productivity
If mobile devices continuously broadcast sensor data, then location tracking functionality is improved, but privacy security and information protection deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual sensor server serves as a privacy-protecting intermediary that receives sensor data from mobile devices and relays only necessary location information to external services. This centralization prevents direct exposure of device identifiers and detailed sensor data to external parties, reducing privacy security risks while maintaining location tracking functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of devices directly exposing their sensor data and identifiers to external services, the virtual sensor server creates anonymized copies of location information. These copied data representations maintain the functional utility for location-based services while eliminating sensitive device-specific information, thereby protecting user privacy.
3Loss of information
If sensors on mobile devices operate continuously, then sensor data availability is improved, but device complexity and power management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual sensor server acts as a centralized data availability intermediary that aggregates sensor data from multiple devices. Individual devices can operate sensors at lower frequencies or in lower-power modes, relying on the server to maintain overall data availability by collecting data from the network. This distributes the power management burden and reduces individual device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with provision and receipt of virtual sensor service, are disclosed. In embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a virtual sensor server configured to provide virtual sensor service to one or more mobile client devices to virtualize one or more sensors of each of the one or more mobile client devices. Virtualization of the one or more sensors of each of the one or more mobile client devices may comprise provision of sensor data to each of the one or more mobile client devices, or reporting of sensor data to one or more recipients external to the one or more mobile client devices on behalf of respective one or ones of the one or more mobile client devices. The provision or the reporting supersedes the corresponding sensor on the respective one or more of the mobile client devices. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.