Global Registry for Wireless Device Privacy Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack an efficient way to selectively prevent tracking of certain wireless devices while allowing tracking when necessary, particularly for devices that should not be tracked due to privacy or safety concerns, such as those belonging to minors or specific products, without precluding the benefits of tracking data.
Innovation Solution
A global registry system that manages wireless device identifiers, allowing users to opt-out of tracking by designating device IDs as 'do not track' and ensuring that tracking entities respect these preferences by querying a registry database for tracking permissions, thereby enabling controlled privacy settings and data management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a global registry system is implemented to manage device tracking permissions, then user privacy control is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a global registry system as an intermediary between tracking entities and wireless devices. The registry stores device identifiers and their tracking permission status, acting as a mediator that tracking entities query to determine whether they can track specific devices. This resolves the contradiction by providing centralized privacy control (improving ease of operation) while managing system complexity through a dedicated registry infrastructure rather than分散 control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-registering device identifiers and their tracking permission preferences in the global registry before tracking operations occur. Device owners can opt-out of tracking in advance, and tracking entities query the registry beforehand to check permissions. This preliminary establishment of tracking rules simplifies real-time decision-making and provides clear privacy control mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If devices are selectively excluded from tracking, then privacy protection is improved, but tracking data completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing selective tracking exclusion at the individual device level rather than universally. The global registry maintains specific device identifiers with their respective tracking permission statuses, allowing tracking entities to track most devices while excluding only those with opt-out preferences. This targeted approach protects privacy for specific devices without compromising the overall completeness of tracking data across the network.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If all device types are identified for tracking exclusion, then safety concerns are addressed, but device identification accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the device identification and tracking permission determination function from the tracking entities and centralizes it in the global registry. Instead of requiring tracking entities to identify and exclude specific device types themselves, the registry pre-stores device identifiers and their tracking permission status. Tracking entities simply query the registry, which returns the authoritative determination. This extraction improves safety by ensuring consistent exclusion of devices that should not be tracked, while maintaining accuracy by relying on precise device identifier matching rather than imperfect device type classification.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods described herein reference a global registry of wireless devices, which may be identified by wireless identifiers (wireless IDs), such as device names and media access control (MAC) addresses. Exemplary systems and methods may facilitate control over privacy settings associated with devices by adjusting settings of devices in the global registry. Privacy settings may include the ability to track/trace device locations and the content presented to the device. Privacy settings may be associated with wireless IDs thereby allowing parties who would otherwise track wireless IDs determine privacy preferences of individual device owners.