Method and apparatus for enforcing tiered geographical anonymity in a mobile device
US9426776B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 2014 |
| Grant date | Aug 23, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W4/025
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A disclosed method of operation includes generating a first resolution geographic descriptor that identifies a first size geographic grid area. The first size geographic grid area includes a specific location identified by mobile device location data but does not identify the specific location. The method proceeds with adjusting the first resolution geographic descriptor to a second resolution geographic descriptor, by increasing or decreasing the resolution to correspondingly decrease or increase, respectively, the corresponding geographic grid area to a second size geographic grid area that includes the specific location. An information update is then sent to a server. The information update includes the second resolution geographic descriptor but does not provide the mobile device location data, in order to preserve the mobile device user's anonymity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.