Privacy breach detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11023613-B2
Application number	US-201916432838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2019
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for privacy breach notification and protection enabled by the Internet of Things (IoT) are provided. Some embodiments establish a passive early warning privacy-breach detection from laser beam scan capability on a mobile device and IoT device when a particular owned object (or set of owned objects) has been laser scanned. Sensor information (e.g., laser beam sensing transparent adhesive tape, automotive cameras and proximity sensors) can be used to create notifications that allow a user to take action or to have peace of mind relating to particular activities such as to avoid fees and fines, to recover lost objects, to confirm known events, and to trigger activity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a notification platform, the method comprising:
receiving, at the notification platform via a communications network, multiple messages generated by multiple Internet of Things (IoT) devices,
wherein the multiple IoT devices use one or more sensors to collect sensor data; and
wherein the multiple IoT devices are located within a particular area;

identifying a triggering event based on the multiple, received messages from the multiple IoT devices,
wherein the triggering event is a scan of at least one of the multiple IoT devices and wherein the notification platform identifies one or more sources of the scan; and

in response to the identified triggering event, sending notification signals, via a wireless telecommunications network, to one or more identified computing devices associated with the multiple IoT devices,
wherein the sent notification signals initiate defense mechanisms or data scrubbing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the defense mechanisms comprise:
determining capabilities of at least one of the IoT devices; and
based on the determined capabilities of the at least one of the IoT devices, activating at least one additional sensor associated with the at least one of IoT devices to collect additional information related to the triggering event.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying the one or more identified computing devices based on a set of notification rules,
wherein the set of notification rules identify mechanisms for delivery of the notification signals to the one or more identified computing devices.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification signals comprise:
sources of the triggering event,
identity of a channel over which the messages were received,
identifiers of the multiple IoT devices,
the sensor data,
time stamps of the multiple messages,
location information,
or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event includes an external laser scan of the IoT device that was detected by the one or more sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IoT device is associated with a vehicle and the one or more sensors include a photo diode and a band-pass sensor associated with the vehicle identification number or a license plate of the vehicle and the defense mechanisms comprise:
determining if an external scan of the IoT device occurred while the vehicle was parked;
wherein the notification signals include a ticket notification delivered to an application running on one of the identified one or more computing devices; and

processing a payment request received from the identified computing device generated by the user in response to the ticket notification.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving sensor data from the IoT device;
transmitting at least one of the one or more notifications generated by the notification system to an application running on one of the identified computing devices; and
relaying the sensor data to the application for viewing by a user of the identified computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data collected by the IoT device includes one or more of:
images,
videos,
laser scans,
RF scans,
accelerations,
acoustic patterns,
haptics, or
movement.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
collecting, from one or more application servers, additional information regarding surroundings of the IoT device,
wherein the notification signals include the additional information regarding the surroundings of the IoT device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
identifying one or more notification rules associated with at least one identifier of at least one of the received multiple messages;
when the identified one or more notification rules indicate collection of additional information, collecting, from one or more application servers, the additional information,
wherein the notification signals include the collected additional information.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data scrubbing comprises:
receiving, in response to the notification signals, a request from an owner of the IoT device to request removal of any data collected by a third-party regarding the IoT device.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, based on a type of the triggering event, at least one of the notification signals to an insurance company or a police department.

13. At least one application running on a computing device, wherein the at least one application is configured to:
receive notification signals from a notification platform, via a wireless telecommunications network, that at least one triggering event has occurred based on messages received from multiple Internet of Things (IoT) devices,
wherein the multiple IoT devices are communicably coupled to the notification platform,
wherein the multiple IoT devices are located within a particular area,
wherein each IoT device includes:
at least one processor;
one or more sensors to collect sensor data;
an identification module configured to determine, based on the sensor data if the at least one triggering event has occurred; and
a communication module configured to generate and transmit at the messages to the notification platform that the at least one triggering event has occurred,

wherein the triggering event is a scan of at least one of the multiple IoT devices, and
wherein the notification platform identifies one or more sources of the scan; and

upon receipt of the notification signals, initiate defense mechanisms or data scrubbing.

14. The at least one application of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the multiple IoT devices is associated with a vehicle and the one or more sensors include a photo diode and a band-pass sensor associated with the vehicle identification number or a license plate of the vehicle and the defense mechanisms comprise:
determining if an external scan of at least one of the multiple IoT devices occurred while the vehicle was parked;
wherein the notification signals include a ticket notification delivered to a an application running on one of the identified one or more computing devices; and

processing a payment request received from the identified computing device generated by the user in response to the ticket notification.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors cause a machine to:
receive, at a notification platform, multiple messages generated by multiple Internet of Things (IoT) devices,
wherein the multiple IoT devices use one or more sensors to collect sensor data; and
wherein the multiple IoT devices are located within a particular area;

identify a triggering event based on the multiple, received messages from the multiple IoT devices,
wherein the triggering event is a scan of at least one of the multiple IoT devices and wherein the notification platform identifies one or more sources of the scan; and

in response to the identified triggering event, sending notification signals, via a wireless telecommunications network, to one or more identified computing devices associated with the multiple IoT devices,
wherein the sent notification signals initiate defense mechanisms or data scrubbing.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors cause the machine to:
determine capabilities of at least one of the IoT devices; and

Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Yocam Eric
• White Richard
• Laursen Damon

Classifications

• H04W4/021 Primary

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04W4/44

  for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] · CPC title

• H04W12/00

  Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity · CPC title

• G06F21/6245 Primary

  Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title