Disclosing and controlling collection of information from electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9544763-B2
Application number	US-201313967996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2013
Priority date	Aug 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

One method by a network operations center node controls collection of information from electronic devices. A request message is received from a sensor, which requests collection of information from electronic devices within range of the sensor. One of a plurality of radio access networks is selected based on it likely being communicatively connected to electronic devices within range of the sensor. An inquiry message is sent to the radio access network for broadcast to the electronic devices, requesting information from the electronic devices. An authentication message is received from a responsive electronic device. An information collection disclosure response that identifies who is requesting collection of the information from the electronic device and/or how information collected from the electronic device will be used, is sent to the electronic device. Related methods by sensors and electronic devices, and related sensors, network operations center nodes, and electronic devices are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method by a network operations center node for controlling collection of information from electronic devices, the network operations center node comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and comprising computer readable program code that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the method comprising:
receiving, by the processor via a network interface circuit, an information collection disclosure data message from a sensor comprising a video camera and/or an audio microphone configured to communicate video data and/or audio data respectively to the network operations center node, wherein the information collection disclosure data message identifies an entity requesting collection of information from the electronic devices within range of the sensor;
receiving, by the processor via a network interface circuit, a request message from the sensor, the request message requesting collection of information from the electronic devices to provide to the entity requesting collection of information from the electronic devices within the range of the sensor;
selecting, by the processor, one of a plurality of radio access networks based on it being communicatively connected to the electronic devices that are within the range of the sensor;
sending, by the processor via the network interface circuit, an inquiry message to the one of the radio access networks for broadcast to the electronic devices, the inquiry message requesting information from the electronic devices;
receiving, by the processor via the network interface circuit, an authentication message from one of the electronic devices in response to the inquiry message, the authentication message requesting an information collection disclosure response; and
sending, by the processor via the network interface circuit to the one of the electronic devices, the information collection disclosure response identifying the entity that is requesting collection of the information from the one of the electronic devices in response to the inquiry message and/or how information collected from the one of the electronic devices will be used;
receiving via the network interface circuit, responsive to the information collection disclosure response, from the one of the electronic devices in response to the inquiry message, information that the network operations center node is authorized to disclose to the sensor for providing to the entity without seeking authorization from the one of the electronic devices;
selectively controlling operation of the sensor to share with the entity, responsive to the information collected by the one of the electronic devices; and
logically associating the information collected by the one of the electronic devices with data sensed by the sensor relating to the one of the electronic devices and/or a user of the one of the electronic devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forwarding the information requested by the inquiry message to the sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the authentication message, received from the one of the electronic devices, requests an object comprising an embedded digital signature; and
the information collection disclosure response, sent to the one of the electronic devices, includes the object comprising the embedded digital signature for verification by the one of the electronic devices and identifies the entity that is requesting collection of the information from the one of the electronic devices in response to the inquiry message and/or how information collected from the one of the electronic devices will be used.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information collection disclosure response, sent to the one of the electronic devices, further identifies at least one of:
an operational characteristic of the sensor;
a location of the sensor;
an entity that the information collected from the one of the electronic devices in response to the inquiry message will be shared with; and
how long the information collected from the one of the electronic devices will be retained before permanent deletion from records in memory of the network operations center node.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inquiry message, sent to the one of the radio access networks for broadcast, requests at least one of the following from each of the electronic devices:
name of a user of the electronic device;
home address of the user of the electronic device;
account information for the user of the electronic device;
telephone number and/or messaging address for the electronic device;
a sensed location of the electronic device;
sensed accelerometer data;
identification of an application being executed by the electronic device;
identification of applications that have been executed by the electronic device; and
description of appearance of the user of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request message comprises a first request message, the method further comprising:
receiving, by the processor via a network interface circuit, a second request message from a sensor, the second request message requesting additional information from electronic devices; and
sending, by the processor via the network interface circuit to the, responsive to the second request message and without further interacting with the one of the electronic devices, the information that the network operations center node is authorized to disclose to the sensor without seeking authorization from the one of the electronic devices.

7. A method by an electronic device for controlling collection of information from the electronic device by a network operations center node connected through a radio access network, the electronic device comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and comprising computer readable program code that when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform the method comprising:
receiving, by the processor via a network interface circuit, an inquiry message broadcasted by the radio access network to a plurality of electronic devices, the inquiry message requesting information from the electronic devices for sending to a sensor comprising a video camera and/or an audio microphone configured to communicate video data and/or audio data respectively to the network operations center node;
sending, by the processor via the network interface circuit, an authentication message to the network operations center node that requests an information collection disclosure response;
receiving, by the processor via the network interface circuit, the information collection disclosure response from the network operations center node that identifies an entity that is requesting collection of the information from the electronic device and/or how information collected from the electronic device will be used;
determining, by the processor, whether a response to the inquiry message is authorized based on the information collection disclosure response;
when a response is determined to be authorized, sending, by the processor, information collected by the electronic device that corresponds to the information requested by the inquiry message for use by the network operations center node in controlling the sensor and to logically associate the information collected by the electronic device with data sensed by the sensor; and
sending, by the processor via the network interface circuit to the network operations center node, information that the network operations center node is authorized to disclose to the sensor without seeking authorization from the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein receiving the information collection disclosure respon

Assignees

• Ericsson Telefon Ab L M

Inventors

• Formo Joakim
• Anneroth Mikael
• Fersman Elena
• Zaloshnja Farjola

Classifications

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04W12/02 Primary

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