公开(公告)号：GB2534830A

公开(公告)日：2016-08-10

申请号：GB201409608

申请日：2014-05-30

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： SARITHA ARUNKUMAR ,  MUDHAKAR SRIVATSA ,  STEPHEN DAVID PIPES

IPC: H04W12/02 ,  G06F21/62 ,  H04W4/02 ,  H04W4/029

Abstract: A method for anonymizing location information of a mobile device 110 is disclosed comprising the steps of: providing a trusted edge server 202 at a network edge; the mobile device intercepting a request for access to location information made by an application and redirecting the request 310 to the trusted edge server; the trusted edge server obfuscating the location information based on the location of other mobile devices in the vicinity of the mobile device; the trusted edge server returning 312 the obfuscated location information to the mobile device; and the mobile device sending the obfuscated location information to the application 314. The mobile device may compute a box within which the obfuscated location information is to be and submit it to the trusted edge server, which then verifies that the obfuscation provided by the box is sufficient. The desired extent of location obfuscation and level of anonymity may be provided by an end user and submitted to the trusted edge server, which verifies that the level of anonymity is achieved for the desired level of location obfuscation. Alternatively, the trusted edge server may compute a box within which the obfuscated location is to be, preferably to achieve a desired level of anonymity.