Method of and Systems for Privacy Preserving Mobile Demographic Measurement of Individuals, Groups and Locations Over Time and Space

Abstract

Disclosed are techniques for privacy preserving mobile demographic measurement of individuals, groups, and locations over time and space. A method of estimating demographic information associated with a user of a mobile device and/or a location while preserving the privacy of the user based at least in part on a location estimate of the mobile device of the user includes receiving an estimated geographical location of the mobile device of the user and receiving a time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location. The method includes assigning substitute identifiers for the geographical location and the time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location. The method includes associating the geographical areas substitute identifiers with demographic information and estimating demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device based on the substitute identifiers and based on the demographic information associated with substitute identifiers.

1 . A method of estimating demographic information associated with a user of a mobile device while preserving the privacy of the user based at least in part on a location estimate of the mobile device of the user, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving an estimated geographical location of the mobile device of the user;   (b) receiving a time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location;   (c) providing a set of substitute identifiers for a corresponding set of at least one geographical area;   (d) assigning one of the set of substitute identifiers for the geographical area corresponding to the geographical location of the mobile device;   (e) assigning a substitute identifier for the time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location;   (f) providing an association between the substitute identifiers for geographical areas and demographic information corresponding to the substituted geographical area; and   (g) estimating demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device based on the assigned substitute identifiers and based on the demographic information associated with the provided set of substitute identifiers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising (h) estimating the received geographical location associated with the mobile device of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising (h) recording the estimated demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device in a device demographic information log. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising (i) estimating demographic information associated with at least one geographical area of the set of geographical areas based on the demographic information recorded in the device demographic information log, wherein the device demographic information log contains a plurality of records of estimated demographic information associated with a plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising (h) sending the estimated demographic information to the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substitute identifier for the geographical area corresponding to the geographical location of the mobile device that is assigned identifies a particular set of demographic information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substitute identifier for the geographical area corresponding to the geographical location of the mobile device that is assigned is reduced in specificity relative to the estimated geographical location of the mobile device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substitute identifier for the time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographic location is a measure of time that is reduced in specificity relative to the time that was received. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the substitute identifier for the time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographic location is at least one of (A) a representation of time lacking date information, (B) a time range, and (C) an hour of a week designation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device is performed on a separate computer system from a computer system performing any one or more of steps (a) through (e). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the separate computer system, relative to the computer system performing any one or more of steps (a) through (e), is as least one of (A) maintained in a separate network, (B) maintained in a separate building, and (C) maintained by a separate operational entity. 
     
     
         12 . A method of estimating demographic information associated with a geographical area and a time period based on demographic information associated with users of mobile devices within the geographical area, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a set of geographical areas;   (b) providing a set of time periods;   (c) receiving an estimated geographical location of a mobile device of the user;   (d) receiving a mobile device identifier that is associated with the mobile device;   (e) receiving a time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location;   (f) determining the geographical area of the set in which the estimated geographical location occurs;   (g) determining the time period of the set in which the time at which the mobile device was at the estimated geographical location occurs;   (h) retrieving information representative of demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device based on the mobile device identifier;   (i) estimating demographic information associated with the determined geographic area during the determined time period based on the retrieved information representative of demographic information associated with the user of the mobile device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising (j) estimating the received geographical location of the mobile device of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising (j) providing a set of initial demographic information associated with the determined geographical area, wherein the estimating demographic information associated with the determined geographic area is further based on the initial demographic information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, (k) subsequent to the estimating demographic information associated with the determined geographical area, adjusting the initial demographic information based on the estimated demographic information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the initial demographic information is based on at least one of governmental census information, public record information, shipping and purchase records, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, voluntary surveys, and records of social media activity. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising (j) sending the estimated demographic information to the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the geographical areas of the set are reduced in specificity relative to the estimated geographical location of the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the time periods of the set are reduced in specificity relative to the time that was received. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the time periods of the set are at least one of (A) a representation of time lacking date information, (B) a time range, and (C) an hour of a week designation. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the estimating demographic information associated with the determined geographic area during the determined time period is performed on a separate computer system from a computer system performing any one or more of steps (c) through (g). 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the separate computer system, relative to the computer system performing any one or more of steps (c) through (g), is as least one of (A) maintained in a separate network, (B) maintained in a separate building, and (C) maintained by a separate operational entity. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 (j) performing steps (c) through (h) a plurality of times for different mobile devices of different users; and   (k) recording sets of information for (A) the determined geographical areas, (B) determined time periods, and (C) retrieved information representative of demographics information associated with the users of the mobile devices in a device demographic information log;   wherein the estimating demographic information associated with the determined geographical area during the determined time period is further based on a plurality of the sets of information in the device demographic information log.