Relative location privacy engine

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-executable instructions for providing privacy to relative location data includes receiving a request for a location of an object. Privacy settings associated with the object are retrieved. A position of the object within a construct of a physical space is determined. An area within the construct of the physical space based on the position is determined. A location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings is determined. The location value in response to the request for the location of the object is returned.

1 . A method comprising operations performed using an electronic processor, the operations comprising:
 receiving, at the electronic processor of a computing device, a request for a location value of an object that is remote from the computing device;   determining coordinates of the object within a construct of a physical space, wherein the construct of the physical space is a three-dimensional representation of the physical space, and wherein the construct of the physical space comprises physical and virtual boundaries that define a plurality of areas within the physical space;   determining an area from the plurality of areas within the construct of the physical space based on the coordinates of the object within the construct of the physical space;   retrieving, based on the request and the area, privacy settings associated with the area within the construct of the physical space;   determining the location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings associated with the area; and   returning the location value of the object in response to the request for the location value of the object, wherein the location value is less precise than the determined coordinates of the object within the construct of the physical space.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location value of the object indicates a room within the construct of the physical space. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings comprises determining a larger area within the construct of the physical space that includes the area, wherein the location value of the object indicates the larger area. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the larger area indicates a floor within the construct of the physical space. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location value of the object is unknown. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving object specific privacy settings, wherein the privacy settings comprise the object specific privacy settings, and wherein the object specific privacy settings are different from the privacy settings associated with the area. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the object specific privacy settings comprises a private time period, wherein determining the location value comprises determining a time of the request is within the private time period, wherein the location value comprises a private value based on determining the time of the request is within the private time period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprises:
 determining a second time of a second request for the location value of the object is outside of the private time period, wherein the location value indicates a non-private location of the object based on determining the second time of the second request is outside of the private time period, wherein the area of the object of the request and the second request is the same.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the object specific privacy settings comprises a private area, wherein determining the location value of the object comprises determining the area is within the private area, wherein the location value of the object indicates a private value based on determining the area is within the private area. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy settings comprise global private areas. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a requestor from the request for the location of the object, wherein determining the location value of the object is based on the requestor, and wherein the requestor and object are different. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy settings comprise an area-time privacy setting, wherein the determined location value of the object is based on the area-time privacy setting. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 an electronic processor of a computing device, the electronic processor configured to:
 receive a request for a location value of an object that is remote from the computing device; 
 determine coordinates of the object within a construct of a physical space, wherein the construct of the physical space is a three-dimensional representation of the physical space, and wherein the construct of the physical space comprises physical and virtual boundaries that define a plurality of areas within the physical space; 
 determine an area from the plurality of areas within the construct of the physical space based on the coordinates of the object within the construct of the physical space; 
 retrieve, based on the request and the area, privacy settings associated with the area within the construct of the physical space; 
 determine the location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings associated with the area; and 
 return the location value of the object in response to the request for the location of the object, wherein the location value is less precise than the determined coordinates of the object within the construct of the physical space. 
   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the location value of the object indicates a room within the construct of the physical space. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein to determine the location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings the electronic processor is configured to determine a larger area within the construct of the physical space that includes the area, wherein the location value of the object indicates the larger area. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, the stored instructions comprising:
 instructions to receive a request for a location value of an object that does not include the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium;   instructions to determine coordinates of the object within a construct of a physical space, wherein the construct of the physical space is a three-dimensional representation of the physical space, and wherein the construct of the physical space comprises physical and virtual boundaries that define a plurality of areas within the physical space;   instructions to determine an area from the plurality of areas within the construct of the physical space based on the coordinates of the object within the construct of the physical space;   instructions to retrieve, based on the request and the area, privacy settings associated with the area within the construct of the physical space;   instructions to determine the location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings associated with the area; and   instructions to return the location value of the object in response to the request for the location of the object, wherein the location value is less precise than the determined coordinates of the object within the construct of the physical space.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions to determine the location value of the object based on the area and the privacy settings comprise instructions to determine a larger area within the physical construct of the physical space that includes the area, wherein the location value of the object indicates the larger area. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the object specific privacy settings comprises a private area, wherein determining the location value of the object comprises determining the area is within the private area, wherein the location value comprises a private value based on determining the area is within the private area. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the privacy settings comprise global private areas. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to determine a requestor from the request for the location value of the object, wherein the location value of the object is based on the requestor.