MAC Address Anonymizer
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorsCraig OCHIKUBO, Prasanna Desai, Matthew Fischer, Raymond Hayes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for generating anonymous MAC addresses and determining permanent MAC addresses from anonymous MAC addresses are disclosed. Permanent MAC addresses may be associated with a location in a location database. Generating anonymous MAC addresses may protect user privacy and allow manufacturers and users of wireless access points to control their inclusion in location databases.
Claims17
A wireless access point, comprising:
- a permanent MAC address;
- a secret key;
- a processor, configured to:
- generate a counter value at an interval;
- and
- generate an anonymous MAC address, wherein the anonymous MAC address comprises the counter value and a portion of the permanent MAC address mutated using the secret key;
- and
- a transmitter, wherein the transmitter broadcasts the anonymous MAC address.
A wireless access point, comprising:
- a permanent MAC address;
- a plurality of secret keys;
- a processor, configured to:
- generate an anonymous MAC address comprising a portion of the permanent MAC address encrypted with one of the plurality of secret keys;
- and
- a transmitter, wherein the transmitter broadcasts the anonymous MAC address.
A method for broadcasting an anonymous MAC address for a wireless access point, comprising:
- (a) determining a permanent MAC address associated with the wireless access point;
- (b) generating the anonymous MAC address by mutating at least a portion of the permanent MAC address, wherein the mutating uses a secret key;
- and
- (c) broadcasting the anonymous MAC address.
A wireless device, comprising:
- a receiver that detects a MAC address associated with an access point;
- a secret key;
- a processor, configured to:
- identify the detected MAC address as an anonymous MAC address;
- and
- determine a permanent MAC address associated with the anonymous MAC address, wherein the permanent MAC address is determined by resolving at least a portion of the anonymous MAC address using the secret key.
A wireless device, comprising:
- a receiver that detects a MAC address associated with an access point;
- a plurality of secret keys;
- a processor, configured to:
- identify the detected MAC address as an anonymous MAC address;
- and
- determine a permanent MAC address associated with the anonymous MAC address, wherein the permanent MAC address is determined by resolving at least a portion of the anonymous MAC address using one of the plurality of secret keys.
A method for determining a location, comprising:
- (a) detecting a MAC address associated with a wireless access point;
- (b) identifying the MAC address as an anonymous MAC address;
- (c) resolving a permanent MAC address associated with the anonymous MAC address using a secret key;
- (d) determining a location associated with the permanent MAC address, using a location database.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.