# US 8,571,519 B2 · Method and apparatus for using pseudonyms > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,571,519 B2 - Document ID: US8571519B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/437,432 - Filed: 2009-05-07 - Published: 2010-11-11 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-07 - Assignees: Nokia Corporation - Applicants: Philip Ginzboorg - Inventors: Philip Ginzboorg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8571519B2 ## CPC - H04W 12/08: Access security - H04L 9/088: {Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms (network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068)} - H04L 9/0891: {Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying} - H04L 9/3297: {involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps} - H04L 63/0421: {Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer} - H04L 63/104: {Grouping of entities} - H04W 12/02: Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] - H04L 2209/42: Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms - H04L 2209/80: Wireless - H04W 4/12: Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract An approach is provided for using pseudonyms to protect privacy and anonymity of communication messages. A pseudonym is extracted from a received message for comparison against a precomputed set of pseudonyms associated respectively with a plurality of communities of wireless nodes. The pseudonyms are valid only for a particular time period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a message corresponding to one of a plurality of communities of mobile wireless nodes each comprising a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for communicating with other wireless nodes within communication range to form an ad-hoc mesh network, where a wireless node is a member of n communities of wireless nodes, where n is an integer greater than 1; extracting a pseudonym from the message; comparing the extracted pseudonym with a precomputed set of pseudonyms associated respectively with the communities; and determining an identification of one of the plurality of communities that the received message was addressed to based on the comparison, wherein the precomputed set of pseudonyms is valid for only one predetermined time period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of pseudonyms is precomputable and storable by each wireless node within the plurality of communities. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of pseudonyms is computed based on a fixed time reference common to the wireless nodes within the plurality of communities. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: computing a new set of pseudonyms before the precomputed set of pseudonyms expires. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: initiating storage of a plurality of sets of pseudonyms corresponding to different time periods; determining one of the time periods in which the message was sent; selecting one of the sets of pseudonyms corresponding to the determined time period from among the plurality of stored sets of pseudonyms; comparing the extracted pseudonym with the selected set of pseudonyms; and determining the particular one of the communities based on the comparison. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the pseudonym comprises deriving an index from the message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein comparing the extracted pseudonym with a precomputed set of pseudonym associated respectively with the communities comprises comparing the extracted pseudonym only with those precomputed pseudonyms that are associated with the index. ### Claim 8 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at the following, receive a message corresponding to one of a plurality of communities of wireless nodes where each wireless node comprises a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for communicating with other wireless nodes within communication range to form an ad-hoc mesh network, where a wireless node is a member of n communities of wireless nodes, where n is an integer greater than 1, extract a pseudonym from the message, compare the extracted pseudonym with a precomputed set of pseudonyms associated respectively with the communities, and determine an identification of one of the plurality of communities that the received message was addressed to based on the comparison, wherein the precomputed set of pseudonyms is valid for only one predetermined time period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the set of pseudonyms is precomputable and storable by each wireless node within the plurality of communities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the set of pseudonyms is computed based on a fixed time reference common to the wireless nodes within the plurality of communities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: compute a new set of pseudonyms before the precomputed set of pseudonyms expires. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatuses is further caused to: initiate storage of a plurality of sets of pseudonyms corresponding to different time periods; determine one of the time periods in which the message was sent; select one of the sets of pseudonyms corresponding to the determined time period from among the plurality of stored sets of pseudonyms; compare the extracted pseudonym with the selected set of pseudonyms; and determine the particular one of the communities based on the caparison. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein extracting the pseudonym comprises: deriving an index from the message. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein comparing the extracted pseudonym with a precomputed set of pseudonym associated respectively with the communities comprises comparing the extracted pseudonym only with those precomputed pseudonyms that are associated with the index. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising: user interface circuitry and user interface software configure to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mobile phone comprises a radio comprising the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver for device-to-device communication. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: selecting a pseudonym from a precomputed set of pseudonyms; generating a message comprising the pseudonym or an index pointing to the pseudonym corresponding to one of a plurality of communities of wireless nodes, each wireless node comprising a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver for communicating with other wireless nodes within communication range to form an ad-hoc mesh network, where a wireless node is a member of n communities of wireless nodes, where n is an integer greater than 1; and initiating transmission of the message to a plurality of wireless nodes, wherein the precomputed set of pseudonyms is valid for only one predetermined time period. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein each wireless node within the community individually precomputes and stores the set of pseudonyms locally. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the set of pseudonyms is computed based on a fixed time reference common to all wireless nodes within the plurality of communities. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the index is calculated using a hash function based on the pseudonym.