Location and proximity beacon technology to enhance privacy and security

At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a beacon device, cause the beacon device to:

• obtain a seed value from a location on the beacon device;
• use the seed value to initiate generation of a pseudo random number tree having time-dependent branches;
• send a beacon signal based on the pseudo random number tree and a timing schedule that corresponds to the time-dependent branches;
• determine one or more signature values for one or more leaves of the pseudo random number tree based on a private key;
• and
• send the one or more signature values.

An observation device comprising:

• an authorization controller to receive, via an out-of-band link, a pseudo random number associated with a particular time period;
• a partial tree generator coupled to the authorization controller, the partial tree generator to use the pseudo random number to generate a subset of a pseudo random number tree that corresponds to the particular time period;
• and
• a proximity verifier coupled to the tree generator, the proximity verifier to conduct a proximity determination of whether a detected beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree,
• wherein the proximity verifier is to report that a mobile source of the beacon signal traveled within proximity of the observation device during the particular time period if the proximity determination indicates that the beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree.

At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by an observation device, cause the observation device to:

• receive, via an out-of-band link, a pseudo random number associated with a particular time period;
• use the pseudo random number to generate a subset of a pseudo random number tree that corresponds to the particular time period;
• and
• conduct a proximity determination of whether a detected beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree,
• wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the observation device to report that a mobile source of the beacon signal traveled within proximity of the observation device during the particular time period if the proximity determination indicates that the beacon signal corresponds to one or more time-dependent branches of the subset of the pseudo random number tree.