A platform for the development of location-based mobile applications with privacy protection

Network operators gradually open their interfaces to formerly hidden services which fosters the development of a new class of mobile applications that take into account context information such as the users location. However, this development also raises problems. Especially the lack of protection of privacy in location-based services. In this work we propose a service architecture that is aimed at overcoming some of the shortages of currently existing context-aware applications that make use of network providers services. It makes use of a novel privacy enhancing mechanism that is based on the notion of pseudonyms that are applicable even on mobile devices with restrictions regarding resources like memory or processing power. Due to the flexibility of the privacy enhancing mechanism many different kinds of applications are conceivable. The most important aspect in this respect is the highly postulated pay-as-you-go model. To illustrate our approach we demonstrate a transport ticket application that is extended by location-tracking functionality and discuss a management module which allows 3^rd party application developers to test complex interaction patterns even for a huge number of notional users prior to the realization of full mobile applications and by confirming obligatory requirements regarding data and privacy protection legislation.