Method for anonymization of data collected within a mobile communication network

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for anonymization of event data collected within a system or network providing a service for subscribers/customers wherein each event data set is related to an individual subscriber/customer of the system/network and includes at least one attribute wherein the method counts the number of event data sets related to varying individual subscribers having identical or nearly identical values for at least one attribute. The invention further relates to a method for anonymization of static data related to individual subscribers of a mobile communication network wherein each static data set consist of different attributes and the method identifies specific profiles derivable form the static data and drops one or more respective attribute of the static data sets and/or classifies two or more static data sets to a certain group having at least one matching attribute.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for anonymization of static data related to individual subscribers of a mobile communication network wherein each static data set consists of different attributes and the method identifies specific profiles derivable from the static data and either suppresses one or more respective attributes of the static data sets and/or classifies/generalizes two or more static data sets to a certain group having at least one matching attribute. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein generalization/classifying is performed by replacing a certain attribute of two or more static data sets with a generalized common attribute. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the step of classification is performed until the number of static data sets of each group exceeds a defined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein at least one attribute relates to the gender or the birth date or the age or profession or place of residence of an individual subscriber of the mobile communication network. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein a subset of the total static data available at the mobile communication network is predetermined dependent on at least one criterion wherein the anonymization method is only performed for the predetermined subset. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein predetermination for a subset is based on a relevant time period and/or relevant geographical section and further the predetermination is preferably based on location event data occurred within the relevant time period and/or at the relevant geographical section. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the subset is predetermined and requested by a data aggregator receiving the anonymized static data. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the anonymization method is individually configurable for each individually predetermined subset wherein preferable configuration parameters are passed together with a request of the data aggregator. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20  wherein configuration of the anonymization method includes a prioritization of the attributes to be generalized/suppressed and/or a definition of a maximum/minimum hierarchy level for each attribute and/or a definition of the ratio between generalization and suppression. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled)