Building system with smart entity personal identifying information (PII) masking

• US 10,417,451 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Park, Youngchoon, Sinha, Sudhi R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US16/048,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20190095644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26- 30
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2255 Hash tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/04 Masking or blinding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

A building system for operating a building and managing private building information includes a processing circuit configured to receive a request for information for a building entity of a building entity database. The processing circuit is configured to select one of the mask templates from the entity database based on access values associated with the requesting device and a relational link between the building entity and the mask templates, retrieve private information for the building entity in response to a reception of the request for the information, and generate a masked information data structure based on the private information and the one of the mask templates.

Claims

1. A building system for operating a building and managing private building information, the building system comprising a processing circuit configured to:

receive, from a device, a request for information for a building entity of a building entity database, wherein the building entity database comprises the building entity, a plurality of mask templates, and a relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates, wherein each of the plurality of mask templates provides different access to private information of the building entity and is linked to one combination of a plurality of access values;

select one of the plurality of mask templates from the building entity database based on a particular combination of the plurality of access values and the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates;

retrieve, from the building entity database, the private information for the building entity in response to a reception of the request for the information from the device; and

generate a masked information data structure based on the private information and the one of the plurality of mask templates.

2. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to operate one or more pieces of building equipment to operate the building based on the masked information data structure.

3. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to select the one of the plurality of mask templates by selecting the one of the plurality of mask templates as a function of the plurality of access values.

4. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to select the one of the plurality of mask templates by selecting the one of the plurality of mask templates based on the particular combination of the plurality of access values by identifying the one of the plurality of mask templates linked to the particular combination of the plurality of access values.

5. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

determine whether the request for the information is a first request for the private information or a second request for public information; and

retrieve, from the building entity database, the public information and provide the public information to the device without masking in response to a determination that the request for the information is the second request for the public information;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to retrieve, from the building entity database, the private information for the building entity in response to the reception of the request from the device for the information and in response to a determination that the request for the information is the first request for the private information;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate the masked information data structure based on the retrieved private information and the selected one of the plurality of mask templates in response to the determination that the request for the information is the first request for the private information.

6. The building system of claim 1, wherein the private information comprises a plurality of attributes of the building entity;

wherein each of the plurality of mask templates comprises a plurality of masking operators, one of the plurality of masking operators associated with each of the plurality of attributes;

wherein the plurality of masking operators comprise at least one of;

a first masking operator configured to replace one or more values of a particular attribute with a particular masking character;

a second masking operator configured to show the particular attribute in the clear;

a third masking operator configured to show only a particular number of a plurality of values of the particular attribute;

or

a fourth masking operator configured to apply a particular encryption method on the particular attribute.

7. The building system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of access values comprise at least one of:

role information of a user of the device, wherein the role information indicates a permission level of the user;

a device type of the device;

a geographic location of the device;

an application of the device associated with generating the request for the information;

or

a vertical identifying a business use associated with the device.

8. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive a mask template request from a second system, the second system configured to store the private information and mask the private information based on a mask template received from the building system;

select a second mask template of the plurality of mask templates based on the mask template request received from the second system; and

send the second mask template to the second system for masking, by the second system, the private information stored by the second system.

9. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate an access hash key based on the plurality of access values;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to select the one of the plurality of mask templates from the building entity database based on the particular combination of the plurality of access values by selecting the one of the plurality of mask templates with the access hash key, wherein each of the plurality of mask templates is associated with a particular value of the access hash key.

10. The building system of claim 9, wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate the access hash key by concatenating the plurality of access values and hashing the concatenated plurality of access values to generate the access hash key.

11. The building system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

determine a transitive closure for the building entity database based on a set of entities of the building entity database and a set of relational links between entities of the set of entities, the set of entities comprising at least the building entity, the plurality of mask templates, and the private information; and

update the building entity database based on the transitive closure by adding additional relational links between the entities of the set of entities, the additional relational links comprising at least one of the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates and a second relational link between the building entity and the private information;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to retrieve the private information for the building entity in response to the reception of the request for the information based on the relational link between the building entity and the private information.

12. The building system of claim 11, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive new entity data, the new entity data comprising at least one of a new building entity and a first new link between the new building entity and at least one of the entities of the set of entities, new private information and a second new link between the new private information and at least one of the entities of the set of entities, or new mask templates and a third new link between the new mask templates and at least one of the entities of the set of entities;

add the new entity data to the building entity database;

determine the transitive closure of the building entity database based on the set of entities, the set of relational links, and the new entity data added to the building entity database; and

update the building entity database by updating the set of relational links based on the transitive closure by adding new direct relational links between the entities of the set of entities to the set of relational links.

13. The building system of claim 1, wherein the building entity database comprises a second building entity and one or more first links relating the building entity to the second building entity and the second building entity to the building entity;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to;

receive, from the device, a second request for the private information for the building entity and second private information for the second building entity linked to the building entity;

determine whether the device has access to the second private information of the second building entity linked to the building entity and the private information of the building entity based on the plurality of access values;

generate a second masked information data structure based on the second private information and a second mask template; and

provide the second masked information data structure to the device in response the reception of the request for the private information and the second private information and in response to a determination that the device has access to the second private information of the second building entity linked to the building entity and the private information of the building entity based on the plurality of access values.

14. The building system of claim 13, wherein the building entity database comprises one or more access control lists (ACL) linked to at least one of the building entity or the second building entity, wherein the one or more ACLs indicate whether a role indicated by the plurality of access values is associated with access to the second private information of the second building entity linked to the building entity and the private information of the building entity;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether the device has access to the second private information of the second building entity linked to the building entity and the private information of the building entity based on the role indicated by the plurality of access values and the one or more ACLs.

15. The building system of claim 13, wherein the building entity database comprises a second plurality of mask templates and one or more second links associating the second plurality of mask templates with the second building entity;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate the second masked information data structure based on the second private information and the second mask template by;

selecting the second mask template from the second plurality of mask templates based on the plurality of access values; and

applying one or more masking operators of the second mask template to attributes of the second private information.

16. The building system of claim 15, wherein at least some of the plurality of mask templates and the second plurality of mask templates are same mask templates.

17. A method for managing private information of a building entity database, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processing circuit, a request for information for a building entity of the building entity database from a requesting device, wherein the building entity database comprises the building entity, a plurality of mask templates, and a relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates, wherein each of the plurality of mask templates provides different access to private information of the building entity and is linked to one combination of a plurality of access values;

selecting, by the processing circuit, one of the plurality of mask templates from the building entity database based on a particular combination of the plurality of access values associated with the requesting device and the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates;

retrieving, by the processing circuit, the private information for the building entity in response to a reception of the request for the information;

generating, by the processing circuit, a masked information data structure based on the private information and the one of the plurality of mask templates; and

providing, by the processing circuit, the masked information data structure to the requesting device in response to the reception of the request for the information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting, by the processing circuit, the one of the plurality of mask templates comprises selecting, by the processing circuit, the one of the plurality of mask templates as a function of the plurality of access values based on the particular combination of the plurality of access values by identifying, by the processing circuit, the one of the plurality of mask templates associated with the particular combination of the plurality of access values.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the private information comprises a plurality of attributes of the building entity;

wherein each of the plurality of mask templates comprises a plurality of masking operators, one of the plurality of masking operators associated with each of the plurality of attributes;

wherein the plurality of masking operators comprise at least one of;

a first masking operator configured to replace one or more values of a particular attribute with a particular masking character;

a second masking operator configured to show the particular attribute in the clear;

a third masking operator configured to show only a particular number of a plurality of values of the particular attribute;

or

a fourth masking operator configured to apply a particular encryption method on the particular attribute.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of access values comprise at least one of:

role information of a user of the requesting device, wherein the role information indicates a permission level of the user;

a device type of the requesting device;

a geographic location of the requesting device;

an application of the requesting device associated with generating the request for the information;

or

a vertical identifying a business use associated with the requesting device.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the building entity database comprises a second building entity and one or more links relating the building entity to the second building entity and the second building entity to the building entity;

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving, by the processing circuit, a second request for the private information for the building entity and second private information for the second building entity linked to the building entity from the requesting device;

determining, by the processing circuit, whether the requesting device has access to the second private information of the second building entity linked to the building entity and the private information of the building entity based on the plurality of access values;

generating, by the processing circuit, a second masked information data structure based on the second private information and a second mask template; and

providing, by the processing circuit, the second masked information data structure to the requesting device in response the reception of the request for the private information and the second private information and in response to a determination that the requesting device has access to the second private information of the second building entity linked to the building entity and the private information of the building entity based on the plurality of access values.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, by the processing circuit, a transitive closure for the building entity database based on a set of entities of the building entity database and a set of relational links between entities of the set of entities, the set of entities comprising at least the building entity, the plurality of mask templates, and the private information; and

updating, by the processing circuit, the building entity database based on the transitive closure by adding, by the processing circuit, additional relational links between the entities of the set of entities, the additional relational links comprising at least one of the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates and a second relational link between the building entity and the private information;

wherein retrieving, by the processing circuit, the private information for the building entity in response to the reception of the request for the information is based on the relational link between the building entity and the private information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, by the processing circuit, new entity data, the new entity data comprising at least one of a new building entity and a first new link between the new building entity and at least one of the entities of the set of entities, new private information and a second new link between the new private information and at least one of the entities of the set of entities, or new mask templates and a third new link between the new mask templates and at least one of the entities of the set of entities;

adding, by the processing circuit, the new entity data to the building entity database;

determining, by the processing circuit, the transitive closure of the building entity database based on the set of entities, the set of relational links, and the new entity data added to the building entity database; and

updating, by the processing circuit, the building entity database by updating the set of relational links based on the transitive closure by adding new direct relational links between the entities of the set of entities to the set of relational links.

24. An information management system for a building, the information management system comprising:

a building entity database comprising a building entity, a plurality of mask templates, and a relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive a request for information for the building entity of the building entity database from a requesting device, wherein each of the plurality of mask templates provides different access to the information of the building entity and is linked to one combination of a plurality of access values;

select one of the plurality of mask templates from the building entity database based on a particular combination of the plurality of access values associated with the requesting device and the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates, wherein the one of the plurality of mask templates comprises a plurality of masking operators, one of the plurality of masking operators associated with each of a plurality of attributes of the information;

retrieve, from the building entity database, the information for the building entity in response to a reception of the request for the information from the requesting device, wherein the information comprises the plurality of attributes;

generate a masked information data structure based on the retrieved information and the selected one of the plurality of mask templates by applying each of the plurality of masking operators to one attribute of the plurality of attributes associated with the masking operator; and

provide the masked information data structure to the requesting device in response to the reception of the request for the information.

25. The information management system of claim 24, wherein the processing circuit is configured to select the one of the plurality of mask templates by selecting the one of the plurality of mask templates as a function of the plurality of access values.

26. The information management system of claim 24, wherein the processing circuit is configured to select the one of the plurality of mask templates by selecting the one of the plurality of mask templates based on the particular combination of the plurality of access values by identifying the one of the plurality of mask templates associated with the particular combination of the plurality of access values.

27. The information management system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of masking operators comprise at least one of:

a first masking operator configured to replace one or more values of a particular attribute of the plurality of attributes with a particular masking character;

a second masking operator configured to show the particular attribute in the clear;

a third masking operator configured to show only a particular number of a plurality of values of the particular attribute;

or

a fourth masking operator configured to apply a particular encryption method on the particular attribute.

28. The information management system of claim 24, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

determine a transitive closure for the building entity database based on a set of entities of the building entity database and a set of relational links between entities of the set of entities, the set of entities comprising at least the building entity, the plurality of mask templates, and the information; and

update the building entity database based on the transitive closure by adding additional relational links between the entities of the set of entities, the additional relational links comprising at least one of the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates and a second relational link between the building entity and the information;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to retrieve the information for the building entity in response to the reception of the request for the information based on the relational link between the building entity and the information.

29. A database system for a building, the database system comprising:

one or more storage devices configured to implement a building entity database comprising a set of entities and a set of relational links between entities of the set of entities, wherein the set of entities comprises a building entity, private information, and a plurality of mask templates; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine a transitive closure for the building entity database based on the set of entities of the building entity database and the set of relational links;

update the building entity database based on the transitive closure by adding additional relational links comprising at least one of a relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates or a second relational link between the building entity and the private information;

receive, from a device, a request for the private information, wherein each of the plurality of mask templates provides different access to the private information of the building entity and is linked to one combination of a plurality of access values;

select one of the plurality of mask templates from the building entity database based on a particular combination of the plurality of access values and the relational link between the building entity and the plurality of mask templates;

retrieve, from the one or more storage devices, the private information for the building entity based on the relational link between the building entity and the private information in response to a reception of the request for the information from the device; and

generate a masked information data structure based on the retrieved information and the selected one of the plurality of mask templates.

30. The database system of claim 29, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive new entity data, the new entity data comprising at least one of a new building entity and a first new link between the new building entity and at least one of the entities of the set of entities, new private information and a second new link between the new private information and at least one of the entities of the set of entities, or new mask templates and a third new link between the new mask templates and at least one of the entities of the set of entities;

add the new entity data to the building entity database;

determine the transitive closure of the building entity database based on the set of entities and the new entity data added to the building entity database; and

update the building entity database by updating the set of relational links based on the transitive closure by adding new direct relational links between the entities of the set of entities to the set of relational links.