Business privacy in the electronic marketplace

• US 20020029201A1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barzilai, Zeev, Shehory, Onn, Shmulyian, Sergei
• Application Number:
  US09/731,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A method for controlling an exchange of information between a first party and a second party includes receiving from the first party a set of one or more privacy preferences, indicating restrictions to be placed on use of specified items of the information to be disclosed by the first party, and receiving from the second party a description of a privacy policy, indicating undertakings by the second party with regard to restricting the use of the specified items of the information. The compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy is assessed. If the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be incompatible, a negotiation is brokered with at least one of the first and the second parties so as to bring the privacy preferences and the privacy policy into mutual compatibility. The information is provided from the first party to the second party only when the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be compatible.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an exchange of information between a first party and a second party, comprising:

receiving from the first party a set of one or more privacy preferences, indicating restrictions to be placed on use of specified items of the information to be disclosed by the first party;

receiving from the second party a description of a privacy policy, indicating undertakings by the second party with regard to restricting the use of the specified items of the information;

assessing compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy;

if the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be incompatible, brokering a negotiation with at least one of the first and the second parties so as to bring the privacy preferences and the privacy policy into mutual compatibility; and

providing the information from the first party to the second party only when the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be compatible.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the restrictions indicated by the set of privacy preferences comprise restrictions on disclosure of the specified items of the in formation to third parties.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the restrictions indicated by the set of privacy preferences comprise restrictions on analysis of the information.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the set of privacy preferences comprises a description of a condition subject to which the first party will permit one of the specified items to be used by the second party.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second parties exchange the information via a computer network, and wherein receiving the privacy preferences and the privacy policy comprises receiving the preferences and the policy via the network.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second party is one of a plurality of parties eligible to receive the information, and wherein assessing the compatibility of the privacy preferences comprises selecting the second party from among the plurality of eligible parties responsive to the compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy of the second party.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the information comprises conducting a transaction between the first and second parties based on the information.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the transaction is conducted in a sequence of stages, and wherein providing the information comprises providing different ones of the specified items at each of two or more different stages of the transaction, in a manner specified by the set of privacy preferences.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein conducting the transaction comprises submitting a purchase order containing the information from the first party to the second party, whereupon the second party fills the purchase order.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the information comprises passing the information through an intermediary, which receives the privacy preferences and the privacy policy and brokers the negotiation if the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be incompatible.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the intermediary comprises an electronic marketplace, which is accessed by the first and second parties via a computer network.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein assessing the compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy comprises establishing an intermediary privacy policy, responsive to the privacy preferences, subject to which the first party is to communicate with the intermediary, and assessing the compatibility of the intermediary privacy policy with the privacy policy of the second party.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein providing the information comprises conveying the information via the intermediary, wherein a portion of the information is provided in an encrypted form, in accordance with the privacy preferences, for decryption only by the second party and not by the intermediary.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein establishing the privacy policy comprises receiving from the buyer a set of one or more privacy preferences with regard to specified items of the information to be provided by the buyer, and determining the privacy policy so as to accord with the received preferences.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein determining the privacy policy comprises assessing compatibility of the privacy preferences with policy guidelines of the marketplace and, if the privacy preferences and the policy guidelines are found to be incompatible, negotiating with the buyer so as to bring the privacy preferences into compatibility with the guidelines.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein receiving the undertaking from the seller comprises receiving privacy proposals from multiple sellers in communication with the marketplace, and selecting at least one of the sellers whose privacy proposal accords with the buyer'"'"'s privacy preferences.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the transaction is carried out in a sequence of stages, and wherein providing the information to the seller comprises disclosing different portions of the information at different stages of the transaction, in accordance with the privacy policy.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein receiving the information comprises receiving a portion of the information in an encrypted form inaccessible to the marketplace, in accordance with the privacy policy, and wherein providing the information to the seller comprises providing the encrypted portion of the information to the seller, who is enabled to decrypt the information.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein receiving the information comprises tracking and analyzing behavior of the buyer while the buyer is visiting the marketplace in order to derive purchase behavior data regarding the buyer, and comprising limiting use of the data in accordance with a restriction imposed by the privacy policy.

14. A method for electronic commerce, comprising:

establishing a privacy policy restricting use of information to be revealed by a buyer to an electronic marketplace in connection with a transaction to be carried out by the buyer through the marketplace;

subject to the privacy policy, receiving the information from the buyer, including a description of an item desired to be procured for the buyer;

locating a seller in communication with the marketplace offering the item;

receiving from the seller an undertaking to restrict the use of the information in accordance with the privacy policy; and

providing the information to the seller, subject to the undertaking, responsive to which information the seller conveys the item to the buyer.

21. Apparatus for controlling an exchange of information between a first party and a second party, comprising an information exchange server, arranged to receive from the first party a set of one or more privacy preferences, indicating restrictions to be placed on use of specified items of the information to be disclosed by the first party, and to receive from the second party a description of a privacy policy, indicating undertakings by the second party with regard to restricting the use of the specified items of the information, and to assess compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy, such that if the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be incompatible, the server brokers a negotiation with at least one of the first and the second parties so as to bring the privacy preferences and the privacy policy into mutual compatibility, and to convey the information from the first party to the second party only when the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be compatible.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the restrictions indicated by the set of privacy preferences comprise restrictions on disclosure of the specified items of the information to third parties.

23. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the restrictions indicated by the set of privacy preferences comprise restrictions on analysis of the information.

24. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the set of privacy preferences comprises a description of a condition subject to which the first party will permit one of the specified items to be used by the second party.

25. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the server is coupled to exchange the information with the first and second parties via a computer network, and to receive the privacy preferences and the privacy policy via the network.

26. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the second party is one of a plurality of parties eligible to receive the information, and wherein the server is adapted to select the second party from among the plurality of eligible parties responsive to the compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy of the second party.

27. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the information is conveyed by the server in the context of a transaction between the first and second parties based on the information.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the transaction is conducted in a sequence of stages, and wherein the server is arranged to convey different ones of the specified items at each of two or more different stages of the transaction, in a manner specified by the set of privacy preferences.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the server is arranged to convey a purchase order containing the information from the first party to the second party, whereupon the second party fills the purchase order.

30. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the server comprises an electronic marketplace server, which is accessed by the first and second parties via a computer network.

31. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the server is arranged to establish an intermediary privacy policy, responsive to the privacy preferences, subject to which the first party is to communicate with the server, and to assess the compatibility of the intermediary privacy policy with the privacy policy of the second party.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the server is arranged to receive a portion of the information from the first party in an encrypted form, in accordance with the privacy preferences, and to convey the encrypted information for decryption only by the second party.

33. Apparatus for maintaining an electronic marketplace, comprising an electronic commerce server arranged to establish a privacy policy restricting use of information to be revealed by a buyer to the server in connection with a transaction to be carried out by the buyer through the server and, subject to the privacy policy, to receive the information from the buyer, including a description of an item desired to be procured for the buyer, to locate a seller in communication with the marketplace offering the item, to receive from the seller an undertaking to restrict the use of the information in accordance with the privacy policy, and to provide the information to the seller, subject to the undertaking, responsive to which information the seller conveys the item to the buyer.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the server is arranged to receive from the buyer a set of one or more privacy preferences with regard to specified items of the information to be provided by the buyer, and to determine the privacy policy so as to accord with the received preferences.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the server is arranged to assess compatibility of the privacy preferences with policy guidelines of the marketplace and, if the privacy preferences and the policy guidelines are found to be incompatible, to negotiate with the buyer so as to bring the privacy preferences into compatibility with the guidelines.

36. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the server is arranged to receive privacy proposals from multiple sellers in communication with the marketplace, and to select at least one of the sellers whose privacy proposal accords with the buyer'"'"'s privacy preferences.

37. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the transaction is carried out in a sequence of stages, and wherein the server is arranged to disclose different portions of the information at different stages of the transaction, in accordance with the privacy policy.

38. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the server is arranged to receive a portion of the information in an encrypted form inaccessible to the marketplace, in accordance with the privacy policy, and to provide the encrypted portion of the information to the seller, who is enabled to decrypt the information.

39. Apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the server is arranged to track and analyze behavior of the buyer while the buyer is visiting the marketplace in order to derive purchase behavior data regarding the buyer, and to limit use of the data in accordance with a restriction imposed by the privacy policy.

40. A system for controlling an exchange of information, comprising:

a first computer, provided with a set of one or more privacy preferences, indicating restrictions to be placed on use of specified items of the information to be disclosed by the first party;

a second computer, provided with a description of a privacy policy, indicating undertakings by the second party with regard to restricting the use of the specified items of the information; and

an information exchange server, coupled to communicate with the first and second computers via a computer network, and arranged to assess compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy, such that if the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be incompatible, the server brokers a negotiation with at least one of the first and the second parties so as to bring the privacy preferences and the privacy policy into mutual compatibility, and further arranged to provide the information from the first party to the second party only when the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be compatible.

41. A system for electronic commerce, comprising:

a buyer computer, operated by a buyer;

one or more seller computers, operated by respective sellers; and

an electronic commerce server coupled to communicate with the buyer and seller computers via a computer network, and arranged to establish a privacy policy restricting use of information to be revealed by the buyer computer to the server in connection with a transaction to be carried out by the buyer computer through the server and, subject to the privacy policy, to receive the information from the buyer computer, including a description of an item desired to be procured for the buyer, to identify one of the seller computers making an offer to supply the item, to receive from the seller computer an undertaking to restrict the use of the information in accordance with the privacy policy, and to provide the information to the seller computer, subject to the undertaking, responsive to which information the respective seller conveys the item to the buyer.

42. A computer software product for controlling an exchange of information between a first party and a second party, he product comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to receive from the first party a set of one or more privacy preferences, indicating restrictions to be placed on use of specified items of the information to be disclosed by the first party, and to receive from the second party a description of a privacy policy, indicating undertakings by the second party with regard to restricting the use of the specified items of the information, and to assess compatibility of the privacy preferences with the privacy policy, and if the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be incompatible, to broker a negotiation with at least one of the first and the second parties so as to bring the privacy preferences and the privacy policy into mutual compatibility, and to provide the information from the first party to the second party only when the privacy preferences and the privacy policy are found to be compatible.

43. A computer software product for electronic commerce, the product comprising a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to establish a privacy policy restricting use of information to be revealed by a buyer to an electronic marketplace in connection with a transaction to be carried out by the buyer through the marketplace, and subject to the privacy policy, to receive the information from the buyer, including a description of an item desired to be procured from the buyer, and to locate a seller in communication with the marketplace offering the item, and to receive from the seller an undertaking to restrict the use of the information in accordance with the privacy policy, and to provide the information to the seller, subject to the undertaking, responsive to which information the seller conveys the item to the buyer.