System and method for secure reciprocal exchange of data

• US 20050182767A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Boss Logic LLC
• Inventors: Shoemaker, Scott D., Broder, James P., O'Donnell, Lee Thomas, Shoemaker, Daniel D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,958,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device operated by a second user includes a database that receives a first set of data input by the first user and a second set of data input by the second user. In one embodiment, the second user can access at least a first portion of the first set of data from the database only after the second user authorizes the first user to access at least a first portion of the second set of data from the database. In another embodiment, the first set of data includes an immediate mode of access and/or one or more future modes of access of the first user which correlate to one or more specific time periods during which the future mode of access will become the immediate mode of access. Additionally, the first set of data can include a time-dependent schedule of the future mode of access of the first user. The second device can be a mobile phone having a memory that is automatically updated by the database with data input by the first user. Moreover, the first user can specify a hierarchical privacy level for one or more data fields, and a correlative hierarchical clearance level to the second user. The clearance level is compared with the first privacy level to determine whether the second user has access to any of the data fields.

Claims

1. A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device operated by a second user, the system comprising:

a database in network communication with the devices, the database receiving a first set of data input by the first user and a second set of data input by the second user, the second user having access to at least a first portion of the first set of data from the database only after the second user authorizes the first user to access at least a first portion of the second set of data from the database.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user is authorized by the second user once the first user inputs a user-specific identifier of the second user into the database.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second user has access to the first portion of the first set of data from the database only after the first user authorizes the second user to access the first portion of the first set of data from the database.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first user is authorized by the second user once the first user inputs a user-specific identifier of the second user into the database, and the second user is authorized by the first user once the first user inputs a user-specific identifier of the first user into the database.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first set of data is input into the database using the first device and the first portion of the second set of data is accessible by the first user using a third device that is electrically decoupled from the first device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second set of data is input into the database using the second device and the first portion of the first set of data is accessible by the second user using a fourth device that is electrically decoupled from the second device.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the at least one of the third device and the fourth device is a mobile phone.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein a third user has access to a second portion of the first set of data from the database only after the third user authorizes the first user to access at least a portion of a third set of data input into the database by the third user.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first set of data is input into the database using a first device, the first portion of the first set of data is accessible by the second user using a second device, and the second portion of the first set of data is accessible by the third user using a third device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first portion of the first set of data and the second portion of the first set of data are different.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the first portion of the first set of data and the second portion of the first set of data are identical.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first portion of the first set of data and the second portion of the first set of data are stored in the database in a non-duplicative manner.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the first set of data includes a plurality of modes of access of the first user, one of the modes of access being selected by the first user as an immediate mode of access of the first user, and wherein the first portion of the first set of data includes the immediate mode of access of the first user.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the modes of access of the first user include at least one of an electronic mail address, a phone number, a message service number, a pager number and a facsimile number.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the first set of data includes a future mode of access of the first user which is selected from the modes of access of the first user, the future mode of access correlating to one or more specific time periods during which the future mode of access will become the immediate mode of access, the future mode of access of the first user being inaccessible to the second user.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the first set of data includes a time-dependent schedule of the future mode of access of the first user.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the first portion of the first set of data at a frequency that is input into the database by the second user.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the database receives a first privacy level that is input by the first user for the first portion of the first set of data, the first privacy level being selected from a hierarchy of privacy levels, and wherein the database receives a clearance level for the second user that is input by the first user, the clearance level being selected from a hierarchy of clearance levels that correspond with the hierarchy of privacy levels, the clearance level being measured against the first privacy level to determine whether the second user has access to the first portion of the first set of data from the database.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the clearance level must be at least as high in the hierarchy of clearance levels as the first privacy level is high in the hierarchy of privacy levels for the second user to have access to the first portion of the first set of data from the database.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the database receives a second privacy level that is input by the first user for a second portion of the first set of data, the second privacy level being selected from the hierarchy of privacy levels, wherein the clearance level must be at least as high in the hierarchy of clearance levels as the second privacy level is high in the hierarchy of privacy levels for the second user to have access to the second portion of the first set of data from the database.

21. A system for transmission of data between a first device operated by a first user and a second device operated by a second user, the system comprising:

a database that is in network communication with the first device and the second device, the database receiving a first set of data input by the first user from the first device, the first set of data including a future mode of access of the first user, the future mode of access correlating to a time period during which the future mode of access will become an immediate mode of access of the first user, the immediate mode of access of the first user being accessible from the database by the second user using the second device.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the future mode of access of the first user is inaccessible to the second user.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the time period is inaccessible to the second user.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the database receives input from the first user customizing the time period.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the first set of data includes a plurality of future modes of access of the first user, each future mode of access correlating to one or more corresponding time periods during which each such future mode of access will become an immediate mode of access of the first user.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of the time periods is at least approximately one hour in length.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the future mode of access is selected from at least one of a phone number, an electronic mail address, a facsimile number and a text message number.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the second device is a wireless device having a memory.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the database automatically updates the memory of the wireless device with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per day.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the second device is a mobile phone having a storage device, and wherein the database automatically updates the storage device of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at a frequency that is input into the database by the second user.

31. The system of claim 21 wherein the database is part of a non-distributed network.

32. The system of claim 21 wherein the database receives a second set of data input by the second user, and wherein the second user has access to the immediate mode of access from the database only after the second user authorizes the database to allow the first user access to at least a portion of the second set of data from the database.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the first user has access to at least a portion of the second set of data only after the first user has authorized the database to allow the second user access to at least a portion of the first set of data from the database.

34. The system of claim 21 wherein the database receives a privacy level that is input by the first user for the immediate mode of access of the first user, the privacy level being selected from a hierarchy of privacy levels, and wherein the database receives a clearance level for the second user that is input by the first user, the clearance level being selected from a hierarchy of clearance levels that correspond with the hierarchy of privacy levels, the clearance level being measured against the privacy level to determine whether the second user has access to the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the clearance level must be at least as high in the hierarchy of clearance levels as the privacy level is high in the hierarchy of privacy levels for the second user to have access to the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database.

36. A method transmitting data between a first user and a second user, the data including an immediate mode of access of the first user, the method comprising the steps of:

the first user accessing a database using a first device to input one or more modes of access of the first user into the database;

the first user selecting one of the modes of access as the immediate mode of access of the first user; and

the second user accessing the database using a second device to retrieve the immediate mode of access of the first user.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of selecting one of the modes of access includes selecting from at least one of an electronic mail address, a phone number, a message service number, a pager number and a facsimile number.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of the first user inputting a future mode of access of the first user into the database, the future mode of access of the first user being selected from the one or more of the modes of access of the first user, the future mode of access correlating to a time period during which the future mode of access will become the immediate mode of access.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of providing a future mode of access includes generating a schedule of one or more future modes of access for at least a four hour time period, each future mode of access correlating to one or more distinct time periods during which each such future mode of access will become the immediate mode of access.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of providing a future mode of access includes generating a schedule of one or more future modes of access for at least a week-long time period, each future mode of access correlating to one or more distinct time periods during which each such future mode of access will become the immediate mode of access.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of the second user using a second device includes blocking the second user from accessing the future mode of access of the first user.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein the second device is a mobile phone.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising the step of the database automatically updating a memory of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user.

44. The method of claim 42 further comprising the step of the database automatically updating a memory of the mobile phone with the immediate mode of access of the first user at least approximately one time per hour.

45. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of the first user selecting one of the modes of access includes using a third device that is electrically decoupled from the first device to select one of the modes of access as the immediate mode of access of the first user.

46. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of a third user accessing the database with a third device substantially simultaneously with the second user to retrieve the immediate mode of access of the first user, the third device being electrically decoupled from the first and second devices.

47. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of the second user accessing the database includes the second user inputting a second set of data into the database, and the second user accessing the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database only after the second user authorizes the first user to access at least a portion of the second set of data from the database.

48. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of the first user accessing the database includes the first user inputting a privacy level into the database for the immediate mode of access of the first user, the privacy level being selected from a hierarchy of privacy levels, and the first user inputting a clearance level into the database for the second user, the clearance level being selected from a hierarchy of clearance levels that correspond with the hierarchy of privacy levels, and further comprising the step of comparing the clearance level with the privacy level to determine whether the second user has access to the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the step of comparing the clearance level includes allowing access by the second user to the immediate mode of access of the first user from the database only if the clearance level is at least as high in the hierarchy of clearance levels as the privacy level is high in the hierarchy of privacy levels.

50. A method for transmitting data between a first user and a second user, the method comprising the steps of:

a first user inputting a first set of data into a database;

a second user inputting a second set of data into the database; and

the second user being authorized access to at least a first portion of the first set of data from the database only after the second user authorizes the first user to access at least a first portion of the second set of data from the database.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the step of the second user being authorized includes the first user authorizing the database to allow the second user to access the first portion of the first set of data from the database.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the step of the first user inputting includes the first user using a first device to input the first set of data, and further comprising the step of the first user accessing the first portion of the second set of data from the database using a second device that is electrically decoupled from the first device.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of the second user inputting includes the second user using a third device to input the second set of data, and further comprising the step of the second user accessing the first portion of the first set of data from the database using a fourth device that is electrically decoupled from the third device.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein at least one of the second device and the fourth device is a mobile phone.

55. The method of claim 50 further comprising the steps of a third user inputting a third set of data into the database, and the third user accessing a second portion of the first set of data from the database only after the third user authorizes the database to allow the first user to access at least a portion of a third set of data from the database.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the first portion of the first set of data and the second portion of the first set of data are different.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the step of the second user accessing the first portion of the first set of data includes the first user blocking the second user from accessing the second portion of the first set of data, and wherein the step of the third user accessing the second portion of the first set of data includes the first user blocking the third user from accessing the first portion of the first set of data.

58. The method of claim 55 wherein the first portion of the first set of data and the second portion of the first set of data are identical.

59. The method of claim 58 further comprising the step of storing the first portion of the first set of data and the second portion of the first set of data in the database in a non-duplicative manner.

60. The method of claim 50 wherein the step of the first user inputting the first set of data includes the first user inputting a plurality of modes of access of the first user, and further comprising the step of the first user selecting one of the modes of access as an immediate mode of access of the first user, wherein the first portion of the first set of data includes the immediate mode of access of the first user.

61. The method of claim 60 further comprising the steps of the first user selecting a future mode of access of the first user from the modes of access of the first user, and the first user correlating the future mode of access to one or more time periods during which the future mode of access of the first user will become the immediate mode of access of the first user.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the step of the second user being authorized includes the second user being blocked from accessing the future mode of access of the first user from the database.

63. The method of claim 61 wherein the step of the first user inputting the first set of data includes the first user inputting a time-dependent schedule of the future mode of access of the first user into the database.

64. The method of claim 50 wherein the step of the second user being authorized includes the second user using a wireless device, and further comprising the step of the database automatically updating a memory of the wireless device with the first portion of the first set of data at a frequency that is input into the database by the second user.

65. The method of claim 50 wherein the step of the first user inputting includes the first user selecting a first privacy level for the first portion of the first set of data from a hierarchy of privacy levels, and the first user selecting a clearance level for the second user from a hierarchy of clearance levels that correlate with the hierarchy of privacy levels, and further comprising the step of the database comparing the first privacy level with the clearance level to determine whether the second user has access to the first portion of the first set of data from the database.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the step of comparing includes allowing access by the second user to the first portion of the first set of data from the database only if the clearance level is as high in the hierarchy of clearance levels as the first privacy level is high in the hierarchy of privacy levels.

67. The method of claim 65 wherein the step of the first user inputting includes the first user selecting a second privacy level for a second portion of the first set of data from a hierarchy of privacy levels, and further comprising the step of the database comparing the second privacy level with the clearance level to determine whether the second user has access to the second portion of the first set of data from the database.