Compiling information obtained by combinatorial searching

• US 20050228773A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Some embodiments, among others, include a search for sensitive information. Once a result of the search has been obtained, a score is assigned to the obtained result in accordance with a predefined criterion.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to search for sensitive information;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to obtain a result of the search; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to assign a score to the obtained result, the score be assigned in accordance with a predefined criterion.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to search for items of information associated with an individual.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to assign an individual score for each of the items of information.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, further comprising computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to assign a combinatorial score to the sensitive information, the combinatorial score being a function of the score for at least two of the items of information.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to search for a first item of information; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to search for a second item of information.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to assign a first individual score to the first item of information; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to assign a second individual score to the second item of information.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to assign a third score to the sensitive information, the third score being a function of the first score and the second score.

8. A method comprising the steps of:

searching for sensitive information;

obtaining a result of the search; and

assigning a score to the obtained result, the score being assigned in accordance with a predefined criterion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of searching for sensitive information comprises the step of searching for items of information associated with an individual.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of assigning a score comprises the step of assigning an individual score for each of the items of information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of assigning a score further comprises the step of assigning a combinatorial score to the personal information, the combinatorial score being a function of the score for at least two of the items of information.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of searching for sensitive information comprises the steps of:

searching for a first item of information; and

searching for a second item of information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of assigning a score comprises the steps of:

assigning a first score to the first item of information; and

assigning a second score to the second item of information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of assigning a score comprises the step of assigning a third score to the personal information, the third score being a function of the first score and the second score.

15. A system comprising:

means for searching for sensitive information;

means for obtaining a result of the search; and

means for assigning a score to the obtained result, the score being assigned in accordance with a predefined criterion.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for searching for items of information associated with an individual.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for assigning an individual score for each of the items of information.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for assigning a combinatorial score to the personal information, the combinatorial score being a function of the score for at least two of the items of information.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for searching for a first item of information; and

means for searching for a second item of information.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for assigning a first score to the first item of information;

means for assigning a second score to the second item of information; and

means for assigning a third score to the sensitive information, the third score being a function of the first score and the second score.