System and Method for Anonymously Indexing Electronic Record Systems

• US 20070245144A1
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockstep Consulting Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Lockstep Consulting Pty Limited
• Inventors: Wilson, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

A method for issuing Anonymous Public Key Certificates to Registered Persons in an electronic record system, where pointers for indexing the record system are stored within the Anonymous Public Key Certificates, and where associated Private Keys are controlled by smartcards or similar devices. Electronic records may be identifiably indexed when the smartcard has been activated by its holder correctly entering their secret pass-phrase, or anonymously indexed when only the value of a pointer is known. The only direct linkage between each Anonymous Public Key Certificate and the associated Registered Person is through the associated Private Key as controlled by a smartcard or similar device. Using this invention the retrieval of identifiable records pertaining to a given Registered Person from an electronic record system is normally only possible with the agency of the Person'"'"'s smartcard or similar device, and therefore normally only possible with the Person'"'"'s consent.

Claims

1-95. -95. (canceled)

96. A method for anonymously indexing an electronic record system, the method comprising:

storing an asymmetric cryptographic private key under the control of a portable storage device of a registered user;

storing an anonymous public key certificate, the anonymous public key certificate being associated with an asymmetric cryptographic public key matching the asymmetric cryptographic private key;

providing the portable storage device with information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device; and

indexing within an electronic record system personal information of the registered user, whereby association of the information with the registered user is anonymously verifiable by use of the anonymous public key certificate.

97. The method of claim 96 wherein the portable storage device is provided with at least one of:

human readable information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device; and

machine readable information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device upon presentation of the portable storage device.

98. The method of claim 96 wherein the portable storage device is at least one of:

a smartcard; and

an electronic passport.

99. The method of claim 96 wherein the indexing comprises associating with each item of personal information of the registered user an electronic record pointer, and wherein the anonymous public key certificate contains the electronic record pointer.

100. The method of claim 96, wherein storing of the asymmetric cryptographic private key under the control of the portable storage device comprises at least one of:

storing the asymmetric cryptographic private key in the portable storage device;

storing an access code in the portable storage device allowing access to the asymmetric cryptographic private key; and

copying the asymmetric cryptographic private key into the possession of an authorised user.

101. The method according to claim 99 wherein digital signature codes are created for given data items within the electronic record system in order to explicitly link each digitally signed data item to the value of an electronic record pointer associated with the digital signature codes.

102. The method according to claim 96 wherein digital signature codes are created for given data items in the electronic record system using an asymmetric cryptographic private key issued to the registered person, where each digital signature code is interpreted as explicitly recording the consent of the registered person to the creation of each respective digitally signed data item.

103. An anonymously indexed electronic record system comprising:

a portable storage device for a registered user, an asymmetric cryptographic private key being under the control of the portable storage device, the portable storage device being provided with information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device;

a stored anonymous public key certificate associated with an asymmetric cryptographic public key matching the asymmetric cryptographic private key,

an electronic storage indexing personal information of the registered user, whereby association of the information with the registered user is anonymously verifiable by use of the anonymous public key certificate.

104. The system of claim 103 wherein the portable storage device is provided with at least one of:

human readable information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device; and

machine readable information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device upon presentation of the portable storage device.

105. The system of claim 103 wherein the portable storage device is at least one of:

a smartcard; and

an electronic passport.

106. The system of claim 103 wherein the electronic storage indexes the personal information by having associated with each item of personal information of the registered user an electronic record pointer, and wherein the anonymous public key certificate contains the electronic record pointer.

107. The system of claim 106 wherein digital signature codes are created for given data items within the electronic record system in order to explicitly link each digitally signed data item to the value of an electronic record pointer associated with the digital signature codes.

108. The system of claim 103 wherein digital signature codes are created for given data items in the electronic record system using an asymmetric cryptographic private key issued to the registered person, where each digital signature code is interpreted as explicitly recording the consent of the registered person to the creation of each respective digitally signed data item.

109. The system of claim 103 wherein the anonymous public key certificate contains a personal data component.

110. The system of claim 109 wherein the personal data component comprises biometric data of the registered user.

111. The system of claim 103, wherein the asymmetric cryptographic private key is stored in the portable storage device.

112. The system of claim 103, wherein an access code is stored in the portable storage device allowing access to the asymmetric cryptographic private key.

113. The system of claim 103, wherein the asymmetric cryptographic private key can be copied with the registered user'"'"'s authorization into the possession of an authorised user.

114. The system of claim 113 wherein the authorised user is a health care professional authorised by the registered user to enter an update to the registered user'"'"'s indexed personal information.

115. A portable storage device for a registered user of an anonymously indexed electronic record system, the portable storage device being provided with information for associating the registered user with the portable storage device, wherein an asymmetric cryptographic private key is under the control of the portable storage device, wherein an anonymous public key certificate is associated with an asymmetric cryptographic public key matching the asymmetric cryptographic private key, and wherein association of anonymously indexed personal information with the user is anonymously verifiable by use of the anonymous public key certificate.