PRIVACY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING USER'S POLICY AND PREFERENCE MATCHING
First Claim
1. A system, to which a client computer used by a user is connected, having at least one processor for matching user'"'"'s preferences, the system comprising:
- storage means;
means for storing profiles of a plurality of users in the storage means, the profiles including preference information;
means for storing policy information as to whether to allow disclosure of the preference information for each of the plurality of users in the storage means;
means for comparing the stored preference information in the profile of a first user with the stored preference information in the profile of a second user; and
means for disclosing matching preference information to the client computer of the user having the profile of the first user if the profile of the second user includes preference information matching the preference information in the profile of the first user, and also if the policy information allows disclosure of the matching preference information.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
By applying a privacy policy, which describes and manages a policy for disclosure of preference information, to the preference information, it is determined whether or not to disclose some or all of the information to a third party based on classification as a result of matching by a matching system. The description of a privacy policy makes it possible to achieve a meaningful communication by disclosing preference information to others within a detailed range while keeping the preference information undisclosed if the user does not wish disclosure thereof, such as disclosing only preference information including preferences matching those of the other user or disclosing only preference information including preferences shared in a certain user group.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system, to which a client computer used by a user is connected, having at least one processor for matching user'"'"'s preferences, the system comprising:
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storage means; means for storing profiles of a plurality of users in the storage means, the profiles including preference information; means for storing policy information as to whether to allow disclosure of the preference information for each of the plurality of users in the storage means; means for comparing the stored preference information in the profile of a first user with the stored preference information in the profile of a second user; and means for disclosing matching preference information to the client computer of the user having the profile of the first user if the profile of the second user includes preference information matching the preference information in the profile of the first user, and also if the policy information allows disclosure of the matching preference information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for matching a user'"'"'s preference information stored in storage means by use of a computer to which a client computer used by the user is connected, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing profiles of a plurality of users in the storage means, the profiles including preference information; storing policy information as to whether to allow disclosure of the preference information for each of the plurality of users in the storage means; comparing the stored preference information in the profile of a first user with the stored preference information in the profile of a second user; and disclosing matching preference information to the client computer of the user having the profile of the first user if the profile of the second user includes preference information matching the profile of the first user, and also if the policy allows disclosure of the matching preference information. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A program storage device for storing a program for matching a user'"'"'s preferences stored in storage means by use of a computer to which a client computer used by the user is connected, the program causing the computer to execute the steps of:
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storing profiles of a plurality of users in the storage means, the profiles including preference information; setting policy information as to whether to allow disclosure of the preference information for each of the plurality of users in the storage means; comparing the stored preference information in the profile of a first user with the preference information in the profile of a second user among the stored profiles; and disclosing matching preference information to the client computer of the user having the profile of the first user if the profile of the second user includes preference information matching the profile of the first user, and also if the policy allows disclosure of the matching preference information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A server system to which a plurality of client computers are connected via a network, the server system comprising:
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means for storing preference information of users of the client computers; means for storing privacy policy information for each of the users, the privacy policy information including conditions for disclosure of the preference information; and means for comparing the preference information between first and second users among the users in response to a preference information query to the second user from the first user, and for disclosing matching preference information to the client computer of the second user if the preference information of the first user includes preference information matching the preference information of the second user and if the privacy policy information of the first user specifies disclosure of the matching preference information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification