System and Method for Secure Record Management in a Virtual Space

• US 20100037292A1
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 66 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods for using a matching system in a virtual space to facilitate the exchange of protected information and protected content. Subscriber computing devices each operated by a subscriber are associated with a subscriber identifier. Each computing device is connected to the network. In an embodiment, the sharing of protected information and content by one party with another party is regulated through permissions that determine whether a sharing party is authorized to disclose the protected content, whether a potential receiving party is authorized to receive protected content, and whether the protected content meets conditions established by the potential disclosing party for review by the potential reviewing party. Matching instructions may reveal whether a potential recipient is qualified to view the protected information or content and whether the subscriber also possesses any required supplemental information.

Claims

1. A system for secure record sharing in a virtual space comprising:

a network;

subscriber computing devices, wherein each subscriber computing device is associated with a subscriber identifier and wherein each subscriber computing device is connected to the network;

a profile datastore, wherein the profile datastore comprises a subscriber record sharing profile comprising conditions for the exchange of protected information established by the subscriber and wherein the subscriber record sharing profile is associated with the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber identifier;

an information processor connected to the network, wherein the information processor comprises instructions for;

monitoring subscriber identifiers associated with the subscriber devices that are logged into a website, wherein the website defines a virtual space and the logged-in subscriber devices are characterized as present in the virtual space;

serving web pages to the computing devices of the present subscribers via the network, wherein a web page of a present subscriber comprises a subscriber icon associated with the present subscriber and subscriber icons of other present subscribers;

determining whether a subscriber record sharing profile associated with the present subscriber matches the subscriber record sharing profiles associated with the other present subscribers according to record sharing matching criteria (herein, the “

record matching determination”

);

in response to the record matching determination, linking the icon of the present subscriber to the icons associated with other present subscribers having record sharing profiles that match the record sharing profile of the subscriber according to the security matching criteria and assigning a matching attribute to the icons associated with the other present subscribers having record sharing profiles that match the record sharing profile of the present subscriber according to security matching criteria; and

providing selected record sharing profile information to the present subscriber of a selected one of any of the other present matching subscribers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber computing devices are selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a cellphone, and a smartphone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a wired network, a wireless network, a fiber network, a secure wired network, a secured wireless, and a secured fiber network.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the icon of the present subscriber and the icons of the other present subscribers are selected from the group consisting of a geometric shape, an avatar, a shape of an animal, and a shape of an object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the protected information is contained in a record selected from the group consisting of a business record, a health record, an employment record, a financial record, a tax record, a police record, a juvenile justice record, a military personnel record, a customs record, a legal record, and a securities record.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the health record is selected from the group consisting of a physical health record, a mental health record, a genetic profile, a record of embryo storage, a sperm donor record, and a egg donor record.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the conditions for exchange of profile information comprises information selected from the group consisting of the qualifications of a receiving subscriber, the qualifications of a providing subscriber, an authentication of a receiving subscriber, and an authentication of a providing subscriber.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the matching attribute is selected from the group consisting of a color, a hue, a size, a shape, a sound, flashing, and a periodic change from one attribute to another attribute.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual space is representative of a real space and wherein the web page comprises a graphical depiction of the virtual space.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the information processor further comprises instructions for determining a location of the subscriber computing devices relative to the real space and wherein the icon of the present subscriber and icons of the other present subscribers are displayed relative to their locations in the real space.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein computing devices are wireless devices, the network is a wireless network, and the present subscriber and the other present subscribers are physically located in the real space.

12. A method for secure networking in a virtual space over a network comprising:

associating subscriber computing devices with subscriber identifiers, wherein each computing device is connected to the network;

creating a subscriber record sharing profile in a profile datastore, wherein the subscriber record sharing profile comprises information indicative of a security status of a subscriber and wherein the subscriber record sharing profile is associated with the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber identifier;

monitoring subscriber identifiers associated with the subscriber devices that are logged in to a website, wherein the website defines a virtual space and the logged-in subscriber devices are characterized as present in the virtual space;

serving web pages to the computing devices of the present subscribers via the network, wherein a web page of a present subscriber comprises a subscriber icon associated with the present subscriber and subscriber icons of other present subscribers;

determining whether a record sharing profile associated with the present subscriber matches the subscriber record sharing profiles associated with the other present subscribers according to security matching criteria (herein, the “

record matching determination”

);

in response to the record matching determination, linking the icon of the present subscriber to the icons associated with other present subscribers having record sharing profiles that match the record sharing profile of the subscriber according to the security matching criteria and assigning a matching attribute to the icons of the other present subscribers having record sharing profiles that match the record sharing profile of the present subscriber according to security matching criteria; and

providing selected record sharing profile information to the present subscriber of a selected one of any of the other present matching subscribers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the subscriber computing devices are selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a cellphone, and a smartphone.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a wired network, a wireless network, a fiber network, a secure wired network, a secured wireless, and a secured fiber network.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the icon of the present subscriber and the icons of the other present subscribers are selected from the group consisting of a geometric shape, an avatar, a shape of an animal, and a shape of an object

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the protected information is contained in a record selected from the group consisting of a business record, a health record, an employment record, a financial record, a tax record, a police record, a juvenile justice record, a military personnel record, a customs record, a legal record, and a securities record.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the health record is selected from the group consisting of a physical health record, a mental health record, a genetic profile, a record of embryo storage, a sperm donor record, and a egg donor record.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the conditions for exchange of profile information comprises information selected from the group consisting of the qualifications of a receiving subscriber, the qualifications of a providing subscriber, an authentication of a receiving subscriber, and an authentication of a providing subscriber.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of a color, a hue, a size, a shape, a sound, flashing, and a periodic change from one attribute to another attribute.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the virtual space is representative of a real space and wherein the web page comprises a graphical depiction of the virtual space.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

determining a location of the subscriber computing devices relative to the real space; and

displaying the icon of the present subscriber and the icons of the other present subscribers relative to their locations in the real space.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein computing devices are wireless devices, the network is a wireless network, and the present subscriber and the other present subscribers are physically located in the real space.