PERSONAL DATA MANAGER SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20100185656A1
• Filed: 01/20/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Titanium Fire Ltd Executive Pension Scheme
• Original Assignee: Titanium Fire Ltd.
• Inventors: Pollard, Stephen M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating the propagation of personal data are provided. Example embodiments provide a Personal Data Propagation Environment (“PDP environment”), which facilitates the propagation of personal data items between secure personal data stores and various consumers of the personal data items. In one embodiment, the PDP environment includes a personal data manager and a personal data subscriber. The personal data manager manages personal data items on a secure data store associated with a user computing device. The personal data manager provides access to personal data items stored on the secure data store in accordance with a personal data subscription associated with the personal data subscriber. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A personal data manager computing device configured to facilitate propagation of personal data, the computing system comprising:

a memory;

a secure data store; and

a personal data manager module stored on the memory and configured, when executed, to;

receive from a personal data subscriber computing system a request for one or more personal data items stored in the secure data store;

determine whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with a personal data subscription associated with the personal data subscriber computing system, the personal data subscription entitling the personal data subscriber computing system to access a plurality of personal data items from the secure data store; and

when the request for one or more personal data items is determined to be in accord with the personal data subscription, cause the personal data subscriber computing system to initiate a transaction by initiating transmission of the one or more requested personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system.

2. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more personal data items are stored in encrypted form on the secure data store.

3. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the secure data store is removably coupled to the computing device.

4. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the secure data store includes a plurality of data items that include at least one of a personal name, an address, financial information, a user name, a password, a government identifier, a communication preference, or contact information.

5. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the personal data manager module is further configured, when executed, to:

receive an indication that one or more personal data items have been modified on the secure data store; and

in response to the received indication, automatically propagate the one or more modified personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system, based at least in part on one of the one or more modified personal data items being one of the plurality of personal data items to which the personal data subscription entitles access.

6. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the computing device is a personal computing device, and wherein the personal data subscriber computing system is operated by an electronic commerce entity.

7. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the personal data manager module includes instructions configured for execution by the computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the personal data manager module is further configured, when executed, to:

determine whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with a personal data subscription by receiving from a remote personal data propagation service an indication that the one or more requested personal data items is one of the plurality of personal data items to which the personal data subscription entitles access.

9. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the personal data manager module is further configured, when executed, to provide a user interface that is configured, when executed, to create, update, or delete personal data items stored on the secure data store.

10. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents include instructions that, when executed, cause a personal data manager computing device to facilitate propagation of personal data, by performing a method comprising:

receiving from a personal data subscriber computing system a request for one or more personal data items stored in a secure data store communicatively coupled to the personal data manager computing device;

determining whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with a personal data subscription associated with the personal data subscriber computing system, the personal data subscription entitling the personal data subscriber computing system to access a plurality of personal data items from the secure data store; and

when the request for one or more personal data items is determined to be in accord with the personal data subscription, causing the personal data subscriber computing system to initiate a transaction by initiating transmission of the one or more requested personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user associated with the personal data manager computing device consent to provide the one or more requested personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein obtaining from the user consent to provide the one or more requested personal data items to the personal data subscriber includes interactively prompting the user for the consent to provide the one or more personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein determining whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with a personal data subscription includes determining whether at least one of the one or more requested personal data items is one of the plurality of personal data items to which the personal data subscription entitles access.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein determining whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with a personal data subscription includes receiving from a remote personal data propagation service an indication that the one or more requested personal data items is one of the plurality of personal data items to which the personal data subscription entitles access.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

automatically populating a user interface display with the one or more requested personal data items prior to initiating transmission of the one or more personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a data item from the personal data subscriber computing system and storing the received data item as a personal data item on the secure data store.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the personal data manager computing device is at least one of a desktop computer system, a portable computer system, a mobile phone, a smart phone, or a personal digital assistant.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the computer-readable storage medium is included in at least one of a memory stick, a memory card, a disk, or an input device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an indication that one or more personal data items have been modified on the secure data store; and

in response to the received indication, automatically propagating the one or more modified personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system, based at least in part on one of the one or more modified personal data items being one of the plurality of personal data items to which the personal data subscription entitles access.

20. A method in a personal data manager computing device for facilitating propagation of personal data, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of an update to a personal data item stored in a secure data store communicatively coupled to the personal data manager computing device; and

automatically propagating the updated personal data item to a personal data subscriber computing system, by;

determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with a personal data subscription that entitles the personal data subscriber computing system access to the updated personal data item; and

automatically initiating transmission of the updated personal data item to the personal data subscriber computing system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with a personal data subscription includes receiving from a remote personal data propagation service an indication that the personal data subscriber is associated with the personal data subscription.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with the personal data subscription includes receiving a request from the personal data subscriber computing system to provide the updated personal data item.

23. The method of claim 20, the automatically propagating the updated personal data item occurring in response to a user interaction with the personal data subscriber computing system, the user interaction occurring by operating the personal data manager computing device.

24. The method of claim 20, the automatically propagating the updated personal data item occurring in response to the received indication of the update to the personal data item and without intervening interaction from a user.

25. The method of claim 20, the initiating transmission of the updated personal data item to the personal data manager computing system conditioned on consent received from a user operating the secure personal data store.

26. The method of claim 20, the personal data subscription specifying one or more personal data items, and wherein determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with the personal data subscription includes determining whether the updated personal data item is one of the one or more specified personal data items.

27. A computer-readable storage medium whose contents include instructions that, when executed, cause a personal data manager computing device to facilitate propagation of personal data, by performing a method comprising:

automatically synchronizing a modified personal data item with a personal data subscriber computing system, the modified personal data item stored in a secure data store communicatively coupled to the personal data manager computing device, by;

determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with a personal data subscription that entitles the personal data subscriber computing system access to the modified personal data item; and

initiating transmission of the modified personal data item to the personal data subscriber computing system.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with a personal data subscription includes receiving from a remote personal data propagation service an indication that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with the personal data subscription.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the determining that the personal data subscriber computing system is associated with the personal data subscription includes receiving a request from the personal data subscriber computing system to provide the modified personal data item.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, the automatically propagating the modified personal data item occurring in response to a user interaction with the personal data subscriber computing system, the user interaction occurring by operating the personal data manager computing device.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, the automatically propagating the modified personal data item occurring in response to a received indication of a modification to the personal data item and without intervening interaction from a user.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the personal data manager computing device is a personal computing device, wherein the modified personal data item reflects personal information about a user of the personal computing device, and wherein the personal data subscriber computing system is operated by an electronic commerce entity.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the method further comprises:

providing a user interface that is configured, when executed, to create, update, or delete personal data items stored on the secure data store.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the modified personal data item is stored in encrypted form on the secure personal data store, and wherein the method further comprises:

decrypting the modified personal data item prior to the transmission of the modified personal data item.