SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ANONYMIZED USER LIST COUNT
First Claim
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1. An anonymizing method for a database system, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a list of user IDs in response to a query, the list of user IDs defining a true user count;
generating a noisy user count of the list of user IDs;
comparing the true user count to a first threshold value stored in memory;
comparing the noisy user count to a second threshold value stored in memory;
outputting the noisy user count only if the true user count is greater than the first threshold value and the noisy user count is greater then the second threshold.
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Abstract
A computer system includes a database configured to receive a query and to produce a list of User IDs and an anonymization module. The anonymization module is configured to receive a list of user IDs in response to a query, the list of user IDs defining a true user count, generate a noisy user count of the list of user IDs, compare the true user count to a first threshold value stored in memory, compare the noisy user count to a second threshold value stored in memory, and output the noisy user count only if the true user count is greater than the first threshold value and the noisy user count is greater then the second threshold.
46 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An anonymizing method for a database system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a list of user IDs in response to a query, the list of user IDs defining a true user count; generating a noisy user count of the list of user IDs; comparing the true user count to a first threshold value stored in memory; comparing the noisy user count to a second threshold value stored in memory; outputting the noisy user count only if the true user count is greater than the first threshold value and the noisy user count is greater then the second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An anonymizing method for a database system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a list of user IDs in response to a query, the list of user IDs defining a true user count; generating a noisy user count by adding layered noise to the true user count, the layered noise including a plurality of noise values that are added to the true user count and are varied in dependence upon a user list count, the user list count representing a number of user lists that have been provided; and outputting the noisy user count. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An anonymizing method for a database system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a new list of user IDs in response to a new query; comparing the new list with at least one stored list to determine a new user count, the new user count being a number of users that are in the new list but not the stored list; generating a noisy difference value by adding noise to the new user count; comparing the noisy difference value to a first threshold value stored in memory; outputting the noisy count corresponding to the stored list if the noisy difference value is less than the first threshold value; and outputting a new noisy count for the new list if the noisy difference value is greater than the first threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An anonymizing method for a database system, comprising the steps of:
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in response to a plurality of queries, receiving a plurality of answers, each answer including a list of users defining a true user count for each answer; storing a frequency with which each user appears in the answers; determining if any of the users are high-touch users; and removing at least one of the high-touch users from at least one of the answers to reduce the true user count for the at least one of the answers. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification