Method for exchanging information between at least two participants via at least one intermediary to limit disclosure between the participants

• US 7,610,407 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2003
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Karp, Alan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joo; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US10/733,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-202, 709/246, 709/200, 709/203, 709/229, 705/1, 705/80, 705/50
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2123 Dummy operation

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a method of exchanging information between at least one party and a plurality of intermediaries, the plurality of intermediaries including a selected intermediary. The method may comprise providing correct information to the selected intermediary, providing incorrect information to each of the plurality of intermediaries who are not the selected intermediary, receiving modified information based on the correct information from the selected intermediary, receiving modified information based on the incorrect information from each of the plurality of intermediaries who are not the selected intermediaries, and wherein the plurality of intermediaries do not know the identity of the selected intermediary.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging information between at least one party and a plurality of intermediaries via an anonymizing network such that misappropriation of the information is avoided, the plurality of intermediaries including a selected intermediary, the method comprising:

providing correct electronic data to the selected intermediary via the anonymizing network;

providing incorrect electronic data to each of the plurality of intermediaries who are not the selected intermediary via the anonymizing network;

receiving modified correct information based on the correct electronic data from the selected intermediary via the anonymizing network, wherein the selected intermediary interpreted the correct electronic data to yield the modified correct information with a data analysis program;

receiving modified incorrect information based on the incorrect electronic data from each of the plurality of intermediaries who are not the selected intermediary, wherein each of the plurality of intermediaries who are not the selected intermediary interpreted the incorrect electronic data to yield the modified incorrect information with one of a plurality of analysis programs; and

wherein the anonymizing network functions such that the plurality of intermediaries do not know which of the plurality of intermediaries is the selected intermediary.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising creating the incorrect electronic data from the correct electronic data.

3. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising creating the incorrect electronic data as a plausible variation of the correct electronic data.

4. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising providing proprietary data as the correct electronic data.

5. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising providing a proprietary program to the selected intermediary.

6. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising providing the correct electronic data in encrypted form.

7. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising providing the incorrect electronic data in encrypted form.

8. The method set forth in claim 1, comprising receiving the modified correct electronic data based on the correct electronic data in encrypted form.

9. A method of exchanging information among a first party, a second party, a selected intermediary and a non-selected intermediary via an anonymizing network such that misappropriation of the information is avoided, the method comprising:

using a computer programmed with a data exchange algorithm to facilitate;

providing, by the first party, correct first party information to the selected intermediary via the anonymizing network;

providing, by the second party, correct second party information to the selected intermediary via the anonymizing network;

providing, by the first party, incorrect first party information to the non-selected intermediary via the anonymizing network;

providing, by the second party, incorrect second party information to the non-selected intermediary via the anonymizing network;

processing, by the selected intermediary, the correct first party information in conjunction with the correct second party information to produce selected intermediary information via the anonymizing network;

processing, by the non-selected intermediary, the incorrect first party information in conjunction with the incorrect second party information to produce non-selected intermediary information;

providing, by the selected intermediary, the selected intermediary information to at least one of the first party and the second party via the anonymizing network; and

providing, by the non-selected intermediary, the non-selected intermediary information to the at least one of the first party and the second party via the anonymizing network.

10. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising selecting the selected intermediary.

11. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising creating the incorrect first party information from the correct first party information.

12. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising creating the incorrect first party information as a plausible variation of the correct first party information.

13. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising providing proprietary data as the correct first party information.

14. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising providing a proprietary program as the correct first party information.

15. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising providing the correct first party information in encrypted form.

16. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising providing the incorrect first party information in encrypted form.

17. The method set forth in claim 9, comprising providing the selected intermediary information in encrypted form.

18. A method of processing information, comprising:

using a computer programmed with a data exchange algorithm to facilitate;

receiving, by a selected intermediary, correct information from a first party via an anonymizing network;

receiving, by the selected intermediary, a correct program from a second party via the anonymizing network;

processing the correct information with the correct program to produce intermediary information;

providing the intermediary information to at least one of the first party and the second party via the anonymizing network; and

wherein a plurality of additional non-selected intermediaries receive and process incorrect first party information in conjunction with an incorrect program via the anonymizing network.

19. The method set forth in claim 18, comprising receiving proprietary data as the correct information.

20. The method set forth in claim 18, comprising receiving a proprietary program as the correct program.

21. The method set forth in claim 18, comprising providing the intermediary information in encrypted form.

22. The method set forth in claim 18, comprising receiving the correct information in encrypted form.

23. A method of exchanging information between at least one party and an intermediary via an anonymizing network such that misappropriation of the information is avoided, the method comprising:

a party providing at least two sets of information to the intermediary using a data exchange algorithm in conjunction with the anonymizing network, wherein the at least two sets include a set of correct information and a set of incorrect information that is plausible;

the party receiving at least two sets of modified information from the intermediary using the data exchange algorithm in conjunction with the anonymizing network, wherein the at least two sets of modified information include modified information resulting from running a data analysis program on the correct information and on the incorrect information; and

wherein the anonymizing network functions such that the intermediary does not know which of the at least two sets of information is the correct information and does not know which of the at least two sets of modified information is based on the correct information.

24. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising creating the incorrect information from the correct information.

25. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising creating the incorrect information as a plausible variation of the correct information.

26. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising providing proprietary data as the correct information.

27. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising providing a proprietary program as the correct information.

28. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising providing the correct information in encrypted form.

29. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising providing the incorrect information in encrypted form.

30. The method set forth in claim 23, comprising receiving the modified information based on the correct information in encrypted form.