Method and system for protecting queryable data

• US 7,975,150 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lillibridge, Mark David, Lukose, Rajan Mathew
• Primary Examiner(s): LaForgia; Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baum; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/478,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers

Abstract

A system and method for protecting queryable data. Specifically, the method is implemented in a system for targeted data delivery. The method includes collecting user information about a user and generating a user profile based on the user information. The user profile is divided into at least one part. Each part of the user profile is concealed such that each part of the user profile is only accessible using a corresponding tool controlled by a third party.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for protecting queryable data in a system for targeted data delivery, comprising:

collecting, by said computer, user information about a user from at least one electronic device associated with said user, said user information including behavioral characteristics of use of said electronic device by said user, personal information associated with said user, and configuration of said electronic device associated with said user;

generating, by said computer, a user profile based on said user information;

dividing, by said computer, said user profile into a plurality of parts;

concealing, by said computer, each part of said user profile such that each part of said user profile is accessible only using a corresponding tool controlled by a third party;

receiving, by said computer, an offer soliciting delivery of targeted data to said user, said offer defining selection criteria for targeted user profiles, and said selection criteria specifying user information of at least one part of said user profile; and

determining, by said computer, that said user profile satisfies said selection criteria, including receiving, by said computer, said corresponding tool for accessing said user information of said at least one part of said user profile and unconcealing, by said computer, said user information of said at least one part using said corresponding tool, wherein said concealing each part of said user profile further comprises;

encrypting, by said computer, user information of a first part using a symmetric key used only with a first location used for storing said user information of a first part to generate encrypted user information of a first part;

receiving, by said computer, a public key of a first asymmetric key pair that is controlled by said third party;

encrypting, by said computer, an identifier associated with said first location concatenated with said symmetric key using said public key to generate encrypted key information; and

destroying, by said computer, said symmetric key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting said targeted data to said user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reconcealing said user information of said at least one part of said user profile used for determining that said user profile satisfies said selection criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing said encrypted key information at said first location such that with help and consent of said third party said symmetric key is recovered and used to decrypt said encrypted user information of a first part to target delivery of data without releasing any of said user information of a first part, wherein said user profile is used to achieve delivery of data, which can be targeted to said user based on said user profile without requiring a release of any of said user information in said user profile.

5. A computer implemented method for protecting queryable data in a system for targeted data delivery, comprising:

collecting, by said computer, user information about a user from at least one electronic device associated with said user, said user information including behavioral characteristics of use of said electronic device by said user, personal information associated with said user, and configuration of said electronic device associated with said user;

generating, by said computer, a user profile based on said user information;

dividing, by said computer, said user profile into a plurality of parts;

concealing each part of said user profile such that each part of said user profile is accessible only using a corresponding tool controlled by a third party;

receiving, by said computer, an offer soliciting delivery of targeted data to said user, said offer defining selection criteria for targeted user profiles, and said selection criteria specifying user information of at least one part of said user profile;

determining, by said computer, that said user profile satisfies said selection criteria, including receiving, by said computer, said corresponding tool for accessing said user information of said at least one part of said user profile and unconcealing, by said computer, said user information of said at least one part using said corresponding tool;

destroying, by said computer, said corresponding tool used for accessing said user information of said at least one part of said user profile; and

destroying, by said computer, any unencrypted copies of said user information of said at least one part of said user profile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said concealing each part of said user profile further comprises:

receiving a public key of a first asymmetric key pair that is controlled by said third party;

encrypting user information of a first part using said public key of a first asymmetric key pair to generate encrypted user information of a first part; and

storing said encrypted user information of a first part at a first location such that a private key associated with said first asymmetric key pair is used to decrypt said encrypted user information of a first part to target delivery of data without releasing any of said user information of said first part, wherein said corresponding tool comprises said private key, and wherein said user profile is used to achieve delivery of data, which can be targeted to said user based on said user profile without requiring a release of any of said user information in said user profile.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a public key of a second asymmetric key pair that is controlled by said third party;

encrypting user information of a second part using said public key of a second asymmetric key pair to generate encrypted user information of a second part; and

storing said encrypted user information of a second part at a second location such that a private key in said second asymmetric key pair as said corresponding tool is used to decrypt said encrypted user information of a second part to target delivery of data without releasing any of said user information of a second part.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

padding said user information of a first part with extra data so that said user information of a first part concatenated with said extra data is a fixed length; and

encrypting said user information of a first part concatenated with said extra data using said public key of a first asymmetric key pair to generate said encrypted user information of a first part.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing said encrypted user information of a first part on an electronic device associated with said user.

10. A computer implemented method for protecting queryable data in a system for targeted data delivery, comprising:

collecting, by said computer, user information about a user from at least one electronic device associated with said user;

generating, by said computer, a user profile based on said user information, wherein said user profile is used to achieve delivery of data targeted to said user based on said user profile;

dividing, by said computer, said user profile into a plurality of parts;

encrypting, by said computer, user information of a first part of said user profile using a symmetric key used only with a first location used for storing said user information of a first part to generate encrypted user information of a first part;

storing, by said computer, said encrypted user information of a first part at said first location;

determining, by said computer, that said user profile satisfies said selection criteria used to achieve delivery of data targeted to said user, including requesting and receiving, by said computer, said symmetric key from a third party and decrypting said encrypted user information using said symmetric key to obtain said user information of a first part;

delivering, by said computer, said targeted data to said user without releasing said user information of a first part when said user information of a first part satisfies said selection criteria; and

encrypting, by said computer, an identifier associated with said first location concatenated with said symmetric key using a public key of a key pair to generate first encrypted key information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said encrypting user information further comprises:

generating said symmetric key.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving said public key from said third party.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

destroying said symmetric key; and

destroying any unencrypted copies of said user information of a first part.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said requesting and receiving said symmetric key from said third-party further comprises:

sending a request to access said first location, said request comprising said first encrypted key information to said third party, whereupon said third party sends back said symmetric key upon verifying that said identifier is associated with a part that is relevant to deciding if said offer soliciting delivery of data targets said user.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a second symmetric key;

encrypting user information of a second part of said user profile using said second symmetric key used only with a second location used for storing said user information of a second part to generate encrypted user information of a second part;

encrypting a second identifier associated with said second location concatenated with said second symmetric key using said public key to generate second encrypted key information;

destroying said second symmetric key; and

storing said second encrypted user information of a second part and said second encrypted key information at said second location such that with help and consent of said third party said second symmetric key is recovered and used to decrypt said encrypted user information of a second part to target delivery of data without releasing any of said user information of a second part.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said storing said encrypted user information of a first part further comprises:

storing said encrypted user information of a first part at said first location on an electronic device controlled by said user.