Systems and methods for controlling data access by use of a universal anonymous identifier

• US 8,042,193 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albright Associates
• Original Assignee: Albright Associates
• Inventors: Piliouras, Teresa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAKHIA, VIRAL S
• Application Number:
  US12/146,257
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/28
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/88 Medical equipments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions

Abstract

A universal anonymous data collection and exchange service is provided where individuals and entities initially register with the service utilizing “legally authentic” identity documentation to obtain a “universal ID” (UXID). The UXID consists of a sting of alphanumeric digits selected from a hash function that is performed on a string of personally identifying information. Once registered, the individual and entity UXIDs are used as a means by the service to engage in a pre-defined confidential data collection and exchange protocol between participating, registered UXID holders. The service is designed for use across many applications, individuals and entities, and may support one-time or recurring collection of data.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for controlling data access, comprising:

receiving documentation identifying a user;

defining a confidence level of an identity of the user based on the documentation identifying the user;

generating, by a communication platform processor and using a hash algorithm stored in a hashing database, a set of identifiers, the set including a unique universal identifier (UXID) associated with the user and based at least in part on the confidence level;

assigning, to the unique universal identifier (UXID), a graded user verification level that corresponds to the confidence level of the identity of the user based on the documentation identifying the user;

creating a user account associated with the set of identifiers, the user account including the unique universal identifier (UXID) and at least one of user data and generated data;

receiving a request to associate the user account with a subscriber-entity;

generating, by the communication platform processor and responsive to the request to associate the user account with the subscriber-entity, a unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID) that identifies the subscriber-entity and is included within the set of identifiers;

receiving a request from the subscriber-entity to access the user account;

authorizing, by use of the communication platform processor, the request from the subscriber-entity based at least in part on an evaluation of the graded user verification level, and at least one of the unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID), and the unique universal identifier (UXID); and

providing, by use of the communication platform processor, at least one of the user data and the generated data from at least one of an individual data database and an entity data database to the subscriber-entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the request from the subscriber-entity further comprises an act of:

authorizing, by use of the communication platform processor, the request from the subscriber-entity based at least in part on the confidence level.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating the unique universal identifier (UXID) with the graded user verification level corresponding to the confidence level being one of a moderate confidence level, a high confidence level, and a very high confidence level based on the documentation identifying the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the unique universal identifier (UXID) comprises:

generating a provisional unique universal identifier based on the graded user verification level; and

subsequent to generating the provisional unique universal identifier, generating a fully authorized unique universal identifier associated with the user, based on a change in the graded user verification level.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising:

receiving additional documentation identifying the user; and

identifying the change in the graded user verification level based on the additional documentation.

6. In a computer network, a data access control system, comprising:

a universal identification communication platform including at least one processor and at least one database;

the processor configured to receive documentation identifying a user and to define a confidence level of an identity of the user based on the documentation identifying the user; and

the processor configured to generate a set of identifiers, the set including a unique universal identifier (UXID) associated with the user and based at least in part on the confidence level;

the processor configured to assign a graded user verification level to the unique universal identifier (UXID) based on the documentation, wherein the graded user verification level corresponds to the confidence level of the identity of the user based on the documentation identifying the user;

the processor configured to create a user account associated with the set of identifiers;

the universal identification communication platform configured to receive a request to associate the user account with a subscriber-entity, and to generate a unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID) that identifies the subscriber-entity and is part of the set of identifiers;

the database configured to store data associated with the user account, the data including user data and the graded user verification level;

the processor configured to authorize a request from the subscriber-entity to access the user account based at least in part on the graded user verification level, and

at least one of the unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID), and the unique universal identifier (UXID); and

the universal identification communication platform configured to provide at least one of the user data and the data generated by the universal identification communication platform to the subscriber entity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the subscriber-entity is a school-entity and a second subscriber-entity is a medical-entity, and wherein the user is a student enrolled at the school and with the medical entity.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the data associated with the user account includes school records of the student and medical records of the student.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the universal identification communication platform is configured to provide at least one of the school records to the school-entity and to provide the medical records to the medical-entity.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the universal identification communication platform is configured to prevent the school-entity from accessing the medical records and to prevent the medical-entity from accessing the school records.

11. The system of claim 6, comprising:

the processor configured to assign a subscriber-entity verification level to the unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID) based on a characteristic of the subscriber-entity, wherein the subscriber-entity verification level defines a confidence level of authenticity of the subscriber-entity; and

the processor configured to authorize the request from the subscriber-entity based at least in part on the subscriber-entity verification level.

12. The system of claim 6, comprising

the universal identification communication platform configured to generate an entity registration that defines different levels of access rights to the user account afforded to the subscriber-entity.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the communication platform processor is configured to generate at least one of a report including aggregated user data of the user and a data extract including aggregated user data of the user.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the subscriber-entity is a medical-entity and the user is a first patient enrolled in a drug study with the medical-entity, further comprising:

the universal identification communication platform configured to generate a second user unique universal identifier (UXID) associated with a second user account of a second user that is a second patient enrolled in the drug study;

the universal identification communication platform configured to aggregate data associated with the user account and data associated with the second user account, and grant access of the aggregated data to the medical-entity.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the universal identification communication platform is configured to receive the request to associate the user account with a subscriber-entity from one of the user and the subscriber-entity.

16. The system of claim 6, comprising:

the universal identification communication platform configured to provide at least one of the user data and the data generated by the universal identification communication platform to the subscriber-entity in an anonymous fashion that does not reveal user identity.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein the subscriber-entity is a first subscriber-entity, further comprising the universal identification communication platform configured to:

generate a second unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID) that identifies a second subscriber-entity;

provide a first portion of the user data and the data generated by the universal identification communication platform to the first subscriber-entity;

provide a second portion of the user data and the data generated by the universal identification communication platform to the second-subscriber entity;

prevent the first subscriber-entity from accessing the second portion of the user data and the data generated by the universal identification communication platform; and

prevent the second subscriber-entity from accessing the first portion of the user data and the data generated by the universal identification communication platform.

18. The system of claim 11, comprising:

the processor configured to;

generate a provisional unique entity-associated universal identifier associated with the user and based on the subscriber-entity verification level; and

subsequently, to generate a fully authorized unique entity-associated universal identifier associated with the user, based on a change in the subscriber-entity verification level.

19. The system of claim 6, comprising:

the processor configured to;

generate a provisional unique universal identifier associated with the user and based on the graded user verification level; and

subsequently, to generate a fully authorized unique universal identifier associated with the user, based on a change in the graded user verification level.

20. The system of claim 6, comprising:

the processor configured to generate the unique universal identifier (UXID) with the graded user verification level corresponding to the confidence level being one of a moderate confidence level, a high confidence level, and a very high confidence level based on the documentation identifying the user.

21. An article of manufacture having stored thereon sequences of instructions including instructions that will cause a processor to:

receive documentation identifying a user;

define a confidence level of an identity of the user based on the documentation identifying the user;

generate a set of identifiers including a unique universal identifier (UXID) associated with the user and based at least in part on the confidence level;

assign a graded user verification level that corresponds to the confidence level of the identity of the user based on the documentation identifying the user;

create a user account associated with the set of identifiers, the user account including at least one of user data and generated data;

receive a request to associate the user account with a subscriber-entity;

generate, responsive to the request to associate the user account with the subscriber-entity, a unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID) that identifies the subscriber-entity and is included within the set of identifiers;

receive from the subscriber-entity a request to access the user account;

authorize the request from the subscriber-entity based at least in part on the graded user verification level, and at least one of the unique entity-associated universal identifier (EA-UXID), and the unique universal identifier (UXID); and

provide at least one of the user data and the generated data to the subscriber-entity.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the sequences of instructions including instructions that will cause the processor to:

generate a provisional unique universal identifier associated with the user and based on the graded user verification level; and

subsequently, to generate a fully authorized unique universal identifier associated with the user, based on a change in the graded user verification level.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the sequences of instructions include instructions that will cause the processor to:

generate the unique universal identifier (UXID) associated with the user with the graded user verification level corresponding to the confidence level being one of a moderate confidence level, a high confidence level, and a very high confidence level based on the documentation identifying the user.