Personal information distribution management system, personal information distribution management method, personal information service program, and personal information utilization program

• US 8,245,034 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hatakeyama, Makoto, Gomi, Hidehito, Hosono, Shigeru, Fujita, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): LaForgia, Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, KARI L
• Application Number:
  US12/648,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/2, 726/25, 726/26, 726/27, 713/161, 705/75
• US Class Current: 713/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

The present invention is intended to allow distribution of personal information to be managed on the basis of not only a personal information management policy defined by a personal information producer but also management policies of all apparatuses which handle personal information when the distribution of personal information is managed between apparatuses. In its configuration, personal information generation apparatus 1 encapsulates personal information together with a transmission policy to generate a personal information capsule which is transmitted to personal information utilization apparatus 2. Personal information utilization apparatus 2 receives and holds the personal information capsule for utilization. In this event, personal information generation apparatus 1 transmits a transmission policy defined by the personal information producer. Personal information utilization apparatus 2 in turn transmits a reception policy defined by a personal information user. Then, personal information generation apparatus 1 and personal information utilization apparatus 2 determine a contractual coverage in regard to personal information to be distributed, and generate contract information. Eventually, the personal information is distributed from personal information generation apparatus 1 to personal information utilization apparatus 2 based on the generated contract information.

Claims

1. A personal information distribution management system comprising:

a personal information service apparatus for providing personal information; and

a personal information utilization apparatus for utilizing personal information,

wherein said personal information service apparatus includes;

personal information input unit configured to enter personal information to be distributed;

policy input unit configured to enter a first policy indicative of provisions related to the distribution of the personal information in accordance with manipulations of a personal information producer;

contract information generation unit configured to generate contract information for concluding a personal information utilization contract with said personal information utilization apparatus to which the personal information is transmitted, based on the personal information entered through said personal information input unit and the first policy indicative of the provisions related to the distribution entered through said policy input unit;

recording unit configured to preserve the contract information generated by said contract information generation unit;

capsule creation unit configured encapsulate the personal information together with the contract information to generate a personal information capsule based on the contract information generated by said contract information generation unit; and

transmission unit configured to transmit the personal information capsule created by said capsule creation unit to said personal information utilization apparatus through a communications network, and

said personal information utilization apparatus includes;

request policy storage unit configured to store a second policy for determining a personal information request coverage;

request message transmission unit configured to transmit a message for concluding the contract with said personal information service apparatus in regard to the distribution to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network based on the second policy stored in said request policy storage unit;

contract information recording unit configured to preserve the contract information based on the result of processing performed by said request message transmission unit;

personal information capsule reception unit configured to receive the personal information capsule from said personal information service apparatus through the communications network;

personal information capsule preservation unit configured to preserve the personal information capsule received by said personal information capsule reception unit;

checking unit configured to check the contract information included in the personal information capsule in order to confirm limitations related to the utilization of personal information;

check result recording unit configured to preserve a result of the check performed by said checking unit;

information limitation unit configured to limit utilized personal information based on the result of the check performed by said checking unit;

agreement formation unit configured to supply information related to the utilization of personal information to said checking unit to form an agreement with said checking unit in regard to the utilization of personal information;

processing result recording unit configured to preserve a result of the processing performed by said agreement formation unit; and

utilization unit configured to utilize the personal information included in the personal information capsule.

2. The personal information distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein said personal information utilization apparatus includes:

transmission policy preservation unit configured to preserve a transmission policy to manage forwarding of the personal information capsule;

information extraction unit configured to extract information to be forwarded to a destination from among information included in the personal information based on the personal information included in the personal information capsule and on information preserved by said transmission policy preservation unit; and

limitation information generation unit configured to generate information on limitations to the utilization of the personal information presented to the destination from the contract information included in the personal information capsule based on the information preserved by said transmission policy preservation unit.

3. The personal information distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein said personal information service apparatus includes:

personal information preservation unit configured to preserve personal information entered by the personal information producer and preserving the first policy corresponding to the personal information entered by the personal information producer; and

information extraction unit configured to search said personal information preservation unit to extract personal information and the first policy corresponding to the personal information from said personal information preservation unit based on a request from said contract information generation unit.

4. The personal information distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein:

said personal information service apparatus includes destination input unit configured to enter a destination of personal information in accordance with instructions entered by the personal information producer, and

said personal information utilization apparatus includes;

limitation information storage unit configured to store limitation information indicative of limitations to reception of personal information; and

transmission determination unit configured to determine whether or not the personal information is to be transferred to a personal information utilization apparatus different from said personal information utilization apparatus in order to determine a destination to which the personal information is forwarded,

wherein said transmission unit transmits the personal information capsule to a destination personal information utilization apparatus entered through said destination input unit through the communications network.

5. The personal information distribution management system according to claim 1, wherein said personal information utilization apparatus includes:

personal information disclosure unit configured to disclose the personal information capsule, preserved by said personal information capsule preservation unit, to said personal information service apparatus; and

processing result disclosure unit configured to disclose the processing result preserved by said processing result recording unit to said personal information service apparatus,

wherein said personal information disclosure unit discloses the personal information capsule, preserved by said personal information preservation unit, to said personal information service apparatus by transmitting the personal information capsule to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network, and

said processing result disclosure unit discloses the processing result, preserved by said processing result recording unit, to said personal information service apparatus by transmitting the processing result to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network.

6. A personal information service apparatus for providing personal information in a personal information distribution management system for managing distribution of personal information, comprising:

personal information input unit configured to enter personal information to be distributed;

policy input unit configured to enter a policy indicative of provisions related to distribution of the personal information in accordance with instructions entered by a personal information producer;

contract information generation unit configured to generate contract information for concluding a personal information utilization contract with a personal information utilization apparatus to which the personal information is transmitted, based on the personal information entered through said personal information input unit and on the policy indicative of the provisions related to the distribution entered through said policy input unit;

recording unit configured to preserve the contract information generated by said contract information generation unit;

capsule creation unit configured to encapsulate the personal information together with the contract information to generate a personal information capsule based on the contract information generated by said contract information generation unit; and

transmission unit configured to transmit the personal information capsule created by said capsule creation unit to said personal information utilization apparatus through a communications network.

7. The personal information service apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

personal information preservation unit configured to preserve personal information entered by the personal information producer and preserving the policy corresponding to the personal information entered by the personal information producer; and

information extraction unit configured to search said personal information preservation unit to extract personal information and a policy corresponding to the personal information from said personal information preservation unit based on a request from said contract information generation unit.

8. The personal information service apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

destination input unit configured to enter a destination of personal information in accordance with instructions entered by the personal information producer,

wherein said transmission unit transmits the personal information capsule to a destination personal information utilization apparatus entered through said destination input unit through the communications network.

9. A personal information utilization apparatus for utilizing personal information in a personal information distribution management system to manage distribution of personal information, comprising:

request policy storage unit configured to store a policy for determining a personal information request coverage;

request message transmission unit configured to transmit a message for concluding a contract with a personal information service apparatus in regard to the distribution to said personal information service apparatus through a communications network based on the policy stored in said request policy storage unit;

contract information recording unit configured to preserve contract information based on a result of processing performed by said request message transmission unit;

personal information capsule reception unit configured to receive a personal information capsule from said personal information service apparatus through the communications network;

personal information capsule preservation unit configured to preserve the personal information capsule received by said personal information capsule reception unit;

checking unit configured to check the contract information included in the personal information capsule in order to confirm limitations related to the utilization of personal information;

check result recording unit configured to preserve a result of the check performed by said checking unit;

information limitation unit configured to limit utilized personal information based on the result of the check performed by said checking unit;

agreement formation unit configured to supply information related to the utilization of personal information to said checking unit to form an agreement with said checking unit in regard to the utilization of personal information;

processing result recording unit configured to preserve a result of the processing performed by said agreement formation unit; and

utilization unit configured to utilize the personal information included in the personal information capsule.

10. The personal information utilization apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

transmission policy preservation unit configured to preserve a transmission policy to manage forwarding of the personal information capsule;

information extraction unit configured to extract information to be forwarded to a destination from among information included in the personal information based on the personal information included in the personal information capsule and on information preserved by said transmission policy preservation unit; and

limitation information generation unit configured to generate information on limitations to the utilization of the personal information presented to the destination from the contract information included in the personal information capsule based on the information transmitted by said transmission policy preservation unit.

11. The personal information utilization apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

limitation information storage unit configured to store limitation information indicative of limitations to reception of personal information; and

transmission determination unit configured to determine whether or not the personal information is to be transferred to another personal information utilization apparatus different from said personal information utilization apparatus in order to determine a destination to which the personal information is forwarded.

12. The personal information utilization apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

personal information disclosure unit configured to disclose the personal information capsule preserved by said personal information capsule preservation unit to said personal information service apparatus; and

processing result disclosure unit configured to disclose the processing result preserved by said processing result recording unit to said personal information service apparatus,

wherein said personal information disclosure unit discloses the personal information capsule preserved by said personal information preservation unit to said personal information service apparatus by transmitting the personal information capsule to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network, and

said processing result disclosure unit discloses the processing result preserved by said processing result recording unit to said personal information service apparatus by transmitting the processing result to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network.

13. A personal information distribution management method comprising:

a personal information service apparatus which provides receiving personal information to be distributed;

said personal information service apparatus receives a first policy indicative of provisions related to distribution of the personal information in accordance with manipulations of a personal information producer;

said personal information service apparatus generates contract information for concluding a personal information utilization contract with a personal information utilization apparatus which utilizes the personal information and to which the personal information is transmitted, based on entered personal information and on the first policy indicative of the entered provisions related to the distribution;

said personal information service apparatus preserves the generated contract information;

said personal information service apparatus encapsulates the personal information together with the contract information to generate a personal information capsule based on the generated contract information;

said personal information service apparatus transmits the created personal information capsule to said personal information utilization apparatus through a communications network;

said personal information utilization apparatus previously stores a second policy for determining a personal information request coverage;

said personal information utilization apparatus transmits a message for concluding a contract with said personal information service apparatus in regard to the distribution to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network based on the previously stored policy;

said personal information utilization apparatus preserves contract information based on a result the transmitting the message;

said personal information utilization apparatus receives the personal information capsule from said personal information service apparatus through the communications network;

said personal information utilization apparatus preserves the received personal information capsule;

said personal information utilization apparatus checks the contract information included in the personal information capsule in order to confirm limitations related to the utilization of personal information;

said personal information utilization apparatus preserves a result of checking the contract information;

said personal information utilization apparatus limits utilized personal information based on the result of the checking the contract information;

said personal information utilization apparatus supplies information related to the utilization of personal information to form an agreement in regard to the utilization of personal information;

said personal information utilization apparatus preserves the result of the step for forming the agreement; and

said personal information utilization apparatus utilizes the personal information included in the personal information capsule.

14. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a personal information utilization program for acquiring personal information from a personal information service apparatus to utilize the acquired personal information, said program causing a computer comprising request policy storage unit for storing a policy to determine a personal information request coverage to execute:

processing for transmitting a message for concluding a contract with said personal information service apparatus in regard to distribution to said personal information service apparatus through a communications network based on the policy stored in said request policy storage unit;

processing for preserving contract information based on a result of the processing for transmitting the message;

processing for receiving a personal information capsule from said personal information service apparatus through the communications network;

processing for preserving the received personal information capsule;

processing for checking contract information included in the personal information capsule in order to confirm limitations related to the utilization of personal information;

processing for preserving a result of checking the contract information;

processing for limiting utilized personal information based on the result of the checking;

processing for supplying information related to the utilization of personal information to form an agreement in regard to the utilization of personal information;

processing for preserving the result of the processing implementing; and

processing for utilizing personal information included in the personal information capsule.

15. The non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon the personal information utilization program according to claim 14, further causing the computer to execute:

processing for preserving a transmission policy to manage forwarding of the personal information capsule;

processing for extracting information to be forwarded to a destination from among information included in the personal information based on the personal information included in the personal information capsule and on the preserved transmission policy; and

processing for generating information on limitations to the utilization of the personal information presented to the destination from the contract information included in the personal information capsule based on the preserved transmission policy.

16. The non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon the personal information utilization program according to claim 14, further causing a computer comprising limitation information storage unit for previously storing limitation information indicative of limitations to the reception of personal information to execute:

processing for determining whether or not personal information is forwarded to a personal information utilization apparatus different from said personal information utilization apparatus; and

processing for determining a destination to which the personal information is forwarded.

17. The non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon the personal information utilization program according to claim 14, further causing the computer to execute:

processing for disclosing a preserved personal information capsule to said personal information service apparatus by transmitting the personal information capsule to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network; and

processing for disclosing a preserved processing result to said personal information service apparatus by transmitting the processing result to said personal information service apparatus through the communications network.