Privacy management policy hub

• US 8,606,746 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Yeap, Hwee Har, You, Catherine, Lu, Qin, Li, Jane, Hsieh, Weiwei, Chan, Lindy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richardson, James E
• Application Number:
  US12/254,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 707/603, 707/689, 707/942, 707/694, 705/317
• US Class Current: 707/603
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/219 Managing data history or versioning querying versioned data G06F16/2474; querying temporal data G06F16/2477
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

A system architecture is disclosed that includes a privacy management system. In particular, the privacy management system provides a policy hub for maintaining and managing customer privacy information. The privacy management system maintains a master data database for customer information and customer privacy preferences, and a rules database for privacy rules. The privacy management system captures, synchronizes, and stores customer privacy data. Privacy rules may be authored using a privacy management vocabulary, and can be customized for an enterprise'"'"'s privacy policies.

Claims

1. A privacy management system comprising:

a privacy database, wherein

the privacy database comprises a privacy sharing preference of a customer,

the privacy sharing preference is configured to control sharing of personally identifiable information (PII) of the customer, and

the PII comprises

a first portion, and

a second portion;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, the instructions configured to implement a privacy process module, wherein

the privacy process module is communicatively coupled to the privacy database,

the privacy process module is configured to

receive an insert record request from a source, wherein

the insert record request comprises privacy data of the customer, and

the source is an external computer system, and

determine whether a best version record associated with the customer exists in the privacy database, wherein

the best version record comprises a most current representation of the privacy sharing preference,

the privacy process module comprises a survivorship engine, wherein the survivorship engine is configured to

determine whether the source is trusted,

determine whether the privacy data can be used to update the best version record, in response to a determination that the source is trusted,

identify one or more fields of the privacy data that can be used to update one or more fields of the best version record, based on survivorship rules, and

update the one or more fields of the best version record to produce an updated best version record, and

the privacy process module is further configured to

store a revision history of the best version record, wherein

the revision history comprises at least a portion of the privacy data, the best version record, and the updated best version record,

determine whether the privacy data comprises at least one of opt-in information of the customer, wherein

the opt-in information indicates at least the first portion can be shared, or

opt-out information of the customer, wherein

the opt-out information indicates at least the second portion should not be shared,

define a default privacy sharing preference that indicates at least one of

the first portion is shared, or

the second portion is not shared, and

update the best version record with the default privacy sharing preference.

2. The privacy management system of claim 1, wherein the privacy process module is further configured to

determine whether the customer is a business customer or a consumer customer, in response to the determination that the source is trusted,

in response to a determination that the customer is a consumer customer, evaluate whether the privacy data comprises a new privacy sharing preference of the customer, and

update the best version record with the new privacy sharing preference, in response to an evaluation that the privacy data comprises the new privacy sharing preference.

3. The privacy management system of claim 2, wherein said privacy process module is further configured to:

in response to a determination that the customer is a business customer, evaluate whether the privacy data relates to a privacy sharing preference right, and

store the privacy data in the privacy database, in response to the evaluation.

4. The privacy management system of claim 1, further comprising

a privacy knowledgebase, wherein

the privacy knowledgebase comprises a plurality of privacy rules,

the plurality of privacy rules implement a privacy policy that comports with a plurality of laws and regulations,

the plurality of laws and regulations are applicable to an entity that stores the PII, and

the plurality of privacy rules are configured to further control how the PII of the customer is shared.

5. The privacy management system of claim 4, further comprising:

a privacy administration user interface (UI), wherein

said privacy administration UI is communicatively coupled to said privacy database.

6. The privacy management system of claim 4, further comprising:

a privacy rules user interface (UI), wherein

said privacy rules UI is communicatively coupled to said privacy knowledgebase, and

said privacy rules UI allows configuration of said privacy knowledgebase by virtue of being configured to

add a new privacy rule to said privacy rules,

modify an existing privacy rule from said privacy rules, and

delete said existing privacy rule from said privacy rules.

7. The privacy management system of claim 1, wherein the privacy process module is further configured to

set a privacy flag, wherein the privacy flag indicates a pending status,

set a privacy timer for a period of waiting time, and

upon expiration of the privacy timer, perform

the definition of the default privacy sharing preference, and

the updating of the best version record with the default privacy sharing preference.

8. The privacy management system of claim 1, wherein

the survivorship engine is further configured to

determine a publication date of the privacy data, and

compare the publication date of the privacy data with a plurality of best version publication dates, wherein

the plurality of best version publication dates are associated with a plurality of fields of the best version record, and

a comparison result identifies the one or more fields of the privacy data that can be used to update the one or more fields of the best version record.

9. The privacy management system of claim 1, wherein said privacy process module further comprises:

a batch management module configured to update a plurality of best version records in a batch;

a communications protocol layer configured to communicate with a plurality of external systems; and

an object manager configured to communicate with the privacy process module, wherein

the object manager is communicatively coupled to

the batch management module, and

the communications protocol layer.

10. The privacy management system of claim 1, said instructions are further configured to implement:

a user interface (UI) interaction module, wherein

said UI interaction module is communicatively coupled to said privacy process module, and

said UI interaction module comprises at least one of

a privacy status module configured to track current privacy sharing preferences of a plurality of customers, and

a privacy history module configured to track past privacy sharing preferences of the plurality of customers.

11. The privacy management system of claim 10, wherein said UI interaction module is configured to

detect a privacy event, wherein

the privacy event is caused by receipt of the privacy data of the customer, and

provide the privacy data to the privacy process module, in response to the detection of the privacy event.

12. The privacy management system of claim 1, wherein

the privacy process module is further configured to

determine that no best version record associated with the customer exists in the privacy database, and

generate a new best version record associated with the customer, wherein

the best version record comprises the privacy data.

13. The privacy management system of claim 1, wherein

the privacy process module is further configured to

evaluate whether the privacy data comprises a data update for the PII of the customer, wherein

the PII is stored in the privacy database, and

the PII comprises a plurality of best version data records, and

the survivorship module is further configured to

compare the privacy data with the plurality of best version data records of the customer, in response to an evaluation that the privacy data comprises the data update,

identify a matching best version data record that corresponds to the privacy data, and

update the matching best version data record with the privacy data, based on the survivorship rules.

14. The privacy management system of claim 13, wherein the privacy process module further comprises:

a source data history module configured to

in response to the data update, create a revision history by saving at least a portion of the matching best version data record as a historical record before the matching best version data record is updated with the data update.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, at a privacy management computer system, an insert record request from a source, wherein

the insert record request comprises privacy data of a customer, and

the source is an external computer system;

determining whether a best version record associated with the customer exists in a privacy database, wherein

the best version record comprises a most current representation of a privacy sharing preference of the customer,

the privacy sharing preference is configured to control sharing of personally identifiable information (PII) of the customer, and

the PII comprises

a first portion, and

a second portion;

determining whether the source is trusted;

determining whether the privacy data can be used to update the best version record, in response to a determination that the source is trusted;

identifying one or more fields of the privacy data that can be used to update one or more fields of the best version record, based on survivorship rules;

updating the one or more fields of the best version record to produce an updated best version record;

storing a revision history of the best version record, wherein

the revision history comprises at least a portion of the privacy data, the best version record, and the updated best version record;

determining whether the privacy data comprises at least one of

opt-in information of the customer, wherein

the opt-in information indicates at least the first portion can be shared, or

opt-out information of the customer, wherein

the opt-out information indicates at least the second portion should not be shared;

defining a default privacy sharing preference that indicates at least one of the first portion is shared, or

the second portion is not shared; and

updating the best version record with the default privacy sharing preference.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a privacy event, wherein

said receiving of said privacy data of the customer causes said privacy event.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

in response to a determination that the customer is a business customer,

evaluating whether the privacy data relates to a privacy preference right, and

storing the privacy data in said privacy database, in response to said evaluation.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

evaluating whether the privacy data comprises a data update for the PII of the customer, wherein

the PII is stored in the privacy database, and

the PII comprises a plurality of best version data records;

comparing the privacy data with the plurality of best version data records of the customer, in response to an evaluation that the privacy data comprises the data update;

identifying a matching best version data record that corresponds to the privacy data; and

updating the matching best version data record with the privacy data, based on the survivorship rules.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

in response to the data update, creating a revision history by saving at least a portion of the matching best version data record as a historical record before the matching best version data record is updated with the data update.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein

the privacy management computer system comprises a privacy knowledgebase,

the privacy knowledgebase comprises

a plurality of privacy rules, and

a privacy vocabulary,

the plurality of privacy rules implement a privacy policy that comports with a plurality of laws and regulations,

the plurality of laws and regulations are applicable to an entity that stores the PII,

the plurality of privacy rules are configured to further control sharing of the PII of the customer,

the privacy vocabulary comprises a plurality of rule building blocks, and

the plurality of privacy rules are built using the plurality of rule building blocks.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising at least one of:

adding a new privacy rule to the plurality of privacy rules,

modifying an existing privacy rule from the plurality of privacy rules, and

deleting existing privacy rule from the plurality of privacy rules.

22. A non-transitory computer program product comprising non-transitory computer readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions executable on a computer system, wherein the plurality of instructions are configured to:

receive an insert record request from a source, wherein

the insert record request comprises privacy data of a customer, and

the source is an external computer system;

determine whether a best version record associated with the customer exists in a privacy database, wherein

the best version record comprises a most current representation of a privacy sharing preference of the customer,

the privacy sharing preference is configured to control sharing of personally identifiable information (PII) of the customer, and

the PII comprises

a first portion, and

a second portion;

determine whether the source is trusted;

determine whether the privacy data can be used to update the best version record, in response to a determination that the source is trusted;

identify one or more fields of the privacy data that can be used to update one or more fields of the best version record, based on survivorship rules;

update the one or more fields of the best version record to produce an updated best version record;

store a revision history of the best version record, wherein

the revision history comprises at least a portion of the privacy data, the best version record, and the updated best version record;

determine whether the privacy data comprises at least one of

opt-in information of the customer, wherein

the opt-in information indicates at least the first portion can be shared, or

opt-out information of the customer, wherein

the opt-out information indicates at least the second portion should not be shared;

define a default privacy sharing preference that indicates at least one of

the first portion is shared, or

the second portion is not shared; and

update the best version record with the default privacy sharing preference.

23. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 22, wherein said instructions are further configured to:

detect a privacy event, wherein

receipt of the privacy data of the customer causes the privacy event.

24. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 23, wherein said instructions are further configured to:

in response to a determination that the customer is a business customer, evaluate whether the privacy data relates to a privacy preference right, and

store the privacy data in said privacy database, in response to said evaluation.

25. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 23, wherein said instructions are further configured to:

evaluate whether the privacy data comprises a data update for the PII of the customer, wherein

the PII is stored in the privacy database, and

the PII comprises a plurality of best version data records;

compare the privacy data with the plurality of best version data records of the customer, in response to an evaluation that the privacy data comprises the data update;

identify a matching best version data record that corresponds to the privacy data; and

update the matching best version data record with the privacy data, based on the survivorship rules.

26. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 25, wherein said instructions are further configured to:

in response to the data update, create a revision history by saving at least a portion of the matching best version data record as a historical record before the matching best version data record is updated with the data update.