Method and device for control by consumers over personal data

• US 20030140228A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Binder, Philip A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

There is provided a method and device for providing personal data of first party to a second party. The personal data is stored in an electronic device comprising a mechanism for locking and unlocking access to the personal data and/or condition data stored therein associated with conditions for accessing said personal data. The second party receives the personal data dependent on whether the personal data is in a locked state and/or whether the conditions associated with the condition data are satisfied.

Claims

1. A method for providing personal data related to a first party to a second party, said personal data being stored in an electronic device comprising a mechanism for locking and unlocking access to said personal data, said method comprising the step of receiving said personal data by said second party dependent on whether said personal data is in a locked or unlocked state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting said personal data by said electronic device responsive to whether said personal data is in a locked or unlocked state.

3. The method of claim 1, before said receiving step, further including the step of locking or unlocking access to said personal data in said electronic device by said first party using said mechanism.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing an economic benefit by said second party to said first party in exchange for said personal data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said economic benefit is a discount on a purchase made by said first party.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said economic benefit is monetary.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said economic benefit includes points for a loyalty program for which said first party is a participant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal data includes the name, address, and telephone number of said first party.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal data includes the email address of said first party.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said personal data includes demographic information related to said first party.

11. The method of claim of claim 1, wherein said mechanism for locking and unlocking access to said personal data is a mechanical switch.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device is an integrated circuit card comprising a processing unit and a memory coupled to said processing unit, said personal data being stored in said memory.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said mechanism for locking and unlocking access to said personal data comprises an application stored in said memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said memory further includes a data access code stored therein.

15. The method of claim 14, before the step of receiving, further comprising the steps of:

executing said application on said processing unit;

providing a data access code by said first party to said application; and

unlocking access by said application to said personal data responsive to whether said provided data access code matches said stored data access code.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said memory further includes a data access flag indicative of whether said personal data is in a locked or unlocked state, and wherein said step of unlocking access includes the step of storing in said data access flag a value indicative of an unlocked state for said personal data responsive to whether said provided data access code matches said stored data access code.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of locking access to said personal data by said application after each transmission of said personal data.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said personal data includes inserting said electronic device in a terminal capable of reading said electronic device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device includes a transmitter for transmitting said personal data using radio-frequency electromagnetic waves, and wherein said step of receiving said personal data includes receiving said personal data through radio-frequency electromagnetic waves.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a computer coupled to a computer network.

21. A method for providing personal data related to a first party to a second party using an electronic device having stored therein said personal data and condition data associated with conditions of access to said personal data, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting data by said second party associated with said conditions of access to said personal data; and

receiving at least certain of said personal data by said second party dependent on whether said transmitted data is consistent at least in part with said condition data.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of transmitting at least certain of said personal data by said electronic device dependent on whether said transmitted data is consistent at least in part with said condition data.

23. The method of claim 21, further including the step of providing an economic benefit by said second party to said first party in exchange for said personal data.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said electronic device is an integrated circuit card comprising a processing unit and a memory coupled to said processing unit, and wherein said personal data and said condition data are stored in said memory.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said integrated circuit card includes an application stored in said memory, and further comprising the step of determining by said application whether said transmitted data is consistent at least in part with said condition data.

26. An electronic device comprising:

means for storing personal data;

means for controlling access to said personal data; and

means for transmitting said personal data responsive to said means for controlling access to said personal data.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, further comprising means for receiving a economic value in exchange for transmitting said personal data.

28. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein said economic value is electronic money.

29. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein said economic value is points for a loyalty program.

30. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein said personal data includes the name, address, and telephone number of a person.

31. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein said personal data includes the email address of a person.

32. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein said personal data includes demographic information of a person.

33. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein said means for controlling access to said personal data comprises a mechanical switch.

34. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein said means for transmitting said personal data is a radio transmitter coupled to said mechanical switch.

35. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein said electronic device is an integrated circuit card comprising a processing unit and a memory coupled to said processing unit, said personal data being stored in said memory.

36. The electronic device of claim 35, wherein said means for controlling access to said personal data comprises a data access flag stored in said memory indicative of whether said personal data is in a locked or unlocked state.

37. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein said memory further includes a first data access code stored therein, and further comprising means for receiving a second data access code and means for storing a value indicative of an unlocked state in said data access flag responsive to whether said second data access code matches said first data access code.

38. The electronic device of claim 36, wherein said means for transmitting said personal data responsive to said means for controlling access to said personal data comprises an application stored in said memory.

39. The electronic device of claim 38, wherein said application comprises means for transmitting said personal data if said data access flag indicates an unlocked state.

40. The electronic device of claim 38, wherein said application includes means for storing a value indicative of a locked state in said data access flag after each transmission of said personal data.

41. The electronic device of claim 35, wherein said means for controlling access comprises condition data stored in said memory, said condition data being associated with conditions of access to said personal data.

42. The electronic device of claim 41, wherein said means for transmitting said personal data responsive to said means for controlling access to said personal data comprises an application stored in said memory.

43. The electronic device of claim 42, wherein said application includes means for receiving data associated with said conditions of access to said personal data and means for transmitting at least certain of said personal data if said received data is consistent at least in part with said condition data.

44. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein said electronic device is a computer coupled to a computer network.