Distributed confidential contextual querying

• US 6,928,428 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: De Vries, Jean Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US09/723,408
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-205
• US Class Current: 707/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

For distributed querying of confidential information, a querying data structure is constructed from the confidential information on the computer at which the confidential information resides. The querying data structure opaquely encapsulates queries on the confidential information as a set of query hashes and answer pairs. The querying data structure is distributed to other computers where the distributed query processing is to be performed. The query is performed on such other computers by hashing the query terms, using the resulting query hash as a look up index to the associated answer in the querying data structure, and acting on the answer. A strictly one-way hash is used to prevent recovery of the original inputs to the query hashes in the query data structure by reverse hash.

Claims

1. A method supporting distributed querying by a first computer of information residing on a second computer, the method comprising:

constructing a data set on the second computer to encapsulate querying the information residing on the second computer with queries utilizing a set of query input terms, the data set encoding an answer for each of a plurality of combinations of query input term values, wherein said constructing the data set on the second computer comprises;

calculating a query hash value as a one-way hashing function of the set of query input terms for each of a plurality of unique combinations of query input term values in the information residing on the second computer;

for each of the plurality of unique combinations of query input term values, also calculating an answer value as a function of a set of terms in the information residing on the second computer and a logical rule; and

forming the data set as a plurality of pairs of the query hash value and the answer value for respective of the unique combinations of query input term values;

transmitting the data set from the second computer to the first computer; and

evaluating a query having values for the set of query input terms on the first computer using the data set to yield the query'"'"'s answer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said evaluating the query on the first computer comprises:

calculating an answer look-up index as the one-way hashing function of the query'"'"'s input term values;

looking up a query hash value and answer value pair in the data set that is indexed by the answer look-up index; and

yielding the answer value of the pair as the query'"'"'s answer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining the set of query input terms of the query on the first computer in a query definition using strongly-typed data types;

transmitting the query definition from the first computer to the second computer; and

constructing the data set on the second computer to encapsulate the queries having query input terms in accordance with the query definition, whereby the second computer provides a data set to the first computer for querying the information with queries having query input terms defined at the first computer.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining the set of query input terms of the query on the second computer in a query definition using strongly-typed data types;

transmitting the query definition with the data set to the first computer; and

querying the data set at the first computer using queries having query input terms conforming to the query definition.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the query input terms has a hierarchically structured data type, where a first value of said hierarchically structured query input term is hierarchically related to at least one other value, the method comprising:

if evaluating a query having said first value of said hierarchically structured query input term yields a null answer, evaluating queries having said at least one other value of said hierarchically structured query input term.

6. A user-contextual information service incorporating the method of claim 1 to assess relevancy to a user context, comprising:

constructing the data set on the second computer where user context information resides to encapsulate querying contextual relevancy utilizing a set of context terms;

evaluating a contextual relevancy query using the data set to determine contextual relevancy of information provided by the information service; and

providing the information by the information service in accordance with the answer yielded from evaluating the contextual relevancy query using the data set.

7. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method supporting distributed querying by a first computer of information residing on a second computer, the method comprising:

constructing a data set on the second computer to encapsulate querying the information residing on the second computer with queries utilizing a set of query input terms, the data set encoding an answer for each of a plurality of combinations of query input term values, wherein said constructing the data set on the second computer comprises;

calculating a query hash value as a one-way hashing function of the set of query input terms for each of a plurality of unique combinations of query input term values in the information residing on the second computer;

for each of the plurality of unique combinations of query input term values, also calculating an answer value as a function of a set of terms in the information residing on the second computer and a logical rule; and

forming the data set as a plurality of pairs of the query hash value and the answer value for respective of the unique combinations of query input term values;

transmitting the data set from the second computer to the first computer; and

evaluating a query having values for the set of query input terms on the first computer using the data set to yield the query'"'"'s answer.

8. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 7 wherein said evaluating the query on the first computer comprises:

calculating an answer look-up index as the one-way hashing function of the query'"'"'s input term values;

looking up a query hash value and answer value pair in the data set that is indexed by the answer look-up index; and

yielding the answer value of the pair as the query'"'"'s answer.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 7, the method further comprising:

defining the set of query input terms of the query on the first computer in a query definition using strongly-typed data types;

transmitting the query definition from the first computer to the second computer; and

constructing the data set on the second computer to encapsulate the queries having query input terms in accordance with the query definition, whereby the second computer provides a data set to the first computer for querying the information with queries having query input terms defined at the first computer.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 7, the method further comprising:

defining the set of query input terms of the query on the second computer in a query definition using strongly-typed data types;

transmitting the query definition with the data set to the first computer; and

querying the data set at the first computer using queries having query input terms conforming to the query definition.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 7 wherein at least one of the query input terms has a hierarchically structured data type, where a first value of said hierarchically structured query input term is hierarchically related to at least one other value, the method comprising:

if evaluating a query having said first value of said hierarchically structured query input term yields a null answer, evaluating queries having said at least one other value of said hierarchically structured query input term.

12. An apparatus supporting distributed querying by a first computer of information residing on a second computer, the apparatus comprising:

means for constructing a data set on the second computer to encapsulate querying the information residing on the second computer with queries utilizing a set of query input terms, the data set encoding an answer for each of a plurality of combinations of query input term values, wherein said constructing the data set on the second computer comprises;

means for calculating a query hash value as a one-way hashing function of the set of query input terms for each of a plurality of unique combinations of query input term values in the information residing on the second computer;

for each of the plurality of unique combinations of query input term values, means for also calculating an answer value as a function of a set of terms in the information residing on the second computer and a logical rule; and

means for forming the data set as a plurality of pairs of the query hash value and the answer value for respective of the unique combinations of query input term values;

means for transmitting the data set from the second computer to the first computer; and

means for evaluating a query having values for the set of query input terms on the first computer using the data set to yield the query'"'"'s answer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for evaluating the query on the first computer comprises:

means for calculating an answer look-up index as the one-way hashing function of the query'"'"'s input term values;

means for looking up a query hash value and answer value pair in the data set that is indexed by the answer look-up index; and

means for yielding the answer value of the pair as the query'"'"'s answer.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

means for defining the set of query input terms of the query on the first computer in a query definition using strongly-typed data types;

means for transmitting the query definition from the first computer to the second computer; and

means for constructing the data set on the second computer to encapsulate the queries having query input terms in accordance with the query definition, whereby the second computer provides a data set to the first computer for querying the information with queries having query input terms defined at the first computer.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

means for defining the set of query input terms of the query on the second computer in a query definition using strongly-typed data types;

means for transmitting the query definition with the data set to the first computer; and

means for querying the data set at the first computer using queries having query input terms conforming to the query definition.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least one of the query input terms has a hierarchically structured data type, where a first value of said hierarchically structured query input term is hierarchically related to at least one other value, the apparatus comprising:

if evaluating a query having said first value of said hierarchically structured query input term yields a null answer, means for evaluating queries having said at least one other value of said hierarchically structured query input term.