Method and system for anonymizing purchase data

• US 7,200,578 B2
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citicorp Credit Services Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Citicorp Development Center Incorporated (Citigroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Paltenghe, Cris T., Takata, Melvin M., Mamdani, Alnoor B., Huddleston, Gregory Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayat; Bradley B.
• Application Number:
  US09/190,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,064 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/10, 705/14, 705/26, 705/74
• US Class Current: 705/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0658 e-cash managed locally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/351 Virtual cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3574 Multiple applications on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/122 Online card verification

Abstract

A system, in which information is the primary asset and in which investments may be made in information, includes multiple data stores for storing different types of a user'"'"'s information. The safe, secure and properly authorized transfer of information while preserving individual privacy is provided. The system also provides for secure backup and storage, as well as for ubiquitous and nomadic access to information while maintaining the privacy of such information. A first data store includes static identification data about a user. A second data store includes moderately dynamic personal data about the user. A third data store includes dynamic demographic information data about the user. An electronic wallet can be used with the system to download selected portions of the data for use by the user. A method of use of the data includes using the data for billing out forms, providing services to the user and allowing merchants to selectively target users for sales while maintaining user anonymity.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting purchase data in a database concerning a first consumer'"'"'s order to at least one merchant independently of action by the first consumer, the method comprising:

storing a first data store made up of data comprising a first consumer'"'"'s purchase data;

storing a second data store made up of data comprising a second consumer'"'"'s purchase data;

extracting the first consumer'"'"'s purchase data from the database;

extracting the second consumer'"'"'s purchase data from the database;

combining the first consumer'"'"'s purchase data with the second consumer'"'"'s purchase data;

anonymizing the purchase data from the first and second consumers'"'"' orders into anonymous data; and

transmitting the anonymous data to the at least one merchant wherein the combining and anonymizing steps are performed independently of any input from the first or second consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the anonymizing is performed with respect to the first and second consumers'"'"' credit card numbers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the anonymizing is performed with respect to the first and second consumers'"'"' identification data.