Systems and methods for managing disclosure of protectable information

• US 9,003,474 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Taser International Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Patrick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Mohammad A
• Application Number:
  US12/340,963
• Time in Patent Office: 2,297 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/3, 726/5, 715/205, 715/206, 707/E17.108
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials

Abstract

A method facilitates collaboration between a first agency having an agent and a second agency having an administrator. The method includes in any practical order: (a) receiving a request for search originating with the agent; (b) determining that information controlled by the second agency is within the scope of search; (c) after determining, causing an access request to be sent to the administrator of the second agency; and (d) causing the information to be sent to the agent after receiving a permit from the administrator, wherein the permit comprises indicia of a human-authorization.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a site comprising a server, for limited disclosure of protectable information, after a registration process performed by the site or another site has completed registration for a registered first agency, a registered human or automated administrator of the first agency, a registered second agency, a registered human or automated administrator of the second agency, and a registered requester of the registered second agency, registration being accomplished in accordance with respective credentials of identity, the method comprising:

recalling instructions from a memory of the server to perform the method;

obtaining information for access to the protectable information via one or more portals for electronic communication, the protectable information maintained by the registered first agency and provision of the protectable information controlled by the registered administrator of the registered first agency;

responsive to a search request received from the registered requester of the registered second agency via the one or more portals, determining a list of hyperlinks with reference to the information for access wherein at least one of

the identity of the registered first agency is obscured to the registered requester; and

determining is accomplished covert to the registered requester;

preparing an electronic request for a first permit for the registered first agency to provide the protectable information, the first permit directed to the registered administrator of the registered first agency;

preparing an electronic request for a second permit for the registered second agency to receive the protectable information, the second permit directed to the registered administrator of the registered second agency;

receiving the first permit and the second permit via the one or more portals; and

in accordance with the first permit, the second permit, and the list of hyperlinks, providing electronic access by the requester to the protectable information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the protectable information describes health diagnoses or treatments.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the protectable information aids law enforcement.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first permit and the second permit provides access to additional protectable information in addition to the protectable information referred to by the list of hyperlinks.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first permit comprises a second request for a second list of hyperlinks, and providing access is accomplished in accordance with the second request.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first permit comprises a second hyperlink not included in the list, and providing access is accomplished in accordance with the second hyperlink.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the search request.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering at least one of the first agency, the human or automated administrator of the first agency, the second agency, and the human or automated administrator of the second agency.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein registering comprises conditioning registration on a result of substantiating information that was received during registering, wherein substantiating is not accomplished by the site.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

registering at least one of the first agency, the human or automated administrator of the first agency, the second agency, and the human or automated administrator of the second agency in accordance with a result of substantiating; and

substantiating information received during registering to provide the result of substantiating.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing indicia of substantiating a credential of at least one of the requester and the second agency to the registered administrator of the first agency wherein substantiating is not accomplished by the site.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving from the registered administrator of the first agency a request for substantiating information related to the registered requester;

substantiating the information related to the registered requester to provide a result of substantiating; and

providing to the registered administrator of the first agency the result of substantiating.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for at least one of the first permit and the second permit identifies the protectable information.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining credentials and including obtained credentials with the request for at least one of the first permit and the second permit.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the registered administrator of the first agency comprises a server; and

the registered administrator of the second agency comprises a human.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the registered administrator of the first agency comprises a human; and

the registered administrator of the second agency comprises a human.

17. A non-transient, programmed computer product comprising indicia of instructions for a site comprising a server to perform a method for limited disclosure of protectable information, after a registration process performed by the site or another site has completed registration for a registered first agency, a registered human or automated administrator of the first agency, a registered second agency, a registered human or automated administrator of the second agency, and a registered requester of the registered second agency, registration being accomplished in accordance with respective credentials of identity, the method comprising:

obtaining information for access to the protectable information via one or more portals for electronic communication, the protectable information maintained by the registered first agency and provision of the protectable information controlled by the registered administrator of the registered first agency;

responsive to a search request received from the registered requester of the registered second agency via the one or more portals, determining a list of hyperlinks with reference to the information for access wherein at least one of

the identity of the registered first agency is obscured to the registered requester; and

determining is accomplished covert to the registered requester;

preparing an electronic request for a first permit for the registered first agency to provide the protectable information, the first permit directed to the registered administrator of the registered first agency;

preparing an electronic request for a second permit for the registered second agency to receive the protectable information, the second permit directed to the registered administrator of the registered second agency;

receiving the first permit and the second permit via the one or more portals; and

in accordance with the first permit, the second permit, and the list of hyperlinks, providing electronic access by the requester to the protectable information.

18. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the protectable information describes health diagnoses or treatments.

19. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the protectable information aids law enforcement.

20. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first permit and the second permit provides access to additional protectable information in addition to the protectable information referred to by the list of hyperlinks.

21. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the first permit comprises a second request for a second list of hyperlinks, and providing access is accomplished in accordance with the second request.

22. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the first permit comprises a second hyperlink not included in the list, and providing access is accomplished in accordance with the second hyperlink.

23. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein receiving the search request.

24. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises registering at least one of the first agency, the human or automated administrator of the first agency, the second agency, and the human or automated administrator of the second agency.

25. The programmed computer product of claim 24 wherein registering comprises conditioning registration on a result of substantiating information that was received during registering, wherein substantiating is not accomplished by the site.

26. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

registering at least one of the first agency, the human or automated administrator of the first agency, the second agency, and the human or automated administrator of the second agency in accordance with a result of substantiating; and

substantiating information received during registering to provide the result of substantiating.

27. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises providing indicia of substantiating a credential of at least one of the requester and the second agency to the registered administrator of the first agency wherein substantiating is not accomplished by the site.

28. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from the registered administrator of the first agency a request for substantiating information related to the registered requester;

substantiating the information related to the registered requester to provide a result of substantiating; and

providing to the registered administrator of the first agency the result of substantiating.

29. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the request for at least one of the first permit and the second permit identifies the protectable information.

30. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises obtaining credentials and including obtained credentials with the request for at least one of the first permit and the second permit.

31. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein:

the registered administrator of the first agency comprises a server; and

the registered administrator of the second agency comprises a human.

32. The programmed computer product of claim 17 wherein:

the registered administrator of the first agency comprises a human; and

the registered administrator of the second agency comprises a human.