De-identifying distributed bridging network platform
Inventors
Olivier, Laurence Richard • Conradie, Riaan • PAUL, Franc
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10749844-B2
Publication Date
2020-08-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
Computer implemented systems and methods are presented comprising a platform coordinating data flows between data acquisition, data transformation and data delivery nodes, whilst protecting the identities of all entities whose data is being acquired, transformed, stored, and/or delivered. Metadata usage from different data transformation flows enables the platform to facilitate value distribution back to nodes and data subjects that contributed to output, enabling individual companies and/or data subjects subscribed to the platform to assess how and by whom their data is utilized in order to produce specific outputs, with the personal data of all entities being de-identified.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a Distributed Bridging Network (DBN) platform, implemented as a computer system, to coordinate data exchange associated with a particular data subject between a plurality of nodes without identifying the particular data subject. The system uses a de-identifying unit that assigns node-specific globally unique identifiers to combinations of the particular data subject and each node for which access is granted, thereby coordinating de-identified data exchange while the computer system lacks access to data associated with the particular data subject including de-identified data.
The system communicates at least one message between nodes using the node-specific QUID/GUID identifiers corresponding to the data subject’s access grants. Messaging uses metadata about nodes and at least one service of each node, while de-identified data associated with the particular data subject is communicated as a subset of the data associated with the particular data subject, and the associated de-identified data is directly coordinated between a first node and a second node using information for the first node and the second node in the message.
The platform includes a ledger database configured to store metadata of the first node and second node and at least one service of the first node and the second node, supporting tracking of API transaction metadata. The messaging and identifier scheme ensure that the hub and intermediate transformation nodes do not access identifying information, and authorization is enabled so trusted inter-node communication can occur without the platform learning cross-node identity mappings.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims (clm-00001, clm-00009, and clm-00016). Across these claims, the main inventive features focus on privacy-preserving coordination of de-identified data exchange using node-specific globally unique identifiers tied to access grants, messaging based on those identifiers without transmitting user or de-identified data to the coordinating system, and storing node and service metadata for direct de-identified exchange between nodes.
Node-specific globally unique identifiers tied to access grants
The processor coordinates data exchange associated with a particular data subject between a plurality of nodes without identifying the particular data subject by assigning a first globally unique identifier to a first combination of the particular data subject and a first node and a second globally unique identifier to a second combination of the particular data subject and a second node, where the identifiers are created when access is granted.
Privacy-preserving messaging using node identifiers without sending de-identified data
A messaging unit communicates at least one message with the first node and the second node using the identifiers without sending or receiving data including de-identified data associated with the particular data subject, and directly coordinates exchange of the associated de-identified data between the first node and the second node using information for the first node and the second node in the message.
Ledger database storing node and service metadata
A ledger database is configured to store metadata of the first node and the second node and at least one service of the first node and the second node.
Non-transitory computer readable storage medium coordinating de-identified exchange without accessing user data
Instructions cause a computing device to assign identifiers to user-node combinations, communicate messages using the identifiers without sending or receiving the user data or de-identified user data, and coordinate exchange of the de-identified user data directly between the first node and the second node while lacking access to the user data or user de-identified data.
Across clm-00001, clm-00009, and clm-00016, the key claimed concept is coordination of de-identified data exchange between nodes while maintaining privacy by using node-specific globally unique identifiers created upon access grants and by communicating node and service information via messages using those identifiers without sending or receiving user or de-identified user data. The claims further recite storing node and service metadata, including via a ledger database, and coordinating direct de-identified data exchange between nodes using information contained in the messages.
Stated Advantages
Maintaining privacy of the data of the particular data subject by the computer system lacking access to data associated with the particular data subject including de-identified data.
Maintaining privacy of the user data by the non-transitory computer readable storage medium lacking access to the user data or user de-identified data.
Documented Applications
Coordinating de-identified data exchange for services provided by first and second nodes, where the de-identified data is a subset of the associated user or patient data.
Coordinating exchange of de-identified physiological data, computer or smartphone application data, insurance data, actuarial data, medical records data, genetic data, or Global Positioning System (GPS) data between nodes.
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