US5872850A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for enabling information marketplace
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1997-03-31
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Granted: 1999-02-16
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Expires: 2017-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A system for enabling an information marketplace includes a central server which stores data in a memory element. The data may or may not be encrypted. Regardless of whether the data is encrypted the server may also store a table which associates data elements and nodes with an authorization value. If a node requests data for which the authorization value in the table gives the node authorization to access, the server transmits the data to the node. If the data is encrypted, the server may transmit the encrypted data or it may decrypt the data for the node before transmission. In other embodiments, no table is stored by the server. In these embodiments the data is encrypted using one or more encryption keys. When a node requests data the server transmits the encrypted data to the node. If the node does not have the proper encryption keys, it may request them from the server.
Inventors
- 👤 Saul Charles Klein
- 👤 Max E. Metral
- 👤 Upendra Shardanand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for enabling an information marketplace, comprising: a central server connected to a network, said server having access to a memory for storing profile data in a plurality of profiles; a data structure accessible by said server associating each of the profiles with at least one associated node, said data structure indicating whether each associated node has authorization to access profile data of the associated profile; and the central server receiving a request from a requesting node to obtain profile data from at least one profile and accessing the data structure to make a determination whether the requesting node has the authorization to access profile data of each profile requested, and for each profile requested, returning profile data to the node if the node has the authorization for that profile.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for enabling an information marketplace, comprising: a central server connected to a network, said server having access to a memory for storing profile data in a plurality of profiles; a data structure accessible by said server associating each of the profiles with at least one associated node, said data structure indicating whether each associated node has authorization to access profile data of the associated profile; and the central server receiving a request from a requesting node to obtain profile data from at least one profile and accessing the data structure to make a determination whether the requesting node has the authorization to access profile data of each profile requested, and for each profile requested, returning profile data to the node if the node has the authorization for that profile.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
97 words
A system for enabling an information marketplace, the system comprising: a central server connected to a network, said server having access to a memory for storing profile data that has been encrypted using one or more encryption keys, and to information indicating whether each of a plurality of nodes has authorization to access the profile data; and said central server receiving a request for profile data from a node and determining whether that node has authorization to access to the profile data, and if so, transmitting decrypted profile data to that node in response to the request.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
97 words
A system for enabling an information marketplace, the system comprising: a central server connected to a network, said server having access to a memory for storing profile data that has been encrypted using one or more encryption keys, and to information indicating whether each of a plurality of nodes has authorization to access the profile data; and said central server receiving a request for profile data from a node and determining whether that node has authorization to access to the profile data, and if so, transmitting decrypted profile data to that node in response to the request.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for enabling an information marketplace, the method comprising the steps of: (a) encrypting stored profile data using one or more encryption keys; (b) receiving a request for profile data from a requesting node; (c) determining if the requesting node has authorization to access the profile data, and if so, providing information for decrypting the encrypted profile data to the requesting node; and (d) transmitting encrypted data in response to the request.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
73 words
A method for enabling an information marketplace, the method comprising the steps of: (a) encrypting stored profile data using one or more encryption keys; (b) receiving a request for profile data from a requesting node; (c) determining if the requesting node has authorization to access the profile data, and if so, providing information for decrypting the encrypted profile data to the requesting node; and (d) transmitting encrypted data in response to the request.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profile data includes user preference information about items.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profile data includes user demographic data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the profiles includes first profile data comprising user preference information about items and second profile data comprising user demographic data, and wherein a node has authorization to access only one of said first or second profile data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profile data includes user ratings of items.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the data structure is stored in a memory element of the central server.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the data structure is a table.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profiles are stored in another server connected to the central server.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profile data is encrypted in the memory, and wherein the central server returns decrypted profile data to the requesting node.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profile data is encrypted in the memory, and wherein the central server returns encrypted profile data to the requesting node.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the profile data is encrypted in the memory, and wherein the central server returns encrypted profile data to the requesting node, and wherein a user of the requesting node provides information to the requesting node for decrypting the encrypted profile data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the profile data includes user preference information about items.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the profile data includes user demographic data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the profiles includes first profile data comprising user preference information about items and second profile data comprising user demographic data, and wherein a node has authorization to access only one of said first or second profile data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the profile data includes user ratings of items.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the memory comprises a memory element of the central server.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the information indicating whether each of a plurality of nodes has authorization to access the profile data is stored in a table.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the information indicating whether each of a plurality of nodes has authorization to access the profile data is stored in another server connected to the central server.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 2 wherein at least some of the profiles are stored in another server connected to the central server.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the step of determining if the requesting node has authorization to access the profile data includes the step of accessing a table associating nodes with profile data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing information for decrypting the encrypted profile data includes the step of returning a key to the requesting node.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the profile data includes at least two distinct types of data, and wherein the step of determining if the requesting node has authorization to access the profile data includes the step of determining if the requesting node has authorization to access each type of data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the step of transmitting encrypted data in response to the request comprises the step of transmitting only profile data to which the requesting node has access.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for enabling an information marketplace, comprising the steps of: storing profile data in a plurality of profiles; storing for each profile at least one node associated therewith and for each associated node, whether the node has authorization to access that profile; receiving a request for profile data from a requesting node; determining whether the requesting node has authorization to access profile data of a profile; and transmitting profile data of that profile to the node if the node has authorization to access that profile.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for enabling an information marketplace, comprising the steps of: storing profile data in a plurality of profiles; storing for each profile at least one node associated therewith and for each associated node, whether the node has authorization to access that profile; receiving a request for profile data from a requesting node; determining whether the requesting node has authorization to access profile data of a profile; and transmitting profile data of that profile to the node if the node has authorization to access that profile.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for enabling an information marketplace, comprising the steps of: storing profile data including at least two distinct types of information; storing authorization information for each type of information in the profile data indicative of whether a node has authorization to access that type of information; receiving a request for profile data from a requesting node; determining from the authorization information whether the requesting node has authorization to access each type of profile data of the associated profile; and for each type of information for which the node has authorization, transmitting profile data of that type to the node.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for enabling an information marketplace, comprising the steps of: storing profile data including at least two distinct types of information; storing authorization information for each type of information in the profile data indicative of whether a node has authorization to access that type of information; receiving a request for profile data from a requesting node; determining from the authorization information whether the requesting node has authorization to access each type of profile data of the associated profile; and for each type of information for which the node has authorization, transmitting profile data of that type to the node.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-02-15 | 2002-08-17 | 2003-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-15 | 2006-08-17 | 2007-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-15 | 2010-08-17 | 2011-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |