Age Verification Token System with Data Anonymization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing age verification methods in e-commerce environments are vulnerable to data misappropriation, leading to financial loss and privacy issues due to the storage of user information for verification purposes.

Innovation Solution

A computerized method for age verification that operates independently of e-commerce servers, where user identifiable data is directly transferred to an independent system, and tokens are provided for verification without sharing identifiable data, while anonymizing user data for storage, thus preventing misappropriation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user identifiable data is stored for age verification purposes, then verification can be performed and recorded, but data misappropriation risk increases leading to financial loss and privacy issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveage verification reliabilityVSAvoiddata misappropriation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes personally identifiable information (PII) from the age verification data storage process. Only anonymized age data (e.g., age brackets like 18-25, 26-35) is stored, while complete identifiable information is excluded from storage entirely. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining verification reliability through age data storage while eliminating data misappropriation risk by removing identifiable markers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the storage parameter from storing complete identifiable information (name, address, ID numbers) to storing only anonymized age parameters. This parameter change allows the system to maintain verification functionality while fundamentally reducing the harm potential of stored data, as anonymized age data cannot be used for identity theft or tracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If complete user information is stored for verification records, then verification accuracy is improved, but the potential for identity theft and data breaches increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveverification accuracyVSAvoididentity theft risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential verification element (age) from the complete user information set, storing age data in anonymized brackets while excluding all other identifiable information. This maintains sufficient verification accuracy for age-restricted content while eliminating the raw materials needed for identity theft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs temporary, session-based verification tokens that are discarded after use, rather than storing persistent identifiable records. The verification process uses ephemeral data structures that are deleted immediately after confirming age eligibility, preventing long-term data accumulation that could be compromised.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If user data is retained in e-commerce systems, then verification process is completed, but security vulnerabilities and data protection challenges arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveverification process efficiencyVSAvoiddata security

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts age verification functionality from the main e-commerce data storage system, creating a separate anonymized verification layer. This architectural separation allows efficient verification processing while the e-commerce system never stores or handles sensitive user data, fundamentally improving data security without sacrificing verification efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary anonymization layer between the verification process and data storage. This intermediary transforms identifiable user information into anonymized age brackets before storage, acting as a security buffer that maintains verification efficiency while protecting against data breaches and unauthorized access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20230120192A1Filtering, anonymizing, and storing anonymized data as part of an age verification process

Publication Date: 2023.04.20 AGE CHECKED LTD

AI summary

A computerized method for securely verifying age of users of remote devices interacting with provider resources includes receiving a request for age verification of the user; providing directly to the user device an interface for input of identifying data; receiving, from the user device, identifying data; providing, to a third party verification source, the identifying data; receiving, from the third party verification source, an indication of confirmation of the identifying data; determining, based on the received indication, whether a confidence level has been met; responsive to determining that a confidence level as been met, causing a token indicative of age verification to be generated; providing the token to the user device; providing a positive indication to the provider system, including identification of the token, and anonymizing user-identifiable data.