Aggregated Trend Provision with Privacy Preservation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional online software distribution systems face challenges in providing business insights to software makers without compromising the privacy of other software makers' data, particularly when aggregated trends could reveal individual trends, potentially exposing competitive information.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that selectively provides aggregated trends by computing a measure of disorder in individual trends and determining whether to share them based on this measure, as well as analyzing similarity between trends to ensure privacy is maintained, using a two-stage procedure to decide on the provision of aggregated trends.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If aggregated trends are provided to software makers, then business insights and performance evaluation capabilities are improved, but privacy of individual software makers' data may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebusiness insightsVSAvoidprivacy exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (aggregated trend data) that mediates between the need for business insights and privacy protection. By providing aggregated trends rather than individual data, the system enables performance evaluation while preventing direct exposure of individual software makers' private information. The aggregation process acts as a buffer that preserves utility while protecting privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms individual trend parameters into aggregated parameters, changing the scale and granularity of data presentation. By shifting from individual software maker metrics to aggregated category metrics, the system maintains analytical value while reducing privacy risks. This parameter transformation allows software makers to evaluate performance relative to peers without exposing their specific data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If aggregated trend data is made available, then software makers can evaluate performance relative to others, but individual trends may be identified and exposed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance evaluation capabilityVSAvoiddata anonymity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by providing aggregated trend data rather than complete individual data. This partial disclosure enables performance evaluation capabilities while intentionally withholding enough information to prevent identification of individual trends. The aggregation includes sufficient data points to show relative performance but excludes the specificity needed for identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified copy of individual trends in aggregated form. Rather than providing access to actual individual data, it generates representative aggregated data that mirrors the structure and patterns of individual trends without containing the actual private information. This copying approach preserves analytical utility while ensuring anonymity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Loss of information

If complete transparency of trend data is provided, then full business intelligence is achieved, but competitive information between software makers is exposed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebusiness intelligenceVSAvoidcompetitive disadvantage

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges individual trend data into aggregated category data, combining multiple software makers' information into a unified dataset. This merging process preserves the overall business intelligence value while eliminating the ability to distinguish individual performers. The aggregated view provides market context without creating competitive disadvantages for any single software maker.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8566320B2System and method for selectively providing an aggregated trend

Publication Date: 2013.10.22 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A method of selectively providing an aggregated trend obtained from at least a subset of a plurality of individual trends. The method comprises deciding whether to provide the aggregated trend by determining whether an individual trend in at least the subset of the plurality of individual trends can be at least partially identified from the aggregated trend.