Anonymous Information System Using Double Hashing for Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Consumers have privacy concerns regarding advertising networks tracking their visits across different websites, as personally identifiable information is linked with browsing history to deliver targeted advertisements, which may not align with their preferences.

Innovation Solution

An anonymous information system (AIS) decouples personally identifiable information from online activity by using double hashing and generating non-reversible anonymous identifiers, allowing for customized advertisements without tracking user browser history, thereby maintaining user privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If advertising networks track consumer browser history to deliver targeted advertisements, then advertisement relevance is improved, but user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertisement relevanceVSAvoiduser privacy compromise

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces hashed email addresses and anonymous identifiers as intermediary elements that enable advertisement targeting without exposing actual user identities. The hashing function acts as a mediator that transforms personally identifiable information into anonymous forms that can still be used for tracking and targeting purposes while protecting user privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the identifying elements (email addresses, personally identifiable information) from the tracking system and replaces them with hashed versions. This extraction removes the harmful aspect (privacy compromise) while preserving the useful function (targeted advertising) by using only the hashed identifiers for tracking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If third party cookies store user identifier and consumer profile information, then advertising network tracking capability is improved, but information security is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking capabilityVSAvoidinformation security

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the storage format of user identifiers from plain text to hashed values. This transformation changes the security parameters of the stored information, making it resistant to unauthorized access while maintaining its utility for tracking purposes through the hashing function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9818131B2Anonymous information management

Publication Date: 2017.11.14 LIVERAMP

AI summary

An anonymous information system (AIS) maintains privacy for internet users by separating personally identifiable information (PII) and user browser history. The AIS may receive a hashed email address from a publisher website. The AIS system may double hash the email address and discard the hashed email address received from the publisher. The double hashed email address is decoupled from user PII and may be used for tracking the number of unique email addresses provided by the publisher website. The AIS system also may associate the hashed email address with a consumer file. The AIS may hash an entity identifier associated with the consumer file to create a non-reversible anonymous identifier (anonymous ID). The anonymous ID may be associated with segment information in the consumer file that does not contain PII about the user. The AIS may send customized information to users based on the segment information.