Double Encrypted Identifier Transmission for User Privacy Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern communication systems, particularly mobile communication systems, face the challenge of protecting user privacy while providing anonymized data sets for applications like location profiling and crowd movement pattern analysis, as existing methods may not adequately ensure the anonymization of personal information.

Innovation Solution

A multi-level anonymization process involving first and second entities, where personal identifiers are encrypted using a first encryption key known only to the first entity, followed by addition of random characters and asymmetric key encryption, ensuring the identifiers remain obfuscated throughout the transmission process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If personal identifiers are transmitted in plain form for data aggregation, then data analysis accuracy is improved, but user privacy protection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata analysis accuracyVSAvoiduser privacy exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by encrypting personal identifiers before transmission. The first entity encrypts identifiers using a first encryption key to generate encrypted identifiers, which are then transmitted to the second entity. This preliminary encryption action ensures that even though the data is transmitted for analysis, the original personal information remains protected throughout the process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the state of personal identifiers from plaintext to encrypted form through cryptographic parameter changes. By applying encryption algorithms with specific keys, the identifiers undergo a reversible transformation that protects their semantic meaning during transmission while allowing the receiving entity to decrypt and analyze them when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If personal identifiers are encrypted to protect privacy, then user privacy protection is improved, but data analysis capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser privacy protectionVSAvoiddata analysis capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary decryption process at the second entity. The encrypted identifiers are transmitted to the second entity, which then decrypts them using the appropriate key to perform data aggregation and analysis. This intermediary approach allows the data to be protected during transmission while still being accessible for analysis at the receiving end.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple encryption layers are applied to identifiers, then privacy protection is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprivacy protection levelVSAvoidencryption processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the encryption process into distinct stages: first encryption at the transmitting entity using a first encryption key, and second decryption at the receiving entity using a second decryption key. This segmentation allows each entity to perform only part of the cryptographic operation, reducing the computational burden on any single system while maintaining strong overall security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2926307B1Method for anonymisation by transmitting a data set between different entities
Publication Date: 2020.03.11 TELEFONICA GERMANY GMBH & CO
  • EP2926307B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2926307B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP2926307B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for transmitting a data set from at least one first entity supplying the data set to at least one second entity aggregating the data set wherein the data set includes at least one identifier identifying at least one user of the first entity. At a first step a first encryption of the at least one identifier on the basis of an encryption key which is only known to the first entity is performed to obtain a single-encrypted identifier. As a second step a number of random characters defining a character string is added to the single-encrypted identifier and afterwards an asymmetric key encryption is applied as a second encryption to obtain a double-encrypted identifier. The resulting double-encrypted identifier is transmitted to the at least one second entity.