Inter-System Account Identifiers for Privacy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional computer systems face challenges in sharing user accounts and user account data across multiple independent systems, leading to issues with privacy and security, especially when personal information is exposed or when multiple systems use a common identifier.
Innovation Solution
The generation and use of inter-system account identifiers, which are unique to each external system and map to an internal account, allowing data association without exposing the internal account identifier, thereby addressing privacy concerns and preventing data correlation across compromised systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional systems use common account identifiers across multiple systems, then system integration and data sharing are simplified, but privacy and security are compromised due to exposure of internal account identifiers and potential data correlation across compromised systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inter-system account identifiers as intermediary elements that enable communication and data sharing between external systems and the internal system without exposing internal account identifiers. These intermediaries act as secure proxies that mask the true internal identifiers while still allowing functional integration and data association across system boundaries.
2Ease of operation
If internal account identifiers are shared across systems, then data association between systems is direct and simple, but security is worsened as compromised systems can correlate data from multiple sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the account identification function into multiple distinct identifier types: internal account identifiers for internal system use, and inter-system account identifiers for external system communication. This segmentation allows each identifier type to serve its specific purpose independently, enabling straightforward data association through inter-system identifiers while protecting internal identifiers from exposure and correlation attacks.
3Reliability
If unique internal account identifiers are used in each system, then security and privacy are maintained, but system interoperability and the ability to share user accounts across systems is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates inter-system account identifiers that serve multiple functions: they uniquely identify accounts across different external systems, enable data association between systems, and simultaneously protect internal account identifiers. These multi-functional identifiers allow the system to maintain privacy protection while gaining cross-system interoperability capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for identifying and transacting with accounts across multiple external systems using inter-system account identifiers, without exposing internal account identifiers of an originating system, are disclosed. An example method, executed by the originating system, includes generating a first and a second inter-system account identifier based on a first and a second request, respectively, received at the originating system from a first and a second external system, respectively, that provide different services to an internal account of the originating system. The first and second inter-system account identifiers are communicated to the first and the second external system, respectively. When a data communication including the first inter-system account identifier and payload data is received from the first external system, the first internal account is retrieved using the first inter-system account identifier, the payload data is associated with the first internal account, and stored in an originating system data store.