Reliable Opinion Polls Using Cryptographic Privacy and Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional opinion polling methods are unreliable due to their reliance on small sample sizes, lack of anonymity, and inadequate safeguards for ensuring accurate results, leading to inexact predictions and potential misuse.
Innovation Solution
The development of a system and method for Reliable Opinion Polls, which uses network-connected computing devices to collect and report verifiable opinions from authenticated participants, ensuring anonymity, reliability, and auditability through digital credentials, cryptographic privacy, and multi-party digital witness methodologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional sample-style opinion polling is used to predict thoughts of millions, then the polling process becomes economically feasible, but the accuracy and reliability of results deteriorate due to small sample sizes and normalization reliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the population into multiple strata or groups based on relevant characteristics, and collects opinions from authenticated participants within each stratum. This segmentation allows for more precise measurement within sub-populations while maintaining economic feasibility through targeted sampling rather than requiring exhaustive polling of entire populations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces digital credentials and cryptographic protocols as intermediaries between participants and the polling system. These intermediaries enable verification of participant authenticity and qualifications without revealing personal information, thereby improving measurement precision through reliable authentication while maintaining anonymity and economic feasibility.
2Ease of operation
If traditional polling methodologies are used, then the polling process is simple to implement, but the reliability and auditability of results deteriorate due to lack of safeguards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements cryptographic verification and auditing mechanisms that provide feedback on the integrity of the polling process. Digital signatures and blockchain-like ledgers record and verify each step of the process, allowing independent audit of results while maintaining operational simplicity through automated verification protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic protocols and digital credentials as intermediaries that automatically verify participant authentication and response integrity. These intermediaries enhance reliability through cryptographic proof without significantly complicating the operational process, as the verification occurs automatically through standardized cryptographic operations.
3Loss of information
If anonymous opinion collection is implemented, then participant privacy is protected, but the ability to verify participant qualifications and detect duplicate responses deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces digital credentials and cryptographic protocols as intermediaries that enable verification of participant qualifications without revealing personal information. These intermediaries allow the system to confirm authenticity and detect duplicates through cryptographic proof while maintaining complete anonymity, effectively resolving the contradiction between privacy protection and verification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryptographic copies or hashes of participant identifiers that can be verified for uniqueness and authenticity without revealing the original identifying information. These cryptographic copies allow duplicate detection and qualification verification while preserving participant anonymity, as the copies contain no personally identifiable information.
4Productivity
If electronic voting systems are used, then the speed and efficiency of opinion collection improves, but the security and trustworthiness deteriorate due to hidden methods and closed source code
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements cryptographic verification and blockchain-like ledgers that provide continuous feedback on the integrity of the electronic polling process. Each operation is recorded and verified cryptographically, allowing real-time or post-hoc audit of the entire process while maintaining the speed and efficiency of electronic collection through automated verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or paper-based verification methods with cryptographic verification. This substitution maintains the speed and efficiency of electronic systems while improving auditability, as cryptographic proofs can be independently verified without requiring access to proprietary software or hidden methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of reliable polling of an authenticated population of participants using network connected computing devices for the purpose of collecting and reporting verifiable opinions in an election, including, but not limited to, granting participants the right to participate in the election, collecting answers to one or more ballot questions from authenticated participants, using one or more blinded authorizations to submit participant answers to ballot questions, and accumulating answers to the one or more ballot questions.