Patent Application Titled “Methods For Disseminating Reasoning Supporting Insights Without Disclosing Uniquely Identifiable Data, And Systems For The Same” Published Online (USPTO 20220123926): Patent Application

2022 MAY 11 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a patent application by the inventors CREEL, Christopher Taylor (Atlanta, GA, US); VESTAL, William Paige (Milton, GA, US); WATSON, Christopher Shawn (Alpharetta, GA, US), filed on May 17, 2018, was made available online on April 21, 2022.

No assignee for this patent application has been made.

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Uniquely identifiable data or information is data or information that is attributable to specific individuals, companies, or other entities. Uniquely identifiable data can include individually identifiable data, personally identifiable information, protected health information, etc. Handling uniquely identifiable data, such as storing, using, or generating such data presents many challenges and is regulated by law in many instances. For example, personal health information is regulated in the U.S. by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations and the HITECH Act, among others. These regulations require stringent controls and security measures to prevent unwanted disclosure of such uniquely identifiable data.

“Entities that handle uniquely identifiable data typically have policies about how such data is secured, used, and disseminated. However, use of uniquely identifiable data. typically requires human interaction with said data, which creates opportunities for unwanted disclosure of said data.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and systems for determining insights using uniquely identifiable data and disseminating the rationale for the insights without disclosing the uniquely identifiable data. In an embodiment, a method of explaining insight reasoning about uniquely identifiable data over a computer network without exposing the uniquely identifiable data to one or more employees of a hosting entity is disclosed. The method includes, with a computing device, automatically determining an insight using uniquely identifiable data attributable to a unique entity and a reasoning graph. The reasoning graph includes a plurality of leaf nodes each of which provide an insight identified by an insight identifier. The reasoning graph further includes a plurality of reasoning paths each of which terminate in one of the plurality of leaf nodes. The reasoning graph also includes a plurality of reasoning functions each of which defines criteria for making a discrete decision made with the uniquely identifiable data at a point along a reasoning path. The reasoning path to a specific insight is defined at the leaf node by the insight identifier and includes only the reasoning functions and the discrete decisions in the reasoning path. The method further includes, responsive to determining the insight and with the computing device, providing a universally unique identifier (UUID) encoding the insight identifier. The method also includes providing a portal associated with the insight identifier, the portal configured receive input of the UUID and to display each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions from the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier encoded in the UUID. The method includes responsive to input of the UUID, displaying, in the portal, to each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier.

“In an embodiment, a system for providing de-identified insight information is disclosed. The system includes a server including at least one memory storage medium having an encrypted database storing uniquely identifiable data attributable a unique is entity and a plurality of reasoning graphs therein. Each of the plurality of reasoning graphs includes a plurality of leaf nodes each of which provide an insight identified by an insight identifier. Each of the plurality of reasoning graphs further includes a plurality of reasoning paths each of which terminate in one of the plurality of leaf nodes, Each of the plurality of reasoning graphs also includes a plurality of reasoning functions each of which defines criteria for making a discrete decision with the uniquely identifiable data at a point along a reasoning path. The reasoning path to a specific insight is defined at the leaf node by the insight identifier and includes only the reasoning functions and the discrete decisions in the reasoning path. The server further includes at least one processor operably coupled to the memory storage medium. The at least one processor is configured to automatically determine the insight using uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity and one the plurality of reasoning graphs. The at least one processor of the server is configured to produce a UUID encoding the insight identifier. The at least one processor of the server is configured to output the UUID. The at least one processor is further configured to provide a portal associated with the insight identifier. The at least one processor is configured to receive the UUID as input via the portal. The at least one processor is also configured to display, in the portal, each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier, responsive to receiving the UUID.

“Features from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation. In addition, other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A method of explaining insight reasoning about uniquely identifiable data over a computer network, without exposing the uniquely identifiable data to one or more employees of a hosting entity, the method comprising: with a computing device, automatically determining an insight using uniquely identifiable data attributable to a unique entity and a reasoning graph, the reasoning graph having: a plurality of leaf nodes each of which provide an insight identified by an insight identifier; a plurality of reasoning paths each of which terminate in one of the plurality of leaf nodes; a plurality of reasoning functions, each of the plurality of reasoning functions defining criteria for making a discrete decision made with the uniquely identifiable data at a point along a reasoning path, the reasoning path to a specific insight defined at one of the plurality of leaf nodes by the insight identifier and including only the reasoning functions and the discrete decisions in the reasoning path; responsive to determining the insight and with the computing device, providing a universally unique identifier (UUID) encoding the insight identifier; receiving an input of the UUID and responsive to the input of the UUID, providing each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier, wherein providing each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier includes generating a textual explanation of each of the plurality of reasoning functions and discrete decisions made along the reasoning path.

“2. (canceled)

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein the textual explanation includes substantially only a query and an outcome, both of which are free of uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity.

“4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reasoning graph includes a directed acyclic graph.

“5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity as the uniquely identifiable data, at the computing device, as a plurality of data points.

“6. The method of claim 5, wherein: automatically determining the insight includes using the plurality of data points to make each of the plurality of discrete decisions; displaying, in a portal, each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier includes displaying a textual explanation of each of the plurality of reasoning functions and discrete decisions made along the reasoning path; and the textual explanation is free of the uniquely identifiable data.

“7. The method of claim 5, wherein the uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity includes protected health information and the insight includes a determination of propriety of a decision associated therewith.

“8. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the uniquely identifiable data and the plurality of data points in an asymmetrically encrypted database in the computing device having no publicly accessible private key.

“9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a UUID encoding the insight identifier includes selectively sending the UUID to an electronic address corresponding to or associated with the unique entity, via electronic communication.

“10. The method of claim 1, wherein the insight includes a determination of propriety of a decision associated with the uniquely identifiable data.

“11. The method of claim 1, wherein: the UUID encodes a version-specific insight identifier corresponding to a version-specific reasoning graph used to make the insight on a specific date.

“12. The method of claim 1 wherein the unique entity includes one or more of an insured individual or a medical professional associated therewith.

“13. The method of claim 12, wherein: the hosting entity includes an insurer or a service provider; and the uniquely identifiable data identifies one or more of the insured individual or the medical professional associated therewith.

“14. The method of claim 1 wherein: the insight includes a healthcare-related outcome; and each of the plurality of reasoning functions includes a healthcare-related decision.

“15. The method of claim 14, wherein the insight includes a determination that an outcome falls within a set of coverage criteria; a determination that the outcome falls outside of the set of coverage criteria; a determination that a healthcare related expense will be covered, a determination that the healthcare related expense will not be covered; a determination that an individual should receive a selected procedure: a determination that the individual should not receive the selected procedure; a determination that the individual should receive a selected medication; a determination that the individual should not receive the selected medication; a detemlination that a medical professional is committing fraud; or a determination that the individual is committing fraud.

“16. A system for providing de-identified insight information, the system comprising: a server including: at least one non-transitory memory storage medium having an encrypted database storing uniquely identifiable data attributable a unique entity and a plurality of reasoning graphs therein, each of the plurality of reasoning graphs having: a plurality of leaf nodes each of which provide an insight identified by an insight identifier; a plurality of reasoning paths each of which terminate in one of the plurality of leaf nodes; a plurality of reasoning functions, each of the plurality of reasoning functions defining criteria for making a discrete decision with the uniquely identifiable data at a point along a reasoning path, the reasoning path to a specific insight being defined at one of the plurality of leaf nodes by the insight identifier and including only the reasoning functions and the discrete decisions in the reasoning path; and at least one processor operably coupled to the non-transitory memory storage medium, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: automatically determine the insight using uniquely identifiable data attributable to the wlique entity and one the plurality of reasoning graphs; produce a universally unique identifier (UUID) encoding the insight identifier; output the UUID; receive the UUID as input; and provide each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier, responsive to receiving the UUID, wherein each of the plurality of reasoning functions and the discrete decisions made using the uniquely identifiable data along the reasoning path corresponding to the insight identifier are provided by at least generating a textual explanation of each of the plurality of reasoning functions and discrete decisions made along the reasoning path.

“17. (canceled)

“18. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the textual explanations is free of uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity.

“19. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the textual explanations includes substantially only a query and an outcome of the query made using the uniquely identifiable data, both of which are free of uniquely identifiable data attributable to any unique entity.

“20. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor of the server is configured to receive and store the uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity as a plurality of data points in the non-transitory memory storage medium, and automatically determine the insight using at least some of the plurality of data points to make the discrete decisions.

“21. The system of claim 16, wherein: each of the plurality of reasoning graphs includes a directed acyclic graph having a plurality of leaf nodes therein; each reasoning function includes a discrete decision in the directed acyclic graph made using uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity and a discrete query directed thereto; the non-transitory memory storage medium of the server is configured to receive and store the uniquely identifiable data attributable the unique entity; the processor of the server is configured to automatically determine the insight using the uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity to make each discrete decision and the insight; the server is configured to display, in a portal, each of the plurality of reasoning functions and discrete decisions along the reasoning path corresponding to the UUID including the textual explanation of each of the plurality of reasoning functions and discrete decisions made along the reasoning path; and each of the textual explanations is free of the uniquely identifiable data attributable to the unique entity.

“22. The system of claim 16, wherein the server includes a network connection and is configured to output the UUID to an electronic address corresponding to an entity associated with the insight, responsive to determining the insight.

“23-27. (canceled)”

For more information, see this patent application: CREEL, Christopher Taylor; VESTAL, William Paige; WATSON, Christopher Shawn. Methods For Disseminating Reasoning Supporting Insights Without Disclosing Uniquely Identifiable Data, And Systems For The Same. Filed May 17, 2018 and posted April 21, 2022. Patent URL: https://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220220123926%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20220123926&RS=DN/20220123926

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