Patent Issued for System and method for scrubbing data to be shared between organizations (USPTO 11983299): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2024 MAY 31 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Chittiprolu, Murali (Normal, IL, US), Lewis, George Ross (Bloomington, IL, US), filed on October 26, 2022, was published online on May 14, 2024, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11983299 is assigned to State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Organizations sometimes conduct joint actions, such as testing organizational products, services, or other solutions, which require an exchange of data and maintenance of common data that is sourced, updated, and used by both organizations. In such situations, it may be desirable for an organization to scrub its data of sensitive information prior to making it externally available, and to prevent the introduction of unscrubbed data into the organization. However, each organization involved in the joint action may have its own process for scrubbing its own data, and these processes may be incompatible to varying degrees. Further, some needs may require scrubbed data while other needs may require unscrubbed data. For example, a simulation operation may require one organization to provide another with unscrubbed data for a line of business being tested, a conversion operation may require the organization to provide a test environment with unscrubbed data for the line of business, and an integration operation may require the organization to provide the test environment with scrubbed data while still maintaining the integrity of the common data.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “Embodiments of the present technology relate to systems and computer-implemented methods for scrubbing organizations’ data of sensitive information prior to exchanging it or otherwise making it externally available, such as when conducting joint testing or other actions, and to prevent the introduction of unscrubbed data from the second organization. Broadly characterized, one organization’s data may be scrubbed using the other organization’s actual scrubbed data in test, rather than the other organization’s scrubbing rules or process.

“In a first aspect, a system may be provided for scrubbing data to be shared between a first organization and a second organization for testing a joint solution, wherein the first organization may produce a first data set and the second organization may produce a second data set, and the system may broadly comprise the following. A first electronic memory may be configured to capture a first data subset of the first data set, a first electronic processor may be configured to scrub the first data subset according to scrubbing rules, and a first electronic communication element may be configured to communicate via an electronic communication network the scrubbed first data subset from the first organization to the second organization. A second electronic memory may be configured to capture a second data subset of the second data set, a second electronic processor may be configured to apply the scrubbed first data subset to the unscrubbed second data subset in order to scrub the second data subset, and a second electronic communication element may be configured to communicate via the electronic communication network at least part of the scrubbed second data subset from the second organization to the first organization as part of testing the joint solution or as part of joint testing. The scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a first test environment provided by the first organization to test the joint solution, and the scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a second test environment provided by the second test environment to test the joint solution.

“Additionally or alternatively, (a) the scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a first test environment provided by the first organization to test the joint solution and in a second test environment provided by the second test environment to test the joint solution, respectively, or (b) the scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a joint or shared test environment that is accessible by both the first and second organizations while testing is ongoing. The computer system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In a second aspect, a computer-implemented method may be provided for scrubbing data to be shared between a first organization and a second organization for testing a joint solution, wherein the first organization may produce a first data set and the second organization may produce a second data set, and the computer-implemented method may broadly comprise the following. A first data subset of the first data set may be captured in a first electronic memory, and a second data subset of the second data set may be captured in a second electronic memory. The first data subset may be scrubbed according to scrubbing rules by a first electronic processor. The scrubbed first data subset may be communicated from the first organization to the second organization by a first electronic communication element and via an electronic communication network. The scrubbed first data subset may be applied to the unscrubbed second data subset by a second electronic processor in order to scrub the second data subset. At least part of the scrubbed second data subset may be communicated from the second organization to the first organization by a second electronic communication element via the electronic communication network as part of testing the joint solution (or part of joint testing). The scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a first test environment provided by the first organization and in a second test environment provided by the second organization to test the joint solution, or the scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a joint or shared test environment that is accessible by both the first and second organization during testing. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed herein, and may be implemented via one or more processors and/or computer-executable instructions stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium or media.

“In a third aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium with an executable program stored thereon may be provided for scrubbing data to be shared between a first organization and a second organization for testing a joint solution, wherein the first organization may produce a first data set and the second organization may produce a second data set, wherein the computer program may be configured to instruct a system to perform the following actions. A first data subset of the first data set may be captured in a first electronic memory, and a second data subset of the second data set may be captured in a second electronic memory. The first data subset may be scrubbed according to scrubbing rules by a first electronic processor. The scrubbed first data subset may be communicated from the first organization to the second organization by a first electronic communication element and via an electronic communication network. The scrubbed first data subset may be applied to the unscrubbed second data subset by a second electronic processor in order to scrub the second data subset. At least part of the scrubbed second data subset may be communicated from the second organization to the first organization by a second electronic communication element via the electronic communication network as part of joint testing and/or testing the joint solution. The scrubbed first and second data subsets may be used in a first test environment provided by the first organization and in a second test environment provided by the second organization to test the joint solution. The instructions may direct additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for testing a joint solution, the method comprising: receiving, by a first entity via a communication network, a first data subset scrubbed by a processor of a second entity according to scrubbing rules of the second entity; capturing, by the first entity, a second data subset; scrubbing, by a processor of the first entity, the second data subset based on the scrubbed first data subset; and testing, by the first entity, the joint solution using the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed second data subset in a first test environment of the first entity; wherein the first test environment is distinct from a second test environment of the second test entity; wherein the joint solution being located at the first test environment of the first entity enables independent testing of the joint solution with at least the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed second data subset by the first entity; receiving, by the second entity, the scrubbed second data subset; and testing by the second entity, the joint solution using the scrubbed first data subset and scrubbed second data subset; wherein the joint solution being located at the seconds test environment of the second entity enables independent testing of the joint solution with at least the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed second data subset by the second entity.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein only one or more specific data fields of the first data subset is scrubbed.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the one or more specific data fields contain sensitive information.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the one or more specific data fields comprise at least one of account numbers, dates of birth, vehicle identification numbers, telephone numbers, addresses, social security numbers, and personal identification numbers.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein a format of each of the one or more specific data fields is preserved when the one or more specific data fields of the first data subset is scrubbed.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein one or more characters which are relevant to testing the joint solution is preserved when the one or more specific data fields is scrubbed and other characters in the one or more specific data fields is replaced.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying, by a data control element of the first entity, unscrubbed data communicated by the second entity; and preventing, by the data control element of the first entity, introduction of the unscrubbed data communicated by the second entity.

“8. A computer-implemented method for scrubbing data for testing a joint solution, the method comprising: scrubbing, by a processor of a first entity, a first data subset according to scrubbing rules of the first entity; transmitting, by a first communication element of the first entity, the scrubbed first data subset to a second entity; receiving, by the first communication element of the first entity, a scrubbed second data subset from the second entity, the scrubbed second data subset being scrubbed based on the scrubbed first data subset; testing, by the first entity, the joint solution using the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed second data subset in a test environment being located at the first entity which enables independent testing of the joint solution by first entity with at least the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed data subset, wherein the test environment of the first entity is distinct from a test environment of the second entity; receiving, by the second entity, the scrubbed second data subset; and testing by the second entity, the joint solution using the scrubbed first data subset and scrubbed second data subset; wherein the joint solution being located at the seconds test environment of the second entity enables independent testing of the joint solution with at least the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed second data subset by the second entity.

“9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein scrubbing the first data subset involves scrubbing only one or more specific data fields.

“10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the one or more specific data fields contain sensitive information.

“11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the one or more specific data fields comprise at least one of account numbers, dates of birth, vehicle identification numbers, telephone numbers, addresses, social security numbers, and personal identification numbers.

“12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein scrubbing the one or more specific data fields includes preserving a format of each of the one or more specific data fields.

“13. A system for scrubbing data to be shared between a first entity and a second entity for testing a joint solution, the system comprising: a memory of a first entity configured to store a first data subset; a communication element of the first entity configured to receive via a communication network a second data subset scrubbed by a processor of a second entity; a processor of the first entity configured to scrub the first data subset based on the scrubbed second data subset received from the second entity; wherein the processor is further configured to use the scrubbed first and second data subsets in a test environment provided by the first entity to test the joint solution; receiving, by the second entity, the scrubbed second data subset; and testing by the second entity, the joint solution using the scrubbed first data subset and scrubbed second data subset; wherein the joint solution being located at the seconds test environment of the second entity enables independent testing of the joint solution with at least the scrubbed first data subset and the scrubbed second data subset by the second entity.

“14. The system of claim 13, wherein only one or more specific data fields of the second data subset is scrubbed.

“15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more specific data fields contain sensitive information.

“16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more specific data fields comprise at least one of account numbers, dates of birth, vehicle identification numbers, telephone numbers, addresses, social security numbers, and personal identification numbers.

“17. The system of claim 14, wherein a format of each of the one or more specific data fields is preserved when the one or more specific data fields is scrubbed.

“18. The system of claim 14, wherein one or more characters which are relevant to testing the joint solution is preserved when the one or more specific data fields is scrubbed and other characters in the one or more specific data fields is replaced.

“19. The system of claim 13, further comprising: a data control element of the first entity configured to identify unscrubbed data communicated by the second entity and prevent introduction of the unscrubbed data communicated by the second entity.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: Chittiprolu, Murali. System and method for scrubbing data to be shared between organizations. U.S. Patent Number 11983299, filed October 26, 2022, and published online on May 14, 2024. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11983299)&db=USPAT&type=ids

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)