Patent Issued for Tokenized encryption system for preserving anonymity while collecting behavioral data in networked systems (USPTO 11424926): Yo Corporation

2022 SEP 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Patel, Devang Jitendra (Austin, TX, US), filed on April 23, 2020, was published online on August 23, 2022.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11424926, is Yo Corporation (Houston, Texas, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors:

“Field of the Art

“The present invention generally relates to providing privacy to a user of a user device, and more particularly relates to providing privacy to a user of a user device that is used to interact with a networked software platform accessed by multiple user devices.

“Discussion of the State of the Art

“Users of networked software platforms such as a social media platform (Facebook®, WhatsApp®, Twitter®, etc.) or a video game platform (Microsoft Xbox®, Sony Playstation®, etc.) prefer to connect with each other by revealing some aspect of their identity to other users, but prefer to remain anonymous in certain other aspects. For example, participants of a social media platform may prefer to conceal private information such as legal name, home address, and financial information when interacting with others on the social media platform. In some cases, this may be achieved by the use of aliases and fictitious information. However, a hosting service of the social media platform, such as Facebook®, for example, may gather some type of information such as, for example, usage statistics and/or behavioral data for serving targeted advertisements, offers, etc. It is desirable that every individual be allowed to retain his/her privacy when such information is being collected and/or analyzed by the hosting service, but every such attempt to preserve anonymity is often thwarted by networked software platforms because, ultimately, software platforms are able track user actions on their respective platforms against various identifiers, such as user identifier (user ID), device identifier (device ID), IP address, etc. As such, protecting user anonymity-while enabling users to connect with other users on a platform-has become an intractable problem.

“As another example, a first gamer playing against other gamers on a video game platform may prefer to conceal private information such as his/her legal name, home address, and identification of a hardware platform being used for playing the video game. On the other hand, the first gamer may like to know gaming credentials of one or more of the other gamers who are participating in a video game. The gaming credentials may provide an indication of a skill level and experience of a gamer. Conversely, the other gamers may like to know the gaming credentials of the first gamer. Consequently, a hosting service is typically provided the ability to collect information about all gamers for this purpose. However, it is desirable for each gamer to retain privacy when such credentials are being collected and/or analyzed by the hosting service.

“Irrespective of the level of privacy desired and/or offered to an individual, operating a networked software platform necessitates the use of certain types of identifiers in order to route signals through a network and provide interconnectivity between the various user devices. For example, each user device coupled to the Internet is designated an Internet Protocol (IP) address. The IP address is used as an identification label for routing data packets through the Internet. The IP address of a device can be changed without adversely affecting its effectiveness as a communication identifier of a device. However, the IP address of a device typically does not provide information about the device to which the IP address has been assigned (computer, data router, data switcher, smartphone, smart appliance etc.) nor does it provide information about an individual operating the device.

“Specific details about a device may be obtained by the use of device identifiers. Some examples of device identifiers include an Object Identifier (Object ID), a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), and an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI). These device identifiers are not typically used for communication purposes but may be used in some applications, such as, for example, some video game applications or some social media applications. When used, the device identifiers can not only provide information about a user device but may also provide details of a user of the user device (for example, the name of a person registered to use a smartphone having a specific UUID). For at least this reason, it is desirable that the user of the user device be provided privacy when information is obtained by use of a device identifier or any other such items that uniquely identify a device.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The present invention overcomes the limitations outlined above by creating systems and methods for providing privacy to a user of a user device. The user device is used by the user to interact with a networked software platform. The phrase “networked software platform” as used herein is not directed exclusively at software per se, but is intended to encompass a combination of hardware and software configured to run a software application such as, for example, a social media application (Facebook®, WhatsApp®, Twitter®, etc.), a video game played on a computer and/or on a dedicated gaming machine such as Microsoft Xbox® and Sony Playstation®, or a health-related application such as, for example, a diagnostic tool used to monitor blood sugar level, blood pressure, heart condition, etc. As such, the words “platform” and “application” may be used interchangeably in this disclosure and must be understood as referring to software, hardware, and/or a combination of hardware and software.

“The present invention generally involves generating of a unique user identifier (user ID) from a device identifier (device ID) of a user device and using the user ID for various purposes. In one exemplary implementation, a server computer coupled to the user device receives the device ID of the device and generates a unique user ID in the form of a unique number having “n” digits (n=16, for example). The user ID can be used by the server, for example, to gather information related to the activities and/or behaviors of a user of the user device with respect to a networked software platform such as, for example, a video game platform, a social media platform, or a health-related diagnostic tool. The identity of the user of the user device remains anonymous during the information gathering procedures because neither the device ID nor the identity of the user is transmitted over the network when the user is participating in activities of the networked software platform. Furthermore, information pertaining to the health of a user who is using a health-related diagnostic tool on the user device may be transmitted with a guaranteed level of privacy from the user device to a medical professional and/or a medical professional. Such privacy can be configured to conform to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) rules and regulations.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for preserving privacy and anonymity in a networked software platform by using tokenized encryption technologies, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, by a first computer, a hashed device identifier (hashed device ID) that uniquely identifies a first user device executing an application associated with the networked software platform, wherein the hashed device ID is generated by the application executing on the first user device; generating, by the first computer, a user identity (user ID) based on the hashed device ID, the user ID created by associating a digital code word with the device ID; generating, by the first computer, an access token for a first user of the first user device, the access token being generated in the form of an encrypted key that is generated by applying an encryption technique; and transmitting, by the first computer, to the first user device, at least one of the user ID or the access token for providing privacy to the first user when used by the first user to communicate with at least the first computer by enabling the use of the user ID and/or the access token to track user activity within the networked software platform.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first computer is a server computer, and the method further comprises: associating the user ID with at least one of behavioral data or personal data of the first user, wherein the behavioral data is collected from usage of the networked software platform by the first user; and providing anonymity to the first user by using the user ID when deriving information from at least one of behavioral data or personal data of the first user in the server computer in at least one of the first computer or a second computer.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first computer is a server computer, and the method further comprises: receiving, by the server computer, from the first user device, a password that is generated by the first user of the first user device; creating, by the server computer, an association between the unencrypted password and the user ID; and generating, by the server computer, an encrypted password based on encrypting the unencrypted password.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein creating the user ID based on the hashed device ID comprises associating the hashed device ID with a digital code word.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising: using the digital code word to derive information from at least one of behavioral data or personal data of the first user in at least one of the first computer or a second computer, wherein using the digital code word provides anonymity to the first user.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hashed device ID is generated by the first user device based on one of a unique device identifier (UDID) of the first user device, a serial number of the first user device, an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) of the first user device, Android ID of the first user device, electronic serial number (ESN) of the first user device, a mobile equipment identifier (MEID) of the first user device, or an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of the first user device.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first computer is configured to operate as a server computer, wherein the user ID is an integer having at least 10 digits, and wherein the access token is an encrypted key generated by the server computer.

“8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the networked software platform comprises one of a social media platform, a video game platform, or a health-related diagnostic tool.”

For more information, see this patent: Patel, Devang Jitendra. Tokenized encryption system for preserving anonymity while collecting behavioral data in networked systems. U.S. Patent Number 11424926, filed April 23, 2020, and published online on August 23, 2022. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11424926.PN.&OS=PN/11424926RS=PN/11424926

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