MINING OF ANONYMIZED DATA

BACKGROUND

FIELD

[0001] This disclosure is generally directed to mining of anonymized data. More

particularly, this disclosure relates to the efficient and secure federated mining of anonymized data.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Network services providers such as mobile telecommunications carriers are facing a host of competitive challenges resulting in lower average revenue per user (ARPU) and higher churn rates. While these network providers control vast amounts of user profile information (or first party information) initially acquired for the purpose of providing network services to their subscribers or end users, they remain reticent to utilize the user profile information for various other purposes (e.g., the serving of more relevant product information, etc.) given their fears of a consumer privacy backlash and running afoul of government regulation.

SUMMARY

[0003] Provided herein are system, apparatus, article of manufacture, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for efficient and secure federated mining of anonymized data.

[0004] An embodiment includes a computer implemented method for efficient and secure federated mining of anonymized data. The method may operate by receiving a federated search request from a profile consumer system identified by a profile consumer identifier, the federated search request including the at least one profile search criteria. The method may also operate by transmitting a profile search request to at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search request including the profile search criteria and receiving a profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search response including a search result list of users. The method may further operate by transmitting a federated search response to the profile consumer system, in response to the federated search request, the federated search response including the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0005] Another embodiment includes a system for efficient and secure federated mining of anonymized data. The operations may include receiving a federated search request from a profile consumer system identified by a profile consumer identifier, the federated search request including the at least one profile search criteria. The operations may also include transmitting a profile search request to at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search request including the profile search criteria and receiving a profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search response including a search result list of users. The operations may further include transmitting a federated search response to the profile consumer system, in response to the federated search request, the federated search response including the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0006] A further embodiment includes a tangible computer-readable device having

instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one computing device, causes the at least one computing device to perform operations. The operations may include receiving a federated search request from a profile consumer system identified by a profile consumer identifier, the federated search request including the at least one profile search criteria. The operations may also include transmitting a profile search request to at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search request including the profile search criteria and receiving a profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search response including a search result list of users. The operations may further include transmitting a federated search response to the profile consumer system, in response to the federated search request, the federated search response including the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0007] The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and form a part of the

specification.

[0008] FIG. 1 A illustrates a block diagram of efficient and secure federated mining

system in an example embodiment. [0009] FIG. IB illustrates a block diagram of various applications and datastores of the efficient and secure federated mining system.

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates various components of privacy services system in an example embodiment.

[0011] FIGS. 3 A-3C illustrate the processing operations that may be performed between various components to enable a user to control the filtering of their non-permitted data according to example embodiments.

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates various identifiers and its associations stored in the anonymized profile datastore according an example embodiment.

[0013] FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate a first set of processing operations that may be performed between various components to efficiently and securely mine anonymized profiles according to example embodiments.

[0014] FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate a second set of processing operations that may be

performed between various components to efficiently and securely mine anonymized profiles according to example embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 7 illustrates processing operations to efficiently and securely mine

anonymized profiles according to another example embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 8 illustrates processing operations to efficiently and securely mine

anonymized profiles according to yet another example embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 9 illustrates an example embodiment that may be useful in implementing various components of efficient and secure data filtering of non-permitted data system.

[0018] Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. Additionally, generally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. Furthermore, one or more designators to the right of a reference number such as, for example, "m" and "«" and other similar designators are intended to be variables representing any positive integer. Thus, for example, if an implementation sets a value for n = 4, then a complete set of elements 116-/7 may include elements 116-1, 116-2, 116-3, and 116-4. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, a complete set of elements may vary for a given feature, embodiment, and/or implementation even though the same designator may be used between various features, embodiments, and/or implementations. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.

62/341,286, filed on May 25, 2016 and related to Patent Cooperation Treaty Application

No. PCT/US2017/ , filed on the same day titled "SYSTEM AND METHOD OF

EFFICIENT AND SECURE DATA FILTERING OF NON-PERMITTED DATA" with Attorney Docket No. 4005.001PC01, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

[0020] The inventors recognized a need for efficient and secure data filtering of non- permitted data is critical to network services providers (or services providers) in many situations. The inventors also recognized that in order for various network services providers (or various services providers) to repurpose first party information while respecting each user's privacy, there is also a need to provide a secure and anonymized means to mine what personal information each user may choose to share. Network services providers such as mobile telecommunications carriers are facing a host of competitive challenges resulting in reduced mobile service pricing plans and higher churn rates. While these network providers control vast amounts of user profile information (or first party information) initially acquired for the purpose of providing network services to their subscribers or end users, they remain reticent to utilize the user profile information for various other purposes (e.g., enhancing search results, etc.) given their fears of a consumer privacy backlash and government regulation. While some solutions may enable a network services provider to share their end users' subscriber information with third party entities, these solutions suffer numerous deficiencies. For example, these solutions do not allow their end users to control the purpose for which their user profile information may be used by third party entities. These solutions also do not allow their end users to control specific types of information that may be accessible by third party entities nor do they allow their end user to control the amount of time their user profile information may be accessible to third party entities.

[0021] To address these deficiencies and others, a privacy services system is provided herein to enable end users of various network services providers (or various services providers) to securely control their user profile information with respect to a variety of network services providers and/or services providers. The privacy services system provides these functionalities to the end users of network services providers (or various services providers), even when the relationship between a network services provider (or services provider) and its end user has been terminated. Thus, the privacy services system would also allow the end users to control their user profile information with a previous network services provider even when the end user is no longer able to access the network services provider's services (e.g., mobile telecommunications services) because the relationship has been terminated. In this way, solutions are provided in which privacy concerns and even certain regulations premised on bona fide consumer transparency, control and express consent rights with respect to what personal information is stored and shared, with whom it is shared for what purposes, and for how long, as well as the ability to view, edit, delete, and/or port that information (i.e., privacy by design) are

accommodated.

[0022] To provide the end users of network services providers (or services providers) with the ability to control the access of their end users' user profile information in a secure and anonymous manner with various profile consumers (e.g., search engines, social networks, ad networks, etc.), the privacy services system may be configured to generate an anonymized profile identifier. The generated anonymized profile identifier may then be used to anonymously identify an end user within the privacy services system. The privacy services system may also associate the generated anonymized profile identifier with: (1) a profile consumer's profile identifier assigned by a profile consumer, (2) permissions profile information that define what portions of the user profile information is stored and/or shared, with which profile consumer it is shared, for what purposes, and for how long, and (3) a provider's profile identifier assigned by a network services provider (or a services provider). The respective profile identifiers may then be used by the privacy services systems to identify the same end user when communicating with the respective systems. However, by using these profile identifiers with its respective systems rather than intermingling profile identifiers, the security and anonymity of the user's identity may be preserved because neither the privacy services system nor the profile consumer system are able to identify any particular end user.

[0023] To provide profile consumers with the ability to search for user profiles of end users in various network services providers (or various services providers), the privacy services system may be configured perform federated searches for end users having a specific profile search criteria stored in one or more datastores of the one or more network services providers and/or services providers. The search results may then be returned to the profile consumer using profile identifiers that are recognizable by the profile consumer. To protect each end user's privacy and maintain the security of the privacy services system, the privacy services system and in conjunction with a permitted use gatekeeper application may be configured to search for end users who not only have user profiles that match a profile consumer's profile search criteria, but also to filter the search to ensure that it is consistent with end users' permissions profile information.

[0024] To further enhance the security of end users' user profile information, the privacy services system may also be configured to communicate with a permitted use gatekeeper application and associated permitted profile datastore via an encrypted communications protocol that is hosted or otherwise executed on the infrastructure of the network services provider (or services provider). In this manner, each end user's user profile information may never be stored or otherwise cached by the privacy services system, which substantially reduces the security footprint of the privacy services system. To further reduce security footprint and enhance security, the privacy services system may also direct the permitted use gatekeeper application to filter the user profile information and store only user profile information that each end user has allowed to be accessible in the permitted profile datastore, i.e., permitted profile information.

[0025] To provide the end users with the ability to control their user profile information, the privacy services system may further provide end users with the ability to allow or disallow specific profile attributes that may be shared with profile consumers. To further provide the end users with the ability to control their user profile information, the privacy services system may also provide the end users with the ability to allow or disallow specific profile consumers from accessing their permitted profile information and to set a time period for which their permitted profile information may be accessible by the various profile consumers. The privacy services system may then be configured to filter the user profile information for non-permitted information, and store the filtered user profile information as permitted profile information in the permitted profile datastore.

[0026] To ensure that profile consumers only have limited access to an end user's user profile information, in some implementations, the permitted gatekeeper application may be further configured to limit queries of user profile information by various profile consumers to permitted profile information that is stored within the permitted profile datastore. In this manner, the security of each end user's user profile information is further enhanced so that any breach in security protocol by a profile consumer may be limited to permitted profile information that is stored within the permitted profile datastore. It may be appreciated that these are merely a few of the features and benefits of the privacy services system. Additional features and benefits are further discussed with reference to specific embodiments. It may be appreciated that these are merely a few of the features and benefits of the privacy services system. Additional features and benefits are further discussed with reference to specific embodiments.

[0027] FIG. 1 A illustrates a block diagram of efficient and secure federated mining

system 100 that enables a user to control his or her user profile information that is stored with his or her network provider(s) and/or services provider(s). In an embodiment, the system 100 may include, without limitation, network provider systems 110, services provider systems 170, content provider systems 162, profile consumer systems 164, and privacy services system 160, where each of these devices and systems may be operatively and communicatively coupled via network 150. Additionally, the system 100 may include end users 108 and their associated user devices 104, which may be operatively and communicatively coupled to the network 150 via the communications network 118 of the network provider systems 110.

[0028] In various embodiments, the network 150 may be representative of one or more computer and/or telecommunications networks that may enable coupled and/or interconnected systems and/or devices to communicate information between and among each other. In various embodiments, the network 150 may include, without limitation, intranet, extranet, Internet, and/or any other local, regional or global telecommunications network. To ensure communication privacy and security, the various communications further discussed herein may be encrypted using one or more cryptographic protocols (e.g., Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), etc.)

[0029] In various embodiments, the network 150 may include various wireless network devices configured to encode and/or decode information and receive and/or transmit the encoded information as radio signals in frequencies consistent with the one or more wireless communications standards (e.g., Wireless IEEE 802.11, WiMAX IEEE 802.16, Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Bluetooth standards, Near Field Communications (NFC) standards, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the network 150 may also include various wired network devices configured to receive and/or transmit the encoded information as electrical and/or optical signals consistent with one or more wired and/or optical network standards (e.g., Ethernet, Fibre Channel, etc.).

[0030] In an embodiment, the network provider systems 110 (e.g., network provider systems 110-1, 110-2, 110-3 . . . 110-a) may be generally configured to provide end user systems 102 access to network 150 and various systems coupled to the network 150. In an embodiment, the network provider systems 110 may include a communications network 118 and network provider server devices 116. The communications network 118 of each network provider system may be generally configured to provide various user devices 104 of end user systems 102 access to network 150 and various systems connected to network 150.

[0031] To provide access to network 150 and various systems connected to network 150, the communications network 118 may include various network devices (e.g., routers, switches, base transceiver stations, base station controllers, media gateways, etc.) operatively and communicatively coupled to each other, the user devices 104, and the network 150. Additionally, the communications network 118 may be configured to implement various wireless, wired, and/or optical communications standards. In an embodiment, the network provider systems 110 may also be representative of

telecommunications services providers, mobile telecommunications services providers, internet service providers, mobile network providers, and/or the like.

[0032] In an embodiment, the network provider server devices 116 may be generally configured to host or otherwise execute one or more applications and/or datastores. The one or more applications may include, without limitation, account management application(s) 112, user account datastore(s) 113, and/or user profile datastore(s) 114. In an embodiment, the account management application(s) 112 may be generally configured to enable one or more end users 108 (e.g., end user 108-1, 108-2, 108-3 . . . 108-&) to manage their account with the network provider systems 110. To enable end users 108 to manage their account with their respective network provider systems 110, the account management application(s) 112 may be generally configured to authenticate end users 108 of the network provider systems 110 based on the user authentication information (e.g., user name, passwords, personal identification number, unique alphanumeric identifier with a unique alphanumeric password, etc.), which may be stored in the one or more user account datastores 113.

[0033] In an embodiment, the account management application(s) 112 may also be

generally configured to enable end users 108 to update at least a portion of their user profile information, which may be stored in the user profile datastore(s) 114. The user profile datastore(s) 114 may be generally configured to store user profile information collected or aggregated from the end user in connection with the services provided by the respective network provider systems 110, such as, for example, providing mobile telecommunication services to one or more user devices, providing Internet access to one or more user devices, and/or the like. Thus, the user profile datastore(s) 114 may include, without limitation, information that a user may be required to provide in order to use the network provider systems 110 (e.g., physical address and email address to create a user account, etc.) or one or more services of the network provider systems 110 (e.g., credit card type used for automatic payment, etc.).

[0034] In an embodiment, the user profile information may include, without limitation, user service history information, user characteristic information, user household economic information, user vehicles information, and/or other information that may be associated with an end user (e.g., information regarding end user's home, information regarding end user's household, etc.). The user service history information may include, without limitation, service access information (e.g., content which may be identified by a reference such as a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) and/or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) the user has accessed via the respective network provider system within a specific time period (e.g., past week, past month, past six months, etc.), application telemetry information (mobile and/or desktop application usage, mobile and/or desktop application installation, web browser usage information, geo-location information, etc.), vehicle telemetry information (vehicle location information, vehicle speed, vehicle operational status, connected traffic signaling information, etc.), service plan information, service tier, number of devices assigned to user's account, the amount of data the user has

downloaded and/or uploaded within a specific time period, and/or the like. The user characteristic information may include, without limitation, date of birth, gender, ethnicity, education, occupation, marital status, number of adults in house hold, presence of children, number of children and/or the like. [0035] In an embodiment, the user household economic information may include, without limitation, estimated household income, credit scores from one or more credit reporting agencies, credit usage information which may include a frequency of purchases using a credit card within a specific time period (e.g., past month, past six months, etc.) and the type of credit cards the user used, and/or the like. The user vehicles information, which may include without limitation, vehicle manufacturer, vehicle year, and vehicle model for one or more vehicles in the user's household, intent to purchase a vehicle within a specific time period, and/or the like. In an embodiment, the services provider systems 170 (e.g., services provider systems 170-1, 170-2, 170-3 . . . 170-c) may be generally configured to provide end user systems 102 access to one or more services providers (e.g., telecommunications services provider, automotive services provider, content publishing services provider, ad targeting services provider, consumer insights services provider, etc.). Each services provider system may include one or more services provider server devices 172. The one or more content services provider server devices 172 may further be configured to host or otherwise execute one or more services provider applications 174, one or more account management applications 176, one or more user account datastores 178, and one or more content user profile datastores 180. In an embodiment, the services provider systems 170 may be generally configured to provide various user devices 104 of end user systems 102 with services such as automotive support services provider, content publishing services provider, social networking services provider, ad targeting services provider, consumer insights services provider, financial services provider, and/or the like.

[0036] In an embodiment, the one or more services provider applications 174 may be generally configured to receive one or more service requests to provide various user devices 104 of end user systems 102 with services such as, for example, autonomous vehicle support systems, traffic support systems, automotive support systems, consumer insights support systems, social networking systems (including social network support systems), financial management services systems (including financial management support services), and/or the like. To enable end users 108 to manage their account with their respective services provider systems 170, the account management application(s) 176 may be generally configured to authenticate end users 108 of the services provider systems 170 based on the user authentication information (e.g., user name, passwords, personal identification number, unique alphanumeric identifier with a unique alphanumeric password, etc.), which may be stored in the user account datastore(s) 178.

[0037] In an embodiment, the account management application(s) 176 may also be

generally configured to enable end users 108 to update at least a portion of their user profile information, which may be stored in the user profile datastore(s) 180. The user profile datastore(s) 180 may be generally configured to store user profile information collected or aggregated from the user in connection with the services provided by the respective services provider systems 170, such as, for example, providing autonomous vehicle support services, traffic support services, vehicle support services, Internet of Things (IoT) support services (e.g., smart appliances, etc.) including 'smart city' IoT supported devices (e.g., connected traffic sensors, etc.), providing social networking services, providing consumer insights services, providing financial management services and/or the like. Thus, the user profile datastore(s) 180 may include, without limitation, user profile information that a user may be required to provide in order to use the services provider systems 170 (e.g., vehicle information, contact information, financial information, etc.).

[0038] In an embodiment, the one or more content provider systems 162 (e.g., content provider system 162-1, 162-2, 162-3 . . . 162-d) may be generally configured to provide requested content to the end user systems 102. Each content provider system may include one or more content provider server devices 130. The one or more content provider server devices 130 may further be configured to host or otherwise execute one or more content provider applications 132 and/or one or more content provider datastores 134. The one or more content provider applications 132 may be configured to receive one or more content requests that are identified by one or more requested content references (e.g., URIs and/or URLs, etc.), and provide one or more content responses, which may include the requested content stored in the one or more content provider datastore(s) 134. In an embodiment, the one or more requested content may include one or more web pages, applications, databases, and/or the like. Additionally, the one or more requested content may further include one or more affiliated content references (e.g., URIs and/or URLs) identifying the location of the affiliated content, such that the end user systems 102 may request the affiliated content from the one or more profile consumer systems 164. [0039] In an embodiment, the one or more profile consumer systems 164 (e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, 164-2, 164-3 . . . 164-e) may be generally configured to provide affiliated content requested by the end user systems 102. Each profile consumer system may include one or more profile consumer server devices 140. The one or more profile consumer server devices 140 may be configured to host or otherwise execute one or more profile consumer application(s) 142 and/or one or more profile consumer datastores 144. The one or more profile consumer application(s) 142 may be configured to receive one or more affiliated content requests that is identified by the affiliated content references (e.g., URIs and/or URLs, etc.), and provide one or more affiliated content responses, which may include the affiliated content stored in one or more profile consumer datastores 144. In an embodiment, the affiliated content may include, without limitation, advertising content, marketing content, sponsor content, search result content, and/or the like. . In an embodiment, profile consumer systems 164 may be representative of marketer systems, social networking systems, consumer insights analysis systems, data broker systems, and/or the like.

[0040] In an embodiment, the one or more end user systems 102 (e.g., end user system

102-1, 102-2, 102-3 . . . 102- ) may be generally configured to provide one or more end users 108 with access to network 150 and its associated systems via an associated network provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1, etc.). In an embodiment, each user of the one or more end user systems 102 may include, without limitation, one or more user devices 104. Example user devices 104 may include without limitation, one or more mobile devices (mobile phones, smart phones etc.), computing devices (e.g., laptops, desktop computers, tablets, smart televisions, streaming media devices etc.), one or more embedded systems devices (e.g., vehicle navigation systems, autonomous vehicle driving systems, etc.) and/or the like. Each of the one or more user devices 104 may be configured to host or otherwise execute one or more client applications 106. The one or more client applications 106 may include, without limitation, one or more web browsers (e.g., GOOGLE Chrome, APPLE Safari, MOZILLA Firefox, etc.) configured to request content (e.g., web pages, etc.) identified by one or more URIs and/or URLs, content specific applications configured to access content associated with one or more provider server devices (e.g., ETFLIX, YOUTUBE, etc.), and/or the like. [0041] In an embodiment, the privacy services system 160 may be generally configured to enable end users 108 to securely manage and control the access of their user profile information within one or more network provider systems 110 with respect to one or more profile consumer systems 164. The privacy services system 160 may include without limitation, one or more privacy services server devices 120. The one or more privacy services server devices 120 may be configured to host or otherwise execute a privacy services application 122 and one or more privacy services datastore(s) 124.

[0042] In an embodiment, the privacy services application 122 may be generally

configured to receive requests from one or more end users 108 to enable the secure management and control of their user profile information within the one or more network provider systems 110. To enable the secure management and control of the one or more end users' 108 user profile information, the services application 122 may be generally configured to receive permissions profile control requests from one or more end users 108 to enable the secure management and control of their user profile information within one or more network provider systems 110.

[0043] In an embodiment, the privacy services application 122 may be configured to provide end users 108 with granular permissions profile control to specific information within each end user's user profile information. In an embodiment, the permissions profile control may allow end users 108 to allow or disallow access of some or all specific information within their user profile information. The permissions profile control may also allow end users 108 to allow or disallow access of their user profile information to some or all profile consumer systems 164. Furthermore, the permissions profile control may also allow end users 108 to limit the amount of time (e.g., one week, one month, two month, etc.) profile consumer systems 164 may access respective user profile

information. Additionally, the permissions profile control may further allow users to limit a number of times (e.g., ten (10) times, twenty (20) times, etc.) the one or more profile consumer systems 164 may access respective user profile information before the user profile information is no longer accessible.

[0044] To allow one or more end users 108 to securely manage and control their user profile information, the privacy services application 122 may be configured to provide one or more user interface (UI) views to one or more client applications 106 of the respective end users' user devices 104. The one or more UI views may include, without limitation, one or more configurable UI elements that are representative of various user profile information. The one or more configurable UI elements may be configured to enable the end users 108 to manage and control their user profile information.

[0045] Additionally, to ensure that one or more end users' 108 user profile information are securely filtered, such that one or more profile consumer systems 164 can only access or otherwise receive only permitted profile information as defined by each end user's permissions profile control, the privacy services system 160 may be further configured to deploy permitted use gatekeeper application 126 and associated permitted profile datastore 128 into one or more network provider server devices 116 of the one or more network provider systems 110 and/or one or more services provider server devices 172 of the one or more services provider systems 170 further discussed with respect to FIG. IB.

[0046] It may be appreciated that while not explicitly illustrated, the one or more systems

(e.g., privacy services system 160, content provider systems 162, services provider systems 170, profile consumer systems 164, etc.) and/or portions of the one or more systems (e.g., network provider server devices 116, etc.) may be implemented by server devices and/or network devices of various data centers of one or more public cloud computing services providers (e.g., MICROSOFT Azure, AMAZON Web Services, GOOGLE Compute Engine, etc.) and/or private or internal cloud computing services. The cloud computing services providers and/or internal cloud computing services may be configured to implement a variety of protocols (e.g., Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HTTP Secure (HTTPS), etc.), standard formats (e.g., JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible markup Language (XML), etc.), and/or APIs (e.g., MICROSOFT Services Management APIs, AMAZON Elastic Compute Cloud APIs, GOOGLE Cloud JSON APIs, etc.).

[0047] In such implementations, each of the various server devices may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to each other within their respective systems via one or more network devices. For example, one or more network provider server devices 116 may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to each other within a network provider system of the one or more network provider systems 110 via one or more network devices. Similarly, one or more privacy services server devices 120 may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to each other within the privacy services system 160 via one or more network devices. [0048] Additionally, each of these various server devices within their respective systems may also be configured to host or otherwise execute various type-1 or native hypervisors (e.g., VMWARE ESXi hypervisor, MICROSOFT Hyper-V hypervisor, UBUNTU LXD Container Hypervisor, etc.) and/or type-2 or non-native hypervisors (e.g., VMWARE Work Station, VirtualBox, etc.) where each hypervisor may be further configured to host or otherwise execute one or more guest operating systems (e.g., Windows Server, Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu Snappy, CoreOS Container Linux, VMware Photon, etc.) on each of the various server devices.

[0049] Furthermore, the one or more guest operating systems may be further configured to execute one or more native applications and/or native datastores directly on the guest operating system. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more guest operating systems may also be configured to host or otherwise execute one or more container applications and/or container datastores via a container engine (e.g., Docker Container Engine, rkt Container Engine, etc.). The native applications, native datastores, container applications, and/or container datastores may further include one or more cluster node management applications configured to enable orchestration, deployment, and/or management of the one or more container applications (e.g., Kubernetes, etc.). The cluster node management applications may be configured to provide high availability, redundancy, and scaling of the one or more container applications and/or container datastores.

[0050] In addition, the one or more native applications, native datastores, container

applications, and/or container datastores may also be configured to implement a microservice architecture, where the structures of an application may be implemented as a set of individual microservices that are separated and organized by their discrete functions. The individual microservices may be implemented with a variety of programming languages and may be communicatively and/or operatively coupled to each other via distributed messaging systems (e.g., APACHE Kafka, etc.) and overlay networks (e.g., flannel, etc.) to collectively provide the functionalities of the one or more native applications and/or container applications.

[0051] It may be appreciated that while the example embodiments that follow (e.g., example embodiments of FIGS. IB, 2, 3A-3C, 4, 5A-5B, 6A-6B, and 7-8) may reference specific devices, systems, implementations, and/or representations as those discussed above in FIG. 1 A, the example embodiments are not so limited in their respective contexts. Thus, the specific network provider system 110-1, services provider system 170-1, profile consumer system 164-1, content provider system 162-1, and end user system 102-1 further discussed in the following example embodiments may be representative of any particular one of the one or more network provider systems 110, services provider systems 170, profile consumer systems 164, content provider systems 162, and end user systems 102, respectively, as discussed above in FIG. 1 A.

[0052] FIG. IB illustrates various applications and datastores of the efficient and secure federated mining system in an example embodiment. In the example embodiment, the system 100 may include the network provider system 110-1, services provider system 170-1, content provider system 162-1, profile consumer system 164-1, and privacy services system 160, where each of these systems may be operatively and/or

communicatively coupled via at least network 150. Additionally, the system 100 may include end user system 102-1 operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the network 150 and the various systems via the communications network 118. Furthermore, to ensure communication privacy and security between privacy services application 122 and various other applications (e.g., content provider application 132-1, profile consumer application 142-1, client permissions application 106-1, permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1, permitted use gatekeeper application 126-2), the communications between the applications may be encrypted utilizing a secure and encrypted

communications protocol (e.g., TLS, SSL, etc.).

[0053] In an embodiment, the network provider system 110-1 may be representative of a mobile telecommunications carrier configured to provide mobile phone services and Internet access services. The network provider system 110-1 may include an account management application 112-1 communicatively and/or operatively coupled to a user account datastore 113-1 and user profile datastore 114-1. To assist in the secure filtering of user profile information in accordance with user permissions control, the network provider system 110-1 may be configured to include a permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 communicatively and/or operatively coupled to the user profile datastore 114-1 and the permitted profile datastore 128-1. In embodiments where the network provider system 110-1 may be configured to host or otherwise execute container applications via a container engine of one or more network provider server devices 116, the permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and permitted profile datastore 128-1 may be deployed in one or more containers to the network provider server devices 116 of network provider system 110-1.

[0054] In an embodiment, the services provider system 170-1 may be representative of a vehicle support services and/or autonomous vehicle support services configured to provide vehicle support services such as vehicle based navigation systems, autonomous vehicle driving systems, in-vehicle security, and/or remote diagnostics. The services provider system 170-1 may include an account management application 176-1 communicatively and/or operatively coupled to a user account datastore 178-1 and profile datastore 180-1. To assist in the secure filtering of user profile information in accordance with user permissions control, the services provider system 170-1 may be configured to include a permitted use gatekeeper application 126-2 communicatively and/or operatively coupled to the user profile datastore 180-1 and the permitted profile datastore 128-2. In embodiments where the services provider system 170-1 may be configured to host or otherwise execute container applications via a container engine of one or more network provider server devices 116, the permitted use gatekeeper application 126-2 and permitted profile datastore 128-2 may be deployed in one or more containers to the one or more services provider server devices 172 of the services provider system 170-1.

[0055] In an embodiment, the content provider system 162-1 may be configured to

provide requested content such as, for example, streaming videos from a web page to the end user system 102-1, in response to receiving a content request from the end user system 102-1. In an embodiment, the requested content provided to the end user system 102-1 may include the requested content and one or more affiliated content references (e.g., URIs and/or URLs, etc.) to affiliated content stored in the profile consumer system 164-1. In an embodiment, the profile consumer system 164-1 may be representative of a sponsor or marketer configured to provide requested affiliated content such as, for example, a web banner for a sponsor or marketer of the request content. The profile consumer system 164-1 may also be configured to receive affiliated content requests, which may include, without limitation, a unique identification token from the end user system 102-1 that uniquely identifies the end user's user device 104-1 or the end user himself/herself within a particular network provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1, etc.). [0056] In an embodiment, the unique identification token may include an identifier that may uniquely identify an end user's user device (e.g., user device 104-1, etc.) and/or the end user. The unique identifier may be assigned by the end user's network provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1, etc.) and may be added or otherwise incorporated (e.g., incorporated via HTTP header, etc.) into some or even all

communications between the end user's user device and one or more systems (e.g., network provider systems 110, services provider systems 170, profile consumer systems 164, content provider systems 162, privacy services system 160, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the unique identification token may be an unique identifier generated and transmitted to the user device by the privacy services system 160 (e.g., a web browser cookie with the unique identification token, etc.) when the user first creates a user account with the privacy services system 160. It may be appreciated that the unique identifier of the unique identification token may be different than a provider's profile identifier.

[0057] In an embodiment, the end user system 102-1 may include, without limitation a user device 104-1. The user device may be further configured to execute a client permissions application 106-1 and a client content application 106-2. The client permissions application 106-1 may be communicatively and/or operatively coupled to the privacy services application 122 and configured to enable an end user's user device 104-1 to manage his or her permissions profile control that may limit the profile consumer system 164-1 access to permitted profile information within the respective network provider system 110-1 and/or services provider system 170-1. The client content application 106-2 may be communicatively and/or operatively coupled to the content provider application 132-1 and configured to enable an end user's user device 104-1 to request content from the content provider system 162-1 via a content request and request affiliated content from profile consumer system 164-1 via an affiliated content request.

[0058] In an embodiment and to enable an end user to manage his or her permissions profile, the client permissions application 106-1 may be configured to visually present the one or more UI views on a display associated with the user device 104-1. The one or more UI views may further include one or more modifiable UI elements that are associated with the end user's permissions profile, which can be modified based on an end user' s input. [0059] In an embodiment, and to enable end users 108 access to content available from content provider system 162-1, the client content application 106-2 may be configured to request content from the content provider system 162-1, the content may include, for example, streaming videos which may be visually presented in one or more UI views. In an embodiment, the content may further include one or more URIs and/or URLs that are associated with affiliated content such as a sponsor. In these embodiments, the client content application 106-2 may be configured to request the affiliated content and visually present the affiliated content in the one or more UI views.

[0060] In an embodiment, the client permissions application 106-1 and/or client content application 106-2 may be implemented as native applications hosted, interpreted, or otherwise executed by an operating system of the user device 104-1. Additionally or alternatively, the client permissions application 106-1 and/or client content application 106-2 may be representative of a web browser hosted, interpreted and/or otherwise executed on the operating system of the user device 104-1. In an embodiment, the web browser may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the privacy services application 122 and may be configured to visually present one or more UI views as one or more web pages. Additionally, the web browser may also be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the content provider application 132-1 and profile consumer application 142-1 and may be configured to visually present the requested content and affiliated content in one or more UI views as one or more web pages.

[0061] In an embodiment, the privacy services system 160 may include the privacy

services application 122 configured to enable an end user of user device 104-1 to manage his or her permissions profile and limit access to his or her user profile information within the network provider system 110-1 and/or services provider system 170-1. The privacy services system 160 may further include, without limitation, an anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1, a permissions profile datastore 124-2, and a user account datastore 124-3.

[0062] In an embodiment, the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 may be

configured to store anonymized profile information for each end user (e.g., end user 108- 1, 108-2, 108-3, etc.). The anonymized profile information may include, without limitation, anonymized profile identifiers, provider's profile identifiers, provider identifiers, profile consumer's profile identifiers, profile consumer identifiers, unique identification tokens, and their respective relationships. In an embodiment, the end user's anonymized profile identifier may be a unique identifier created and assigned by the privacy services application 122 to uniquely identify the end user within the privacy services system 160.

[0063] In an embodiment, the provider's profile identifier may be created and assigned by one or more network provider systems (e.g., network provider system 110-1, 110-2, etc.) and/or one or more services provider systems (e.g., services provider system 170-1, 170-2, etc.) to uniquely identify the end user (e.g., end user 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, etc.) within the respective network provider system and/or services provider system. Thus, the provider's profile identifier may be a unique identifier within its respective network provider system or services provider system but not necessarily unique across multiple network provider systems (e.g., network provider system 110-1, 110-2, etc.) and/or services provider systems (services provider system 170-1, 170-2, etc.). In an

embodiment, each end user's anonymized profile identifier may be associated with one or more provider's profile identifiers. In an embodiment, each provider's profile identifier may be associated with a provider identifier, where each provider identifier may be a unique identifier created and assigned by the identifier management component 224 to uniquely identify a particular network provider system or a particular services provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1, 110-2, services provider system 170-1, 170- 2, etc.).

[0064] In an embodiment, the profile consumer's profile identifier may be created and assigned by one or more profile consumer systems (e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, etc.) to uniquely identify the end user (e.g., end user 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, etc.) within the profile consumer systems. Thus, the identifier may be a unique identifier within its respective profile consumer system but not necessarily unique across multiple profile consumer systems. In an embodiment, each end user's anonymized profile identifier may be associated with one or more profile consumer's profile identifiers. In an embodiment, each profile consumer's profile identifier may be associated with a profile consumer identifier, where each profile consumer identifier may be a unique identifier created and assigned by the identifier management component 224 to uniquely identify a particular profile consumer system (e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, etc.). [0065] In an embodiment, the permissions profile datastore 124-2 may be configured to store permissions profile information for each end user. The permissions profile information for each end user may also be associated with the anonymized profile identifier. Additionally, the permissions profile information may include one or more permissions attributes and corresponding permissions attributes values. Each permissions attribute within an end user's permissions profile information may correspond to each profile attribute of the user profile information. Each permission profile value may indicate whether to allow or disallow the accessibility of the corresponding profile attribute, so that the end user may selectively grant or deny access of each profile attribute of his or her respective user profile information by the profile consumer systems 164. As further discussed with respect to at least FIG. 2, a permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1, 126-2, etc.) deployed within the one or more network provider systems and/or services provider systems may be configured to: (1) filter user profile information for one or more end users based on the permissions profile information for the end user; and (2) generate permitted profile information based on the filtering of the end user's user profile information.

[0066] In an embodiment, the permissions profile information may further include access recipients information, access purpose information and access duration information and/or the like. The access recipients information may define a set of one or more profile consumer systems 164 (e.g., "Facebook," "Twitter," "Linkedln," "Pinterest," "Admob," "Open Mediaworks," "Unity Ads," Chartboost," "Applovin," "MobileCore," etc.) that may access the end user's permitted profile information. For example, the access recipients information for each end user may include, without limitation, one or more recipient attributes, where each recipient attribute may identify a particular profile consumer system by its profile consumer identifier. Each recipient attribute may also be associated with a recipient attribute value indicating whether to allow or disallow access for that particular consumer system identified by its profile consumer identifier.

[0067] In an embodiment, the access purpose information may define a purpose for

which the permitted profile information may be used by the one or more profile consumer systems 164. The purpose may define a set of one or more purposes such as search engine related purposes, advertising related purposes (e.g., video, rich media, sponsored, banner, etc.), mobile messaging purposes, and/or the like. For example, the access purpose information for each end user may include, without limitation, one or more purpose attributes, where each purpose attribute may identify for what purpose (e.g., "Search Engines," "Banner Ads," "Video Ads," etc.) a profile consumer system may use an end user's permitted profile information. Each purpose attribute may also be associated with a purpose attribute value indicating whether to allow or disallow such purpose as identified by the purpose attribute.

[0068] In an embodiment, the access duration information may define the amount of time or a number of times the permitted profile information may be accessible by the one or more profile consumer systems 164. For example the access duration information may define a future date and time that the end user's permitted profile information will no longer be accessible by any profile consumer system.

[0069] In an embodiment, the user account datastore 124-3 may be configured to store user account information for each end user. The user account information may include, without limitation, user authentication information (e.g., a user name and password, etc.) and associated anonymized profile identifier. The user account information may be utilized to log in an end user into the privacy services system 160.

[0070] FIG. 2 illustrates various components of a privacy services system in an example embodiment. In the example embodiment and to enable an end user of user device 104-1 to manage his or her permissions profile and limit access to his or her user profile information within the network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170- 1, the privacy services system 160 may include the privacy services application 122, the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1, the permissions profile datastore 124-2, and user account datastore 124-3, all operatively and/or communicatively coupled to each other within the privacy services system 160. In the example embodiment, the privacy services application 122 may further include, without limitation, a permissions profile presentation component 220, a federated mining component 222, an identifier management component 224, an account creation component 226, a permissions synchronization component 228, a permissions management component 230, an account management component 232, and an account association component 234.

[0071] In an embodiment, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the client permissions application 106-1 and configured to enable end users to request management of their permissions profile in order to control the scope of user profile information that may be accessible by the profile consumer system 164. The permissions profile presentation component 220 may also be configured to enable end users to view and modify their associated permissions profile by providing permissions profile information to the client permissions application 106-1 for visual presentation on a display coupled to an end user's user device 104-1.

[0072] In an embodiment, the federated mining component 222 may be operatively

and/or communicatively coupled to the profile consumer application 142-1 and configured to receive a profile consumer's federated search requests from the profile consumer application 142-1, which may include at least one profile search criteria. In an embodiment, the federated mining component 222 may also be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the permitted use gatekeeper applications 126-1 and 126-2 and configured to search the network provider system 110-1 and the services provider system 170-1 for permitted profile information that matches the at least one profile search criteria. The federated mining component 222 may be further configured to transmit a federated search response based on the search results received from the network provider system 110-1 and/or the services provider system 170-1 to the profile consumer application 142-1. The federated search response may include a list of profile consumer's profile identifiers representative of end users having user profiles that match the at least one profile search criteria.

[0073] Optionally, in order to provide incentives for end users 108 to allow access to their user profile information, the federated mining component 222 may further transmit notifications to the respective network provider systems and/or services provider systems associated with the end users 108 (identified by the respective provider's profile identifiers) who have user profile information that: (1) matches the profile search criteria, and (2) their corresponding profile consumer's profile identifiers were subsequently transmitted to the profile consumer system in a federated search response. The respective network provider system (e.g., mobile telecommunications carrier such as Verizon, Orange, Vodafone, AT&T, etc.) may then provide discounts and/or incentives on services and/or products they may provide to those end users (e.g., discount on services associated with the end user's user devices 104 such as discount on mobile phone services, earlier trade in of the end user's user devices 104 such as mobile phones, etc.). Similarly, the respective services provider systems (e.g., autonomous vehicle and/or automotive support services systems such as those managed by Tesla, GM, Ford, Audi, Mercedes Benz and such as those managed by OnStar, LoJack, etc.) may also provide discounts and/or incentives on services and/or product they may provide to those end users (e.g., extension of time for in-vehicle GPS navigation, discounted GPS map updates, discounted in- vehicle security services, discounted remote diagnostics services, etc.).

[0074] In an embodiment, the identifier management component 224 may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 and configured to manage the relationship and associations between an end user's

anonymized profile identifier, a provider's profile identifier, a provider identifier, a profile consumer's profile identifier, and a profile consumer identifier stored within the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1. In an embodiment, the end user's anonymized profile identifier may be a unique identifier created and assigned by the identifier management component 224 to uniquely identify the end user within the privacy services system 160.

[0075] In an embodiment, the account creation component 226 may be operatively

coupled and/or communicatively coupled to the permissions profile presentation component 220, the identifier management component 224, and permissions management component 230 to receive requests to create a user account for an end user including the creation and storage of related identifiers, tokens, and their associations.

[0076] In an embodiment, permissions synchronization component 228 may be

operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the permitted use gatekeeper applications 126-1 and 126-2 and permissions management component 230 and configured to receive notifications regarding updates to an end user's permissions profile information and in response, synchronize at least one permitted profile datastore (e.g., permitted profile datastores 128-1 and 128-2, etc.) based on the end user's updated permissions profile information.

[0077] In an embodiment, the permissions synchronization component 228 may be

configured to synchronize the at least one permitted profile datastore in response to receiving a set number (e.g., ten (10), twenty (20), one hundred (100), etc.) of one or more notifications. Additionally or alternatively, the synchronization may also be performed on a periodic basis by the permissions synchronization component 228 (e.g., every hour, every four (4) hours, every twelve (12) hours, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the permissions synchronization component 228 may be further configured to synchronize based on access duration information associated with end users 108 on a periodic basis (every twelve (12) hours, every twenty four (24) hours, etc.).

[0078] Additionally or alternatively to improve filtering efficiency, the permissions

synchronization component 228 may be configured to synchronize the at least one permitted profile datastore based on one or more provider systems' (e.g., network provider systems 110-1 and/or services provider system 170-1) service level objectives as defined by service level agreements associated with the provider systems. The service level objectives may include, without limitation, at least one time period to access the user profile datastore, maximum data throughput during the at least one time period of access, maximum frequency of access during the at least one time period of access, and/or the like. The permissions synchronization component 228 and corresponding permitted use gatekeeper application may access each provider system's user profile datastore (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 accessing user profile datastore 114-1, etc.) in accordance with the at least one service level objective so as to reduce network and processing loads during peak time periods and thereby, increasing overall efficiency.

[0079] In an embodiment, the permissions management component 230 may be

operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the permissions profile presentation component 220, the permissions profile datastore 124-2, and the permissions

synchronization component 228 and configured to retrieve an end user's permissions profile information and provide the permissions profile information to the permissions profile presentation component 220. Additionally, the permissions management component 230 may also be configured to modify an end user's permissions profile information based on modifications made by the end user and send notifications to the permissions synchronization component 228 regarding modifications to an end user's permissions profile information.

[0080] In an embodiment, the account management component 232 may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the account creation component 226 and configured to create user accounts within the privacy services system 160 based on at least a portion of an end user's provided user authentication information. Additionally, the account management component 232 may be further operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the account association component 234 and configured to authenticate the end user. [0081] In an embodiment, the account association component 234 may be operatively and/or communicatively coupled to the permissions profile presentation component 220, account management component 232, and identifier management component 224 and configured to associate an end user's user account of the privacy services system 160 with one or more network provider systems 110 and/or services provider systems 170. It may be appreciated that by associating an end user's user account within the privacy services system 160 with multiple network provider systems 110 and/or services provider systems 170, the end user may manage and control his or her user profile information across these multiple network provider systems 110 and/or services provider systems 170.

[0082] In an embodiment, the permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 may include, without limitation, a profile gatekeeper component 252-1 and permitted profile mining component 254-1. The permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 may be generally configured to filter user profile information stored in the user profile datastore 114-1 in accordance with an end user's permissions profile control. Moreover, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may be configured to access the profile datastore 114-1 and receive a permitted profile synchronization request from the privacy services application 122 to synchronize the user profile information stored in profile datastore 114-1.

[0083] In an embodiment, the permitted profile synchronization request may include, without limitation, a provider's profile identifier assigned by a network provider system 110-1 and permissions profile information for an end user of the network provider system 110-1 and the privacy services system 160. In response, profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may be configured to: (1) filter the user profile information identified by the provider's profile identifier, (2) generate permitted profile information based on the user profile information and permissions profile information, and (3) store the generated permitted profile information in the permitted profile datastore 128-1.

[0084] In an embodiment and to filter the user profile information stored in a user profile datastore based on each end user's permissions profile control, profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may be further configured to interface with an API associated with the user profile datastore that may be specific or unique to each network provider system. The profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may also be configured to use the network provider specific API to extract a limited set of user profile information and transform the extracted user profile information to a domain specific ontology specifically configured for storing user profile information. The extracted user profile information, which may represent permitted profile information, is then stored in the respective permitted profile datastore 128-1 within the network provider system 110.

[0085] For example, to extract and store the limited set of user profile information as the permitted profile information, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may extract and store profile attributes and associated profile attribute values that the end user has indicated to be accessible as defined by the end user's permissions profile information. Thus, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may extract and store a particular profile attribute and its associated profile attribute value when the end user's permissions attribute and associated permissions attribute value corresponding to that particular profile attribute indicates that the end user has allowed access to that particular profile attribute and its associated profile attribute value. Otherwise, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may not extract and store the particular profile attribute.

[0086] In an embodiment, the permitted profile mining component 254-1 may be

configured to receive a profile search request from the privacy services application 122, the profile search request may include the at least one profile search criteria and the permitted profile mining component 254-1 may be configured to search the permitted profile datastore 128-1 for end users of the network provider system 110-1 that match the at least one profile search criteria in the respective profile search request. The permitted profile mining component 254-1 may be further configured to generate a profile search response based on the search. The profile search response may include, without limitation, a search result list of provider's profile identifiers having corresponding permitted profile information determined based on the search. The permitted profile mining component 254-1 may then transmit the profile search response to the privacy services application 122.

[0087] In an embodiment, the permitted use gatekeeper application 126-2 may include, without limitation, a profile gatekeeper component 252-2 and permitted profile mining component 254-2. Similar to permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1, the permitted use gatekeeper application 126-2 may also be generally configured to filter user profile information stored in one or more user profile datastores (e.g., user profile datastore 180- 1) in accordance with an end user's permissions profile control. Moreover, the profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may be configured to access the profile datastore 180-1 and receive a permitted profile synchronization request from the privacy services application 122 to synchronize the user profile information stored in profile datastore 180-1.

[0088] In an embodiment, the permitted profile synchronization request may include, without limitation, a provider's profile identifier assigned by a network provider system 110-1, permissions profile information for an end user of the services provider system 170-1 and the privacy services system 160. In response, profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may be configured to filter the user profile information identified by the provider's profile identifier, generate permitted profile information based on the user profile information and permissions profile information and store the generated permitted profile information in the permitted profile datastore 128-2.

[0089] In an embodiment and to filter the user profile information stored in a user profile datastore based on each end user's permissions profile control, profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may be further configured to interface with an API associated with the user profile datastore that may be specific or unique to each provider system (e.g., unique to services provider system 170-1). The profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may also be configured to use the service provider specific API to extract a limited set of user profile information and transform the extracted user profile information to a domain specific ontology specifically configured for storing user profile information. The extracted user profile information, which may represent permitted profile information, is then stored in the respective permitted profile datastore 128-2 within the services provider system 170- 1.

[0090] For example, to extract and store the limited set of user profile information as the permitted profile information, the profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may extract and store profile attributes and associated profile attribute values that the end user has indicated to be accessible as defined by the end user's permissions profile information. Thus, the profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may extract and store a particular profile attribute and its associated profile attribute value when the end user's permissions attribute and associated permissions attribute value corresponding to that particular profile attribute indicates that the end user has allowed access to that particular profile attribute and its associated profile attribute value. Otherwise, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may not extract and store the particular profile attribute. [0091] In an embodiment and similar to the permitted profile mining component 254-1, the permitted profile mining component 254-2 may be configured to receive a profile search request from the privacy services application 122, the profile search request may include the at least one profile search criteria and the permitted profile mining component 254-2 may be configured to search the permitted profile datastore 128-2 for end users of the network provider system 110-2 that matches the at least one profile search criteria in the respective profile search request. In an embodiment, the permitted profile mining component 254-2 may be further configured to generate a profile search response based on the search. The profile search response may include, without limitation, a search result list of provider's profile identifiers having corresponding permitted profile information determined based on the search. The permitted profile mining component 254-2 may then transmit the profile search response to the privacy services application 122.

[0092] While not explicitly illustrated, it may be appreciated that the profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may be configured to access user profile information stored in the profile datastore 180-1 in a manner that is different than the access of user profile information performed by profile gatekeeper component 252-1. These differences may arise due to differences in technical implementations of each network provider systems 110 such as differences in access protocols (e.g., different APIs, etc.), differences in internal datastore structures (e.g., structured versus unstructured databases, flat file versus relational databases, etc.), differences in definition of keys and values, and/or the like. Thus, user profile information (e.g., date of birth, gender, geo-location, etc.) stored in user profile datastore 114-1 may be referenced and/or accessed differently than user profile datastore 180-1.

[0093] As such and in those embodiments, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 may be specifically configured to access the profile datastore 114-1 (or other datastores) of network provider system 110-1 in accordance with access protocols, internal datastore structures, and key/value definitions associated with the profile datastore 114-1.

Similarly, in an embodiment, the profile gatekeeper component 252-2 may be specifically configured to access the profile datastore 180-1 (or other datastores) of services provider system 170-1 in accordance with access protocols, internal datastore structures, and key/value definitions associated with the profile datastore 114-1. [0094] Regardless of the above differences and in an embodiment, the profile gatekeeper component 252-1 and 252-2 may be configured to generate permitted profile information and store the permitted profile information in the respective permitted profile datastores 128-1 and 128-2. The permitted profile information may be referenced by its profile attribute and profile attribute value tuples that is shared between or among both permitted use gatekeeper applications 126-1 and 126-2. The permitted profile datastores 128-1 and 128-2 may also be configured to store the permitted profile information in a domain specific ontology that is common or shared between multiple network provider systems 110 and services provider systems 170. Stated differently, the permitted profile datastores 128-1 and 128-2 may store the permitted profile information for each end user in a provider system agnostic ontology that is common across multiple network provider systems 110 and services provider systems 170.

[0095] It may be appreciated that by restricting the filtering and storage of permitted profile information to only server devices within the network provider systems 110 (or services provider systems 170) rather than within a different system or off premises (e.g., within the privacy services system 160, etc.), end users' 108 user profile information and permitted profile information may securely remain within the respective network provider systems 110. It may be further appreciated that by filtering non-permitted data within multiple network provider systems and/or services provider systems 170, the privacy services system 160 may be configured to manage and control an end user's profile information in a network provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1, etc.) and/or services provider system (e.g., services provider system 170, etc.) with which the end user no longer has an association. Thus, even if the end user's relationship with the network provider has been terminated (e.g., switching to a new network provider system to access the mobile telecommunication services, etc.), the privacy services system 160 would still be able to manage an end user's profile information via the privacy services system 160.

[0096] It may be further appreciated that by restricting the filtering of user profile

information to one or more provider systems' (e.g., network provider systems 110-1 and/or services provider system 170-1) service level objectives, overall efficiency of the privacy services system 160 (including permitted use gatekeeper applications 126) may be increased. For example, efficiencies related to searching user profile datastores and/or synchronizing the permitted use datastores may be increased to ensure that access to user profile datastores of provider systems do not conflict or otherwise exceed the capabilities of their datastores, which may result in increases in delays in searching and/or filtering user profile information.

[0097] FIG. 3 A illustrates the processing operations that may be performed between

various components to enable an end user to control his or her user permissions with respect to a first network provider system according to an example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 3 A, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0098] In an embodiment at step 310, the end user via the client permission application

160-1 may authenticate to log in. For example, the account management application 112- 1 of a first network provider system i.e., network provider system 110-1 may authenticate the end user by requesting and receiving provided authentication information from the client permissions application 106-1 (e.g., a user name and password, etc.). The account management application 112-1 may authenticate the provided authentication information with respect to the user authentication information for an end user stored in the user account datastore 113-1.

[0099] In an embodiment at step 312, the end user may request to manage a permissions profile. For example, the account management application 112-1 may request the account management application 112-1 to manage the access of user profile information stored in the user profile datastore 114-1 of the first network provider system 110-1.

[0100] In an embodiment at step 314, the account management application 112-1 may redirect to the privacy services system. For example, in response to the request to manage a permissions profile, the account management application 1 12-1 may transmit a privacy services redirect request to the client permissions application 106-1, where the request may include a privacy services redirect reference (e.g., a URI and/or URL) and a provider's profile identifier associated with the end user.

[0101] In an embodiment at step 316, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive a request to either create an account or to log in to an existing account. For example, in response to the redirect to the privacy services system at step 314, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive either an account creation or login request from the client permissions application 106-1.

[0102] In an embodiment at step 318, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive a request to create a user account and receive authentication information. For example, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive an account creation request to create a user account and receive authentication information (e.g., login name and password, etc.) from an end user via client permissions application 106-1. The account creation request may include, without limitation, a unique identification token that identifies the user device 104-1 or the end user within the network provider system 110-1, and the associated provider's profile identifier. Additionally or

alternatively, the account creation request may include the associated provider's profile identifier and the permissions profile presentation component 220 may generate a unique identification token which may then be subsequently transmitted to the client permission application 106-1 to be cached on the user device 104-1.

[0103] In an embodiment at step 324, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may request the account creation component 226 to create a user account and default permissions profile. For example, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may transmit an account creation request to the account creation component 226. The account creation request may include, without limitation, the authentication information, the provider's profile identifier, and the unique identification token. In an embodiment and in response to receiving the account creation request, the account creation component 226 may also be configured to generate an anonymized profile identifier.

[0104] In an embodiment at step 326, the account creation component 226 may transmit a request to store and associate identifiers. For example, the account creation component 226 may transmit an association and storage request to the identifier management component 224. The association and storage request may include, without limitation, the anonymized profile identifier, the provider's profile identifier, and the unique

identification token. In response to the association and storage request, the identifier management component 224 may be configured to: (1) associate the anonymized profile identifier with the provider's profile identifier; (2) associate the provider's profile identifier with the provider identifier identifying network provider system 110-1; and (3) store the identifiers and the relationships within the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1. Additionally, the identifier management component 224 may also be configured to: (1) associate the unique identification token with the anonymized profile identifier; and (2) store the unique identification token with its associated anonymized profile identifier and the relationship as a token and anonymized identifier tuple within the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1.

[0105] In an embodiment at step 328, the account creation component 226 may

optionally transmit a request to create, associate, and store a default permissions profile. For example, the account creation component 226 may transmit a permissions profile creation request to the permissions management component 230. The permissions profile creation request may include, without limitation, the anonymized profile identifier. In response to the permissions profile creation request, the permissions management component 230 may optionally be configured to: (1) create default permissions profile information, (2) associate the default permissions profile with the anonymized profile identifier, and (3) store the anonymized profile identifier, the default permissions profile information, and the relationships within the permissions profile datastore 124-2.

[0106] In an embodiment at step 330, the account creation component 226 may transmit a request to create, associate, and store a user account. For example, the account creation component 226 may transmit an account creation request to the permissions management component 230. The account creation request may include, without limitation, the authentication information and the anonymized profile identifier. In response to the account creation request, the account management component 232 may be configured to: (1) create a new user account with the provided authentication information, (2) associate the authentication information with the anonymized profile identifier, and (3) store the authentication information (or a hashed version of the authentication information), the anonymized profile identifier, and the relationship within the user account datastore 124- 3.

[0107] It may be appreciated that while example embodiment of FIG. 3 A has been

discussed with respect to a network provider system 110-1, the example embodiment is not so limited in this context. For example, the network provider system 110-1 may be replaced by any particular one of the one or more services provider systems 170 (e.g., a services provider system 170-2 representative of a automotive support services provider), as discussed above in FIG. 1 A. [0108] FIG. 3B illustrates the processing operations that may be performed between various components to enable an end user to control his or her user permissions with respect to a second network provider system according to an example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 3B, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0109] In an embodiment at step 340, the end user via the client permission application

160-1 may authenticate to log in. For example, the account management application 176- 1 of a services provider system (i.e., services provider system 170-1) may authenticate the end user by requesting and receiving provided authentication information from the client permissions application 106-1 (e.g., a user name and password, etc.). The account management application 176-1 may authenticate the provided authentication information with respect to the user authentication information for an end user stored in the user account datastore 178-2.

[0110] In an embodiment at step 342, the end user may request to manage a permissions profile. For example, the client permissions application 106-1 may request the account management application 176-1 to manage the access of user profile information stored in the user profile datastore 180-1 of services provider system 170-1.

[0111] In an embodiment at step 344, the account management application 176-1 may redirect to the privacy services system. For example, in response to the request to manage the permissions profile, the account management application 176-1 may transmit a privacy services redirect request to the client permissions application 106-1, where the request may include a privacy services redirect reference (e.g., a URI and/or URL) and a provider's profile identifier associated with the end user for the services provider system (i.e., services provider system 170-1).

[0112] In an embodiment at step 346, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may either receive a request to create an account or to log into an existing account. For example, in response to the redirect to the privacy services system at 344, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive an account creation or login request from the client permissions application 106-1. [0113] In an embodiment at step 348, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive a request to log into an account and receive authentication information. For example, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may receive an account login request to log into an existing user account in the privacy services system 160 and receive authentication information (e.g., login name and password, etc.) from end user 108-1 via client permissions application 106-1. The account login request may include, without limitation, a unique identification token that identifies the user device 104-1 or the end user within services provider system 170-1, and the provider's profile identifier for the services provider system (i.e., network provider system 170-1). Additionally or alternatively, the account login request may include the associated provider's profile identifier and the permissions profile presentation component 220 may generate a unique identification token which may then be subsequently transmitted to the client permission application 106-1 to be cached on the user device 104-1.

[0114] In an embodiment at step 350, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may transmit a request to authenticate based on received authentication information. For example, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may transmit an

authentication request to the account management component 232 to authenticate the end user based on received authentication information. The authentication request may include, without limitation, the authentication information (e.g., login name and password, etc.) of the end user 108-1.

[0115] In an embodiment at step 352, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may request to associate with an existing account. For example, the permissions profile presentation component 220 may transmit an account association request to the account association component 234. The account association request may include, without limitation, the authentication information, the provider's profile identifier, and the unique identification token.

[0116] In an embodiment at step 354, the account association component 234 may

request the anonymized profile identifier. For example, the account association component 234 may transmit an anonymized profile identifier request to the account management component 232 to retrieve the anonymized profile identifier for the end user 108-1 having the associated authentication information. The anonymized profile identifier request may include, without limitation, the authentication information (e.g., login name and password, etc.) of the end user 108-1.

[0117] In an embodiment at step 356, the account association component 234 may

transmit a request to associate and store identifiers. For example, the account association component 234 may transmit an association and storage request to the identifier management component 224. The association and storage request may include, without limitation, the anonymized profile identifier, the provider's profile identifier, and the unique identification token. The association and storage request may request the identifier management component 224 to: (1) associate the anonymized profile identifier with the provider's profile identifier for the services provider system 170-1, (2) associate the provider's profile identifier of services provider system 170-1 with the provider identifier identifying services provider system 170-1, and (3) associate the unique identification token with the anonymized profile identifier, and store the identifiers, the unique identification token, and the relationships within the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1.

[0118] It may be appreciated that while the example embodiment in FIG. 3B has been discussed with respect to a services provider system 170-1, the example embodiment is not so limited in this context. For example, the services provider system 170-1 may be replaced by any particular one of the one or more network provider systems 110 (e.g., a network provider system 110-2 representative of an internet services provider), as discussed above in FIG. 1 A.

[0119] FIG. 3C illustrates the processing operations that may be performed among and between various components to enable the privacy services system to associate an anonymized profile identifier for an end user with respect to a profile consumer's profile identifier assigned to the end user according to an example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 3C, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0120] In an embodiment and at step 360, the client content application 106-2 may

request content. For example, the client content application 106-2 may request content from the content provider application 132-1 by transmitting a content request to the content provider application 132-1 to access content stored in the content provider datastore 134-1. The content request may include, without limitation, one or more content references (e.g., URIs and/or URLs) identifying the requested content.

[0121] In an embodiment and at step 362, the client content application 106-2 may

receive the requested content. For example, in response to a transmitted content request, the client content application 106-2 may receive a requested content response from the content provider application 132-1. The requested content response may include, for example, streaming videos from a web page, where the web page may further include one or more affiliated content references. The one or more affiliated content references may configure the client content application 106-2 to request affiliated content from the profile consumer application 142-1.

[0122] In an embodiment and at step 364, the client application may request affiliated content and transmit unique identification token. For example, the client application 106- 2 may request affiliated content and provide a unique identification token by transmitting an affiliated content request to the profile consumer application 142-1. The affiliated content request may include, without limitation, one or more affiliated content references that identify the affiliated content stored in the profile consumer datastore 144-1.

Additionally, the transmitted request may also include, without limitation, a unique identification token associated with the user device 104-1 and/or the end user of the user device 104-1. The unique identification token may be added to the affiliated content request by the client content application 106-2 and/or the network provider system 110-1.

[0123] While not illustrated it may be appreciated that for each affiliated content request received from each client content application, the profile consumer application 142-1 may be configured to: (1) store any received unique identification tokens associated with each content request; and (2) generate and associate a profile consumer's profile identifier with each unique identification token. The profile consumer application 142-1 may also store each unique identification token and its associated profile consumer's profile identifier in the profile consumer datastore 144-1.

[0124] In an embodiment and at step 366, the identifier management component 224 may receive the affiliated content. For example, the client content application 106-2 may receive affiliated content from the profile consumer application 142-1 by receiving an affiliated content response from the profile consumer application 142-1, where the affiliated content response may include, without limitation, the affiliated content. [0125] In an embodiment and at step 368, the identifier management component 224 may request unique identification tokens and associated profile consumer's profile identifiers. For example, the identifier management component 224 may be configured to request unique identification tokens and associated profile consumer's profile identifiers by transmitting a token and profile identifiers request to the profile consumer application 142-1.

[0126] In an embodiment and at step 370, the identifier management component 224 may receive unique identification tokens and associated profile consumer's profile identifiers. For example, the identifier management component 224 may receive unique

identification tokens and associated profile consumer's profile identifiers by receiving a tokens and profile identifiers response from the profile consumer application 142-1, in response to the tokens and profile identifiers request. The tokens and identifiers response may include a set of one or more token and profile identifier tuples, where each token and profile identifier tuple may include a unique identification token and its associated profile consumer's profile identifier.

[0127] Additionally or alternatively, instead of receiving the tokens and profile identifiers response in response to a request, the identifier management component 224 may be configured to periodically receive one or more tokens and profile identifiers responses, without transmitting any request to the profile consumer application 142-1. To ensure communication privacy and security between the identifier management component 224 and the profile consumer application 142-1, communications between the identifier management component 224 and the profile consumer application 142-1 may be encrypted utilizing a secure and encrypted communications protocol (e.g., TLS, SSL, etc.).

[0128] In response to receiving the tokens and identifiers response, the identifier

management component 224 may be configured to: (1) generate and associate a profile consumer identifier that identifies the profile consumer system 164-1 with each received profile consumer's profile identifier; and (2) store each of the received unique

identification token, its associated profile consumer's profile identifier, the generated profile consumer identifier and its relationships as token and profile identifier tuples in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1. [0129] In response to the one or more the tokens and profile identifiers responses or on a periodic basis (e.g., every one (1) hour, every twelve (12) hours, every twenty four (24) hours, etc.), the identifier management component 224 may be configured to: (1) identify a token and anonymized identifier tuple and a token and profile identifier tuple having matching unique identification tokens; (2) for each matching set of tuples, associate the anonymized profile identifier of the token and anonymized identifier tuple with the profile consumer's profile identifier of the token and profile identifier tuple; (3) associate the profile consumer's profile identifier of the token and profile identifier tuple with the profile consumer identifier of the token and profile identifier tuple; and (4) store the anonymized profile identifier, the profile consumer's profile identifier, the profile consumer identifier and its relationships in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1. Additionally, the identifier management component 224 may be configured to remove the token and profile identifier tuple and/or the token and anonymized identifier tuple having matching unique identification tokens stored in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 after steps (l)-(4) discussed immediately above have been performed.

[0130] It may be appreciated that while FIG. 3C illustrates only one example

embodiment used to associate the anonymized profile identifier with a profile consumer's profile identifier for an end user, the example embodiment is not so limited to this context. For example, the unique identification token may be a unique identifier (e.g., a web browser cookie, etc.) associated with and/or assigned by the privacy services system 160 (e.g., privacy services system 160, etc.), which may be cached on the user device (e.g., user device 104-1, etc.), when the user device was used to create or associate a user account as discussed in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0131] Continuing with the above example, a beacon component associated with privacy services system 160 may be transmitted to a user device (e.g., user device 104-1, etc.) for execution by the user device via the client content application (e.g., client content application 106-2, etc.) when accessing the requested content (e.g., a web browser executing the streaming video web page including a beacon-to-server call). The beacon component may also transmit a request to the profile consumer system (e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, etc.) to provide its profile consumer's profile identifier associated with the unique identification token, where the request may include, without limitation, a unique identification token previously cached on the user device. In response, the profile consumer's system may transmit tokens and profile identifiers response to the identifier management component 224, which may include a profile consumer's profile identifier and the unique identification token assigned by the privacy services system 160 and cached on the user device.

[0132] FIG. 4 illustrates the various identifiers, tokens, and their associations stored in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 according to an example embodiment. In the example embodiment, the various identifiers, tokens, and their associations for one or more end users may be separately stored in four tables 410, 420, 430, and 440 as illustrated. However, it may be appreciated that at least a portion of the anonymized profile information may be combined into one or more tables and/or reorganized in separate tables.

[0133] In an embodiment, table 410 may include one or more rows or tuples that store and define relationships between each end user's anonymized profile identifiers with respect to system identifiers and system profile identifiers. In an embodiment, an end user's anonymized profile identifier may be associated with a system identifier that identifies a particular system (e.g., network provider system, services provider system, profile consumer system, etc.), and the system identifier may further be associated with a system profile identifier that is used by the particular system to identify the same end user and associated user profile information within that particular system.

[0134] In an embodiment, table 420 may include one or more rows or tuples that store and define the relationship between each system identifier and its associated system type. In an embodiment, each system identifier that identifies a particular system may also be associated with a system type that identifies whether the system is a network provider system (i.e., " ETWORK PROVIDER,"), a services provider system (i.e.,

"SERVICES PROVIDER"), a profile consumer system (i.e., "PROFILE CONSUMER") and/or the like.

[0135] In an embodiment, tuples of table 410 in combination with tuples of table 420 may identify and define the relationships between an end user's anonymized profile identifier and its associated provider's profile identifier and provider identifier. For example, tuple 410-1 of table 410 in combination with tuple 420-1 of table 420 illustrates an anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP ID OOl") assigned to a first end user by the privacy services system 160 and the associations between: (1) the first end user's anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP ID 001"), (2) a provider's profile identifier (i.e., " P ID 001") assigned to the end user by a first network provider system, and (3) a provider identifier (i.e., "TELCOM ID 1") identifying the first provider system as a network provider system (i.e., " ETWORK PRO VIDER") . Similarly, tuple 410-3 of table 410 in combination with tuple 420-5 of table 420 illustrates an anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP_ID_002") assigned to a second end user by the privacy services system 160 and the associations between: (1) the second end user's anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP_ID_002"), (2) a provider's profile identifier (i.e., "SP_ID_002") assigned to the end user by a second provider system, and (3) a provider identifier (i.e., "SERVICE ID 1") identifying the second provider system as a services provider system (i.e., "SERVICES PROVIDER").

[0136] In an embodiment, tuples of table 410 in combination with tuples of table 420 may also identify and define the relationships between an end user's anonymized profile identifier and its associated one or more profile consumer's profile identifiers and profile consumer identifiers. Continuing with the above examples, tuple 410-2 of table 410 in combination with tuple 420-2 of table 420 illustrates the anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP_ID_001") assigned to the first end user by the privacy services system 160 and the associations between the first end user's anonymized profile identifier (i.e.,

"AP ID 001"), a profile consumer's profile identifier (i.e., "PC ID OOl") assigned to the end user by a first profile consumer system, and a profile consumer identifier (i.e., "SPONSOR ID 1") identifying the first profile consumer system. Similarly and continuing with the above examples, tuple 410-4 of table 410 in combination with tuple 420-2 of table 420 illustrates the anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP_ID_002") assigned to the second end user by the privacy services system 160 and the associations between the second end user's anonymized profile identifier (i.e., "AP_ID_002"), a profile consumer's profile identifier (i.e., "PC_ID_002") assigned to the end user by the first profile consumer system and a profile consumer identifier (i.e., "SPONSOR ID 1") identifying the first profile consumer system.

[0137] In an embodiment, table 430 may store the one or more token and anonymized identifier tuples when an end user creates a new user account with the privacy services system 160 and/or associate with an existing account as discussed with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B. In an embodiment, table 440 may store the one or more token and profile identifier tuples when an end user requests affiliated content from one or more profile consumer systems 164 and the privacy services system 160 receives one or more token and profile identifier tuples from one or more profile consumer systems 164 as discussed with respect to FIG. 3C.

[0138] In an embodiment, token and anonymized identifier tuples (e.g., tuples 430-1,

430-2, 430-3, etc.) of table 430 in combination with token and profile identifier tuples (e.g., tuples 440-1, 440-2, 440-3, 440-4, etc.) of table 440 may be used by identifier management component 224 to identify one or more token and anonymized identifier tuples and one or more token and profile identifier tuples having matching unique identification tokens as discussed with respect to FIG. 3C. The combination may also enable the identifier management component 224 to identify relationships between an anonymized profile identifier assigned to an end user also discussed with respect to FIG. 3C. Additionally, as discussed with respect to FIG. 3C, and after identifying tuples with matching unique identification tokens, the identifier management component 224 may associate and store the relationships between an anonymized profile identifier assigned to an end user by the privacy services system 160, a profile consumer profile identifier assigned to the end user by a profile consumer system, and a profile consumer identifier identifying a profile consumer system as one or more tuples in table 410. An example of these tuples may include, for example, tuples 410-2, 410-4, 410-6, and 410-8 of table 410.

[0139] It may be appreciated that while the example embodiment of FIG. 4 has been

discussed with specific example values, these example values are provided for purposes of illustration only and the example embodiment is not so limited in this context. Thus, the various identifiers and tokens may be represented by various combinations of alphanumeric and/or non-alphanumeric values (e.g., symbols, etc.) in various character encodings (e.g., ASCII, UTF-8, UTF-16, etc.). Furthermore, while tables are used to illustrate the anonymized profile information and the associated relationships stored within the anonymized profile identifier datastore, it may be appreciated that such implementations are for illustration purposes only. Thus, in other implementations, the same anonymized profile information and associated relationships may be stored as graph networks. [0140] It may be further appreciated that performing the operations discussed with respect to FIGS. 3 A-3C to generate the anonymized profile information as represented in the tables 410, 420, 430, and 440, the privacy services system 160 may further enhance privacy and security of the system 100 by utilizing only the respective profile identifiers to identify an end user when communicating between the various systems regarding that end user. For example, when communicating with the network provider system regarding a particular end user, the privacy services system may only reference the provider's profile identifier assigned by the network provider system to that particular end user. Similarly, when communicating with the profile consumer system regarding a particular end user, the privacy services system may only use the profile consumer profile identifier assigned by the profile consumer system to the end user. In this way, the privacy and security of the system 100 may be enhanced because neither the privacy services system nor the profile consumer systems would be able to identify any particular end user with respect to any particular end user's permitted profile information.

[0141] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate example embodiments of pre-query filtering which filters a set of end users for which a search query may be executed before any search query execution occurs according to example embodiments. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 5A, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0142] In the example embodiments of FIGS. 5 A and 5B, a profile consumer system

(e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, etc.) may transmit a search request to the federated mining component 222, the search request may include at least one profile search criteria and at least one search purpose that identifies for what purpose the profile consumer system may utilize the search results. The federated mining component 222 may then generate at least one filtered list of end users (e.g., at least one filtered list of provider's profile identifiers that identifies the end users to their respective provider systems, etc.) for one or more provider systems by executing at least one search query for end users within permissions profile datastore 124-1. The at least one search query may be configured to search for at least one end user in the respective network provider systems that have allowed access to all their profile attributes that profile search criteria may search for in the respective permitted profile datastore or user profile datastore. Additionally, the at least one search query may be further configured to identify only end users who have allowed access to their permitted profile information for that particular profile consumer system that transmitted the search request where their permitted profile information is still accessible within the duration specified and for at least one purpose as specified in the search request. To ensure privacy and security of end users across multiple systems, it may be appreciated that each of the at least one filtered list of end users may include only end users who are recognized in their respective provider systems.

[0143] In the example embodiments of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the filtered lists of end users and the profile search criteria may then be transmitted to a respective permitted use gatekeeper application coupled to each provider system. Each permitted use gatekeeper application may then receive filtered lists of end users and the profile search criteria. Each permitted use gatekeeper application may also execute one or more search queries with the specified profile search criteria. Furthermore, the one or more search queries may be further configured to include an additional filter that end users who have permitted profile information (or user profile information) matching the profile search criteria must also be identified in the respective filtered list of end users for that provider system. The search result from one or more permitted use gatekeeper application may then be transmitted back to the federated mining component 222. The federated mining component 222 may then aggregate the search results received from each permitted use gatekeeper application and transmit the aggregated search results to the profile consumer system that transmitted the search request.

[0144] With respect to the example embodiment of FIG. 5A at step 510, the federated mining component 222 may receive a federated search request. For example, the federated mining component 222 may receive the federated search request by receiving a federated search request from the profile consumer application 142-1 to search for one or more end users who are identified by their profile consumer's profile identifiers and have permitted profile information that substantially match or is within a profile search criteria provided in the federated search request. Each profile search criterion of the profile search criteria may identify one or more search attribute pairs and search logic information (e.g., Boolean expressions such as "AND," "OR," "NOT," etc.) that join together the search attribute pairs. Each search attribute pair may identify a search attribute (e.g., gender, age, income, etc.) and a search attribute value (e.g., male, greater than 30 years old, greater than 100,000 US dollars, etc.). Additionally, the federated search request may also include search purpose information that identifies one or more purposes of the federated search request. Furthermore, the received federated search request itself may also be associated with a profile consumer identifier that identifies the particular profile consumer system that transmitted the federated search request.

[0145] Optionally, to ensure secure transmission of and restrict unauthorized access to permitted profile information for each identified end user, the federated search request may further include consumer system encryption information (e.g., a public key for an asymmetric encryption algorithm such as RSA encryption algorithm, etc.) that may be used to encrypt permitted profile information for each user. In instances where the federated search request includes consumer system encryption information, the federated search request may also request the specific permitted profile information that matches the specific profile search criteria for each end user who is identified by their profile consumer's profile identifier.

[0146] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 512, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive a filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request a filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers by transmitting a permissions profile filter request to the permissions profile component 230. The permissions profile filter request may include: (1) one or more search attributes and associated search logic information included within the profile search criteria; (2) a profile consumer identifier associated with the profile consumer system that transmitted the profile search request (e.g., the profile consumer identifier associated with the profile consumer system 164-1); and (3) search purpose information that identify one or more purposes of the federated search request.

[0147] In response, the permissions profile component 230 may identify permissions profile information of end users that have enabled access to at least one profile attribute (e.g., gender, age, income, etc.) for which a search attribute specified in the profile search criteria may search (e.g., gender, age, income, etc.). Additionally, the permissions profile component 230 may also limit the identification of permissions profile information to end users who have granted access to the profile consumer system that transmitted the profile search request (e.g., profile consumer system 164-1) as identified by each end user's access recipients information. Furthermore, the permissions profile component 230 may further limit the identification of permissions profile information to include only end users who have granted access within a specified duration of access as defined by their associated access duration information. Further, the permissions profile component 230 may also limit the identification of permissions profile information to include only end users who have granted access for specific purposes when the end users' access purposes information includes at least one purpose attribute that matches the search purpose information of the federated search request.

[0148] After identifying permitted profile information of one or more end users, the permissions profile component 230 may transmit a profile filter response to the federated mining component 222. The profile filter response may include, without limitation, a filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers, which may identify only end users who allow specific profile consumer system(s) (e.g., the profile consumer system 164-1) to access their specific profile attributes for specific access purposes that are consistent with each end user's duration of access.

[0149] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 514, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive filtered provider's profile identifiers and a filtered provider identifier. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request filtered provider's profile identifiers and a filtered provider identifier based on the filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers by transmitting a filtered identifiers search request to the identifier management component 224. The filtered identifiers search request may include, without limitation, the previously identified filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers.

[0150] In response to the filtered identifiers request, the identifier management

component 224 may determine a provider identifiers search list based on the filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers. The provider identifiers search list may represent a list of provider identifiers without any duplicates. Each provider identifier in that list indicates that a network provider system or a services provider system, identified by a respective provider identifier in that list, includes at least one end user who has: (1) an anonymized profile identifier within the filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers; (2) a provider's profile identifier assigned by the network provider system and/or the services provider system and associated with that anonymized profile identifier; and/or (3) the same provider's profile identifier that is translatable or convertible to a corresponding profile consumer's profile identifier assigned by the profile consumer that transmitted the federated search request. Stated differently and with respect to (3), the same provider's profile identifier can be mapped to a corresponding profile consumer's profile identifier via an anonymized profile identifier as illustrated in tables 410 and 420 of FIG. 4. This may ensure only network provider systems and/or services provider systems with end users who have a profile consumer's profile identifier assigned to them by the profile consumer that transmitted the federated search request are included in the provider identifiers search list.

[0151] Additionally, for each provider identifier (e.g., provider identifier identifying the network services system 110-1) in the provider identifiers search list, identifier management component 224 may also determine a corresponding provider's profile identifiers list that may represent a list of provider's profile identifiers. The identifier management component 224 may determine provider's profile identifiers lists for each provider identifier in the provider identifiers search list by utilizing the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 (e.g., tables 410 and 420 stored in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 as illustrated in FIG. 4) and the filtered search list of anonymized profile identifiers. This ensures that a provider's profile identifiers list for each provider identifier in the provider identifier search list may include only end users who are recognized by a provider system identified by its associated provider identifier. After the above determinations, the identifier management component 224 may transmit a filtered identifiers response to the federated mining component 222. The filtered identifiers response may include, without limitation, the non-duplicative filtered search list of provider identifiers and a filtered search list of provider's profile identifiers for each provider identifier in the non-duplicative filtered search list of provider identifiers.

[0152] Continuing with the example embodiment at steps 516-1 and 516-2, the federated mining component 222 may request to search permitted profiles. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request to search permitted profiles by transmitting a profile search request to the permitted use gateway keeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2) of each provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1) identified in the non- duplicative filtered list of provider identifiers. The profile search request transmitted to each permitted use gatekeeper application of each provider system may include, without limitation, profile search criteria received from the profile consumer application 142-1 and a filtered list of provider's profile identifiers that corresponds to each provider system (e.g., a filtered list of provider's profile identifiers that corresponds to network provider system 110-1 and a filtered list of provider's profile identifiers that corresponds to service provider system 170-1). Optionally, each profile search request may further include, without limitation, the consumer system encryption information.

[0153] In response, the permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile

mining component 254-1 and 254-2) of each permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2), may search respective permitted profile datastores (e.g., permitted profile datastore 128-1 and 128-2) for one or more end users having profile search criteria received from the profile consumer application 142-1. Furthermore, the search of end users' permitted profile information may also be restricted to only end users who are identified in the respective filtered list of provider's profile identifiers. After performing the search, each permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may generate a search result list of provider's profile identifiers representative of end users having permitted profile information that substantially match or is within the profile search criteria. After generating the search result list, each permitted profile mining component may transmit a profile search response to federated mining component 222. Each profile search response may include, without limitation, the search result list of provider's profile identifiers.

[0154] Optionally and after performing the search, each permitted profile mining

component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may also retrieve at least a portion of the permitted profile information for each provider's profile identifier in the list of provider's profile identifiers. The retrieved permitted profile information may be converted to a format readable by the profile consumer application that transmitted the profile search request at step 510. Additionally, the at least a portion of the permitted profile information may be limited to a subset that may include only profile attributes and associated profile attribute values that match the profile search criteria. Optionally and in instances where the profile search request includes the consumer system encryption information received from the profile consumer application 142-1, each permitted profile mining component may also encrypt the permitted profile information using the consumer system encryption information. Thus, the profile search response may further include, without limitation, an encrypted list of permitted profile information.

[0155] Continuing with the example embodiment at steps 518-1 and 518-2, the federated mining component 222 may receive permitted profile search results. For example, federated mining component 222 may receive permitted profile search results by receiving a profile search response corresponding to each profile search request previously transmitted to the permitted profile mining components (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) of provider systems (e.g., network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1) at steps 516-1 and 516-2. Additionally, the federated mining component 222 may also associate each search result list of provider's profile identifiers received in a profile search response from a provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1) with the provider system's provider identifier.

[0156] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 520, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive profile consumer's profile identifiers and corresponding anonymized profile identifiers. For example, after the federated mining component 222 receives all the profile search responses, the federated mining component 222 may request and receive profile consumer's profile identifiers by transmitting a profile consumer's list request to the identifier management component 224 to translate or convert each search result list of provider's profile identifiers to a federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers that are recognizable by the profile consumer system that transmitted the federated search request (e.g., a list of profile consumer's profile identifiers recognizable by profile consumer system 164-1). The profile consumer's list request may include, without limitation, a list of provider identifiers (e.g., the list may include provider identifiers associated with network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1), and one or more lists of provider's profile identifiers, where each provider identifier may be associated with its corresponding list of provider's profile identifiers.

[0157] In response, the identifier management component 224 may translate or convert each list of provider's profile identifiers in the profile consumer's list request into a corresponding list of profile consumer's profile identifiers based on the provider identifier associated with each list of provider's profile identifiers and identifiers stored in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1 (e.g., tables 410 and 420 stored in the anonymized profile identifier datastore 124-1). Each translated or converted list of profile consumer's profile identifiers may be aggregated into a federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers without any duplicates.

[0158] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 522, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive access purpose information corresponding to each profile consumer's profile identifiers. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request access purpose information corresponding to each profile consumer's profile identifiers by transmitting an access purpose request to the permissions profile component 230. The access purpose request may include without limitation, the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0159] In response, the permissions profile component 230 may request the identifier management component 224 to translate or convert the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers to a corresponding list of anonymized profile identifiers. The permissions profile component 230 may then retrieve access purpose information from the permissions profile datastore 124-2 for each profile consumer's profile identifier in the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers based on the corresponding list of anonymized profile identifiers. The permissions profile component 230 may also provide an access purpose response, which may include, without limitation, a federated result list of access purposes information that corresponds to the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0160] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 524, the federated mining

component 222 may provide profile search results. For example, the federated mining component 222 may provide profile search results by transmitting a federated search response to the profile consumer system 164-1. The federated search response may include, without limitation, a single search list of profile consumer's profile identifiers and corresponding federated result list of access purposes information. Optionally, the federated search response may further include, without limitation, a federated result list of encrypted permitted profile information.

[0161] FIG. 5B illustrates the processing operations that may be performed between

various components to perform federated mining of permitted profiles according to an example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed

simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 5B, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0162] In FIG. 5B, operations described with respect to steps 510, 512, 514, 516-1, and

516-2 may be performed in substantially the same manner as discussed with respect to FIG. 5A. However, permitted gatekeeper applications (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2) may be configured to separately maintain in each network provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1) and/or services provider system (services provider system 110-2) a cached permissions profile datastore (e.g., cached permissions profile datastore 550-1 and 550-2). The permissions profile datastore may be configured to store permissions profile information for end users 108 and may be periodically synchronized in accordance with any service level agreements and/or service level objectives (e.g., every twelve (12) hours, every twenty (24) hours, etc.) by the permissions synchronization component 228 via the respective permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2) based on permission profile information stored in the permissions profile datastore 124-2.

[0163] For each permitted use gatekeeper application in a network provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1) and/or services provider system (services provider system 170-1), the permissions synchronization component 228 may also be configured to limit the permissions profile information stored in the respective cached permissions profile datastore to only end users who have been assigned a provider's profile identifier by the respective network provider system or services provider system. This ensures that each cached permissions profile datastore would not contain permissions profile information for end users who have no relations or associations with the network provider system or services provider system. The end users' permissions profile information that is stored in the respective cached permissions profile datastore may also be associated with each end user's provider's profile identifier.

[0164] With respect to steps 516-1 and 516-2 and after receiving the profile search

requests, which may include the profile search criteria and the respective filtered list of provider's profile identifiers, each permitted profile mining component may be further configured to search both the respective user profile datastores and respective cached permissions profile datastores to provide search results that satisfy conditions as defined by the profile search criteria received in the respective profile search request and the end users' permissions profile information stored in the respective cached user profile datastores. For example, the permitted profile mining component 254-1 may be configured to search user profile datastore 114-1 based on an end user's permissions profile information that is stored in cached permissions profile datastore 550-1. Similarly, the permitted profile mining component 254-1 may be configured to search user profile datastore 180-1 based on end user's permissions profile information that is stored in cached permissions profile datastore 550-2.

[0165] Moreover, each permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile

mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may be configured to search for end users having user profile information that match the profile search criteria and have enabled access to their user profile information as indicated by the corresponding permissions profile information stored in the respective cached permissions profile datastores (e.g., cached permissions profile datastore 550-1 and 550-2). For example, if the profile search criteria defines the search attributes of gender, age, and income with corresponding search attribute values of male, age greater than 30, and income greater than 100,000 dollars, each profile mining component may be configured to determine provider's profile identifiers of end users who have: (1) user profile information stored in the respective user profile datastore that match the profile search criteria (e.g., end users that are male, greater than age of 30, with at least 100,000 dollars of income); (2) allowed access to their profile attributes (e.g., gender, age, and income) as indicated by their permissions profile information that correspond to one or more search attributes; and (3) provider's profile identifiers within the list of filtered list of provider's profile identifiers.

[0166] To search the respective user profile datastores, each permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) of each permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2), may submit provider specific search queries to the respective user profile datastores (e.g., permitted profile datastore 114-1 and 180-1) which are typically maintained by the respective network provider system and/or services provider system. The permitted profile mining component may adapt or configure the provider specific search queries to the specific access protocols (e.g., different APIs, etc.), internal datastore structures (e.g., structured versus unstructured databases, flat file versus relational databases, etc.) and/or definition of keys and values used by the respective user profile datastore. Each permitted profile mining component may generate the respective provider specific search queries to include the profile search criteria received in the profile search request by, for example, specifically adapting the search attribute and search attribute value pairs and associated search logic information to the interfaces and/or contracts as required by the respective user profile datastores.

[0167] After performing the search, each permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may generate a search result list of provider's profile identifiers representative of end users having permitted profile information that substantially match or is within the profile search criteria. After generating the search result list, each permitted profile mining component may transmit a profile search response to federated mining component 222. Each profile search response may include, without limitation, the search result list of provider's profile identifiers. After transmitting the permitted profile search results, the steps 518-1, 518-2, 520, 522, and 524 may then continue in substantially the same manner as discussed in FIG. 5A.

[0168] It may be appreciated that by performing pre-query filtering operations as

described with respect to steps 512 and 514 of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the privacy services application 122 may limit: (1) a number of service provider systems that will receive a search request, and (2) a number of permitted profiles in each service provider system that the permitted use gatekeeper applications 126 will search in response to the search request. Thus, by limiting (1) and (2) before any searches are performed by the permitted use gatekeeper applications 126, the privacy services application 122 may in some instances increase overall search efficiency and performance.

[0169] Furthermore, by performing pre-query filtering before any searches are

performed, the permitted use gatekeeper applications 126 may further ensure that only those end users who have enabled specific profile attributes can be searched, even when there has been a breach in security protocols where an end user's user profile information were improperly stored in a permitted profile datastore of a provider system, when the end user's permissions profile has indicated that its user profile information should not have been stored in the permitted profile datastore. Additionally, by limiting (1) and (2) before any searches are performed, the privacy services application 122 may also reduce the amount of permitted profile information that may otherwise have been transmitted from the permitted use gatekeeper application to the federated mining component 222.

[0170] It may be further appreciated that while operations described with respect to steps

512 and 514 of FIG. 5A and 5B may assist in pre-query filtering search results using end users permissions profile information before any searches are performed by the respective permitted use gatekeeper applications 126 based on profile consumer's profile search criteria, the operations may be re-ordered to perform post-query filtering. With respect to post-query filtering, a search query may be executed first by a permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1) and the search results may be subsequently filtered based on permissions profiles of end users that are in the search results. In the context of post-query filtering, the federated mining component 222 and/or permitted use gatekeeper application may receive a federated search request from a profile consumer system (e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, etc.), where the federated search request may include at least one profile search criteria and at least one search purpose that identifies for what purpose for which the profile consumer system may utilize the search results. If the search request is received by the federated mining component 222, the federated mining component 222 may then transmit the profile search request to at least one permitted use gatekeeper application coupled to a provider system. The at least one permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1, 126-2, etc.) may then execute at least one search query with the specified profile search criteria to generate a search results list of end users who have user profile information that matches the specified profile search criteria. The search results list of end users from each of the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application may then be transmitted back to the federated mining component 222.

[0171] The federated mining component 222 may then receive the search results list of end users from each of the permitted use gatekeeper applications and combine one or more search results list of end users into a combined search results list of end users. The federated mining component 222 may then filter the search results list of end users by executing at least one search query with respect to the permissions profile datastore 124- 2. The at least one search query may be configured to search for at least one end user in the combined search results list that have allowed access to all their profile attributes for which the profile search criteria have already searched. Additionally, the at least one search query may be further configured to identify end users in the combined search results list that have allowed access to their permitted profile information for that particular profile consumer system that transmitted the search request where their permitted profile information is still accessible within the duration specified and for at least one purpose as specified in the search request. The search results from the at least one query may be stored as a federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers which may then be transmitted to the profile consumer system that transmitted the search request.

[0172] For example, searches performed by the respective permitted use gatekeeper

applications 126 based on a profile consumer's profile search criteria (e.g., operations similar to those described with respect to steps 516-1, 516-2, 518-1, and 518-2) may be performed first in order to generate search result lists of provider's profile identifiers. After the search result lists of provider's profile identifiers have been generated, the federated mining component 222 may request additional filtering of the search result lists of provider's profile identifiers to be performed based on end users' permissions profile information (e.g., operations similar to those described with respect to steps 512 and 514).

[0173] It may be appreciated that by performing post-query filtering operations as

described above with respect to FIGS. 5 A and 5B, the privacy services application 122 may decrease a number of end users that may be transmitted back to the privacy services application 122 in instances when a profile consumer's profile search criteria may limit the number of end users who match the profile search criteria. Thus, in some instances the privacy services application 122 may decrease data transfer volume between permitted use gatekeeper applications 126 and federated mining component 222 and consequently, increase data transfer efficiency.

[0174] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate example embodiments of in-query filtering, which utilizes one or more joined search queries by the respective permitted use gatekeeper application. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 6A, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0175] In the example embodiments of FIGS. 6A and 6B, a profile consumer system

(e.g., profile consumer system 164-1, etc.) may transmit a search request to the federated mining component 222, the search request may include at least one profile search criteria and at least one search purpose. The federated mining component 222 may then transmit the search request and the at least one search purpose to a permitted use gatekeeper application coupled to each provider system. The permitted use gatekeeper application may then execute at least one search query configured to search end users having permitted profile information that satisfies both the profile search criteria and

corresponding permissions profile information of the end users. Additionally, the at least one search query may be further configured to identify only end users who have allowed access to their permitted profile information for that particular profile consumer system that transmitted the search request where their permitted profile information is still accessible within the duration specified and for at least one purpose as specified in the search request. The search result from one or more permitted use gatekeeper application may then be transmitted back to the federated mining component 222. The federated mining component 222 may then aggregate the search results received from each permitted use gatekeeper application and transmit the aggregate search results to the profile consumer system that transmitted the search request.

[0176] In the example embodiment of FIG. 6A, each permitted gatekeeper application may be configured to separately maintain in each network provider system and/or services provider system a cached permissions profile datastore (e.g., cached permissions profile datastore 550-1 and 550-2) as configured and synchronized in a similar manner as discussed with respect to FIG. 5B.

[0177] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 610, the federated mining

component 222 may receive a federated search request in substantially the same manner as those discussed with respect to operations related to step 510 in the example embodiment of FIG. 5 A. Thus, the federated mining component 222 may receive a federated search request which may include, without limitation, profile search criteria, search purpose information, and/or the federated search request itself may be associated with a profile consumer identifier.

[0178] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 612, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive filtered provider identifiers. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request and receive filtered provider identifiers by transmitting a filtered provider identifiers request to the identifier management component 224. The filtered provider identifiers request may include, without limitation, the profile consumer identifier identifying the profile consumer that transmitted the federated search request.

[0179] In response to the filtered provider identifiers request, the identifier management component 224 may determine a filtered provider identifiers list that includes a non- duplicative list of provider identifiers. Each provider identifier in the list indicates that a network provider system or a services provider system identified by a provider identifier in that list includes at least one end user who has: (1) a provider's profile identifier assigned by the network provider system and/or the services provider system; and/or (2) the same provider's profile identifier is translatable or convertible to a corresponding profile consumer's profile identifier assigned by the profile consumer that transmitted the federated search request. In other words, and with respect to (2), the same provider's profile identifier can be mapped to a corresponding profile consumer's profile identifier via an anonymized profile identifier as illustrated in tables 410 and 420 of FIG. 4. The identifier management component 224 may also provide a filtered provider identifiers response, the response including without limitation, the filtered provider identifiers list. This may ensure only network provider systems and/or services provider systems with end users who have a profile consumer's profile identifier assigned to them by the profile consumer that transmitted the federated search request are included in the filtered provider identifiers list.

[0180] In an embodiment at steps 614-1 and 614-2, the federated mining component 222 may request to search permitted profiles. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request to search permitted profiles by transmitting a profile search request to the permitted use gateway keeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2) of each provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1) identified in the non-duplicative filtered provider identifiers list. The profile search request transmitted to each permitted use gatekeeper application of each provider system may include, without limitation, profile search criteria, the search purpose information received from the profile consumer application 142-1, and the profile consumer identifier that identifies the profile consumer system 164- 1. [0181] In response to receiving the profile search requests, each permitted profile mining component may be further configured to search both the permitted profile datastores and respective cached permissions profile datastores to provide search results that satisfy conditions as defined by the profile search criteria and end users' permissions profile information (including access purpose information, access recipient information, and/or access duration information) stored in the respective cached permissions profile datastores. For example, the permitted profile mining component 254-1 may be configured to search permitted profile datastore 128-1 based on end user's permissions profile information that are stored in cached permissions profile datastore 550-1.

Similarly, the permitted profile mining component 254-2 may be configured to search user profile datastore 128-2 based on end user's permissions profile information that is stored in cached permissions profile datastore 550-2.

[0182] Moreover, each permitted profile mining component may be configured to search for end users having user profile information that match the profile search criteria and have enabled access to his or her user profile information as indicated by the

corresponding permissions profile information stored in the respective cached

permissions profile datastores (e.g., cached permissions profile datastore 550-1 and 550- 2). For example, if the profile search criteria defines the search attributes of gender, age, and income with corresponding search attribute values of male, age greater than 30, and income greater than 100,000 dollars, each profile mining component may be configured to determine a list of provider's profile identifiers of end users who have: (1) user profile information stored in the respective user profile datastore that match the profile search criteria (e.g., end users who are male, greater than age of 30, with at least 100,000 dollars of income); (2) allowed access to their profile attributes (e.g., gender, age, and income) as indicated by their permissions profile information that correspond to one or more search attributes; and (3) provider's profile identifiers within the list of filtered list of provider's profile identifiers.

[0183] Furthermore, each permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may also be configured to filter the list of provider's profile identifiers based on each end user's access recipients information, access purpose information, and access duration information. For example, each permitted profile mining component may exclude from the list of provider's profile identifiers any provider's profile identifiers of end users who have not allowed access to the profile consumer identified by the profile consumer identifier. This may be determined by, for example, determining whether each end user's access recipients information in the list includes the profile consumer identifier. In another example, each permitted profile mining component may exclude from the list of provider's profile identifiers any provider's profile identifiers of end users who have not allowed at least one purpose as indicated by profile consumer. This may be determined by, for example, determining whether each end user's access purpose information includes at least one purpose that is in common with the search purpose information provided by the profile consumer. In a further example, each permitted profile mining component may exclude from the list of provider's profile identifiers any provider's profile identifiers of end users who have not allowed access to their user profile because the duration of access has expired. This may be determined by comparing each end user's access duration information in the list and the current date and time.

[0184] After performing the search and filtering, each permitted profile mining

component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may generate a search result list of provider's profile identifiers representative of end users having permitted profile information that substantially match or is within the profile search criteria and are consistent with their access recipient information, access purpose information, access duration information. After generating the search result list, each permitted profile mining component may transmit a profile search response to federated mining component 222. Each profile search response may include, without limitation, the search result list of provider's profile identifiers.

[0185] Continuing with the example embodiment at steps 616-1 and 616-2, the federated mining component 222 may receive permitted profile search results. For example, federated mining component 222 may receive permitted profile search results by receiving a profile search response corresponding to each profile search request previously transmitted to the permitted profile mining components (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) of provider systems (e.g., network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1) at steps 614-1 and 614-2. Additionally, the federated mining component 222 may also associate each search result list of provider's profile identifiers received in a profile search response from a provider system (e.g., network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1) with the provider system's provider identifier.

[0186] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 618, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive profile consumer's profile identifiers. For example, after the federated mining component 222 receives all the profile search responses, the federated mining component 222 may request and receive profile consumer's profile identifiers by transmitting a profile consumer's list request to the identifier management component 224 to translate or convert each search result list of provider's profile identifiers to a federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers that are recognizable by the profile consumer system that transmitted the federated search request (e.g., a list of profile consumer's profile identifiers recognizable by profile consumer system 164-1). The profile consumer's list request may include, without limitation, a list of provider identifiers (e.g., the list may include provider identifiers associated with network provider system 110-1 and services provider system 170-1), and one or more lists of provider's profile identifiers, where each provider identifier may be associated with its corresponding list of provider's profile identifiers.

[0187] In response to the request, the identifier management component 224 may operate in substantially the same manner as those discussed with respect to operations related to step 520 in the example embodiment of FIG. 5 A. Thus, identifier management component 224 may transmit a profile consumer's list response to the federated mining component 222. The profile consumer's list response may include, without limitation, the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0188] Continuing with the example embodiment, at step 620, the federated mining

component 222 may request and receive access purpose information corresponding to each profile consumer's identifiers. For example, the federated mining component 222 may request access purpose information corresponding to each profile consumer's identifiers by transmitting an access purpose request to the permissions profile component 230. The access purpose request may include, without limitation, the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0189] In response to the access purpose request, the permissions profile component 230 may operate in substantially the same manner as those discussed with respect to operations related to step 522 in the example embodiment of FIG. 5 A. Thus, the permissions profile component 230 may also transmit an access purpose response, which may include, without limitation, a federated result list of access purposes information that corresponds to the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0190] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 622, the federated mining

component 222 may provide profile search results. For example, the federated mining component 222 may provide profile search results by transmitting a federated search response to the profile consumer system 164-1. The federated search response may include, without limitation, a federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers and corresponding federated result list of access purposes information.

[0191] FIG. 6B illustrates the processing operations that may be performed between various components to perform federated mining of permitted profiles according to an example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed

simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 6B, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0192] In FIG. 6B, operations described with respect to steps 610, 612, 614-1, and 614-2 may be performed in substantially the same manner as discussed with respect to FIG. 6A. Like FIG. 6A, each permitted gatekeeper application may be configured to separately maintain in each network provider system and/or services provider system a cached permissions profile datastore (e.g., cached permissions profile datastore 550-1 and 550-2) as configured and synchronized in a similar manner as discussed with respect to FIG. 5B.

[0193] However, instead of searching respective permitted profile datastores and cached permissions profile datastores as described by operations with respect to steps 614-1, and 614-2 of FIG. 6 A, each permitted profile mining component may instead be configured to search, in at least one search query or in a single search query (e.g., utilizing database JOIN operation, etc.), both the respective user profile datastores (e.g., user profile datastore 114-1 and 118-1) and respective cached permissions profile datastores (e.g., cached permissions profile datastore 550-1 and 550-2) to provide search results that satisfy conditions as defined by the profile search criteria received in the respective profile search request and the end users' permissions profile information stored in the respective cached user profile datastores. Additionally, like operations described with respect to steps 614-1, and 614-2, each permitted profile mining component may also be configured to filter the list of provider's profile identifiers based on each end users' access recipients information, access purpose information, and access duration information.

[0194] To search the respective user profile datastores, each permitted profile mining component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) of each permitted use gatekeeper application (e.g., permitted use gatekeeper application 126-1 and 126-2), may submit provider specific search queries to the respective user profile datastores (e.g., permitted profile datastore 114-1 and 180-1) which are typically maintained by the respective network provider system and/or services provider system. The permitted profile mining component may adapt or configure the provider specific search queries to the specific access protocols (e.g., different APIs, etc.), internal datastore structures (e.g., structured versus unstructured databases, flat file versus relational databases, etc.) and/or definition of keys and values used by the respective user profile datastore. Each permitted profile mining component may generate the respective provider specific search queries to include the profile search criteria received in the profile search request, by for example, specifically adapting the search attribute and search attribute value pairs and associated search logic information to the interfaces and/or contracts (e.g., APIs configured in accordance to Design-by-Contracts programming paradigms, etc.) as required by the respective user profile datastores.

[0195] After performing the search and filtering, each permitted profile mining

component (e.g., permitted profile mining component 254-1 and 254-2) may generate a search result list of provider's profile identifiers representative of end users having permitted profile information that substantially match or is within the profile search criteria and are consistent with their access recipient information, access purpose information, and/or access duration information. After generating the search result list, each permitted profile mining component may transmit a profile search response to federated mining component 222. Each profile search response may include, without limitation, the search result list of provider's profile identifiers. After transmitting the permitted profile search results, the steps 616-1, 616-2, 618, 620, and 622 may then continue in substantially the same manner as discussed in FIG. 6A.

[0196] It may be appreciated that by performing in-query filtering operations as described with respect to steps 614-1, 614-2, 616-1, and 616-2 of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the privacy services application 122 may increase search efficiency by combining searches of the user profile datastore or the permitted profile datastore with cached permissions profile datastore, using a search query (e.g., a database JOIN search query) that is configured to satisfy: (1) user profile information or permitted profile information, and (2) permissions profile information of each end user.

[0197] Furthermore, by performing in-query filtering, the permitted use gatekeeper

applications 126 may further ensure that only those end users who have enabled specific profile attributes and having matching profile search criteria consistent with their access purpose information, access recipient information, and/or access duration information are transmitted back to the federated mining component 222. This further protects the privacy and security of end users who may not have allowed such access to be transmitted back to the federated mining component 222 for further filtering.

[0198] It may be appreciated that the privacy services system 160 (e.g., federated mining component 222) may be configured to achieve optimal volume performance (e.g., the least amount of data transferred for a given unit of time) on a real-time basis by selecting an appropriate filtering strategy(e.g., pre-query filtering, post-query filtering, and in-query filtering) based on a number of search requests within a specific time period, a number of permissions profile updates within the specific time period, a number of end users with matching permissions profile, and/or a number of users with matching profile search criteria within the privacy services system. Moreover, in all filtering strategies, data transfer volume between each permitted use gatekeeper application and privacy service system 160 may be a function of a size of the profile search request (e.g., the input of the permitted use gatekeeper application) and a size of the profile search response (e.g., the output of the permitted use keeper application). Additionally and depending on the implementation, the data transfer volume may also include end users' permissions profile information which may be transmitted to one or more permitted use gatekeeper applications for storage in a cached permissions profile datastore and/or to synchronize a permissions profile datastore.

[0199] FIG. 7 illustrates processing operations to perform efficient and secure federated mining of anonymized profiles according to another example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 6A, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0200] In the example embodiment at step 710, the privacy services application may receive a federated search request from a profile consumer system identified by a profile consumer identifier. For example, privacy services application 160 may receive a federated search request from a profile consumer system identified by a profile consumer identifier. The federated search request may include a profile search criteria.

[0201] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 712, the privacy services

application may determine at least one permitted use gatekeeper application to which to transmit a profile search request, based on anonymized profile information and a profile consumer identifier associated with the profile consumer system. For example, the privacy services may determine at least one permitted use gatekeeper application to which to transmit a profile search request by searching for provider systems operatively coupled to the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application having end users who are assigned a provider's profile identifier and that provider's profile identifier is translatable or convertible to a corresponding profile consumer's profile identifier assigned by the profile consumer system.

[0202] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 714, the privacy services

application may transmit a profile search request to the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application. For example, the privacy services application may transmit a profile search request to the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search request including the profile search criteria.

[0203] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 716, the privacy services

application may receive a profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application. For example, the privacy services application may receive a profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application, the profile search response including the search result list of users.

[0204] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 718, the privacy services

application may combine each of the search result lists of users received in the profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application into a combined search result list of users. For example, the privacy services application may combine each of the search result lists of users received in the profile search response from the at least one permitted use gatekeeper application into a combined search result list of users that may be identified by a respective provider's profile identifier for one or more provider systems.

[0205] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 720, the privacy services

application may translate the combined search result list of users that is identified by provider's profile identifiers to a combined search result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers that is recognizable by the profile consumer system. For example, the privacy services application may translate the combined search result list of users that is identified by the respective provider's profile identifiers to a combined search result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers that is recognizable by the profile consumer system. The privacy services application may translate the combined search result list of users that is identified by the respective provider's profile identifiers to a combined search result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers based on anonymized profile information stored in the anonymized profile identifier datastore.

[0206] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 722, the privacy services

application may generate a federated search response based on the combined search result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers. For example, the privacy services application may generate a federated search response based on the combined search result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers, the federated search response including a federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers. The federated search response may further include access purpose information associated with each profile consumers profile identifier identifying at least one access purpose of each end user identified in the federated result list of profile consumer's profile identifiers.

[0207] Continuing with the example embodiment at step 724, the privacy services

application may transmit the federated search response to the profile consumer system, in response to the federated search request. For example, the privacy services application may transmit the federated search response to the profile consumer system, in response to the federated search request transmitted by the profile consumer system.

[0208] FIG. 8 illustrates processing operations to perform efficient and secure federated mining of anonymized profiles according to another example embodiment. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than those shown in FIG. 6A, as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art.

[0209] In the example embodiment at step 810, the permitted use gatekeeper application may receive the profile search request from the privacy services application, the profile search request including a profile search criteria. For example, the permitted use gatekeeper application may receive the profile search request from the privacy services application, the profile search request may include the profile search criteria, a search purpose information and a filtered list of provider's profile identifiers, where the provider's profile identifiers in the filtered list are recognizable to a provider system coupled to the permitted use gatekeeper application.

[0210] In the example embodiment at step 812, the permitted use gatekeeper application may search at least one profile datastore for the at least one user having associated profile information that matches profile search criteria. For example, the permitted use gatekeeper application may search at least one profile datastore for the at least one user having associated profile information that matches the profile search criteria. The at least one profile datastore may include a user profile datastore, a cached permissions profile datastore, and/or a permitted profile datastore operatively coupled to the permitted use gatekeeper application.

[0211] In the example embodiment at step 814, the permitted use gatekeeper application may generate the profile search response, the profile search response including a search result list of users having associated profile information that matches the at least one profile search criteria. For example, the permitted use gatekeeper application may generate the profile search response by performing at least one search query to search the at least one profile datastore, the profile search response including a search result list of users having associated profile information that matches the profile search criteria.

[0212] In the example embodiment at step 816, the permitted use gatekeeper application may transmit the profile search response to the permitted use gatekeeper application. For example, the permitted use gatekeeper application may transmit the profile search response to the permitted use gatekeeper application, in response to the profile search request. EXAMPLE COMPUTER SYSTEM

[0213] Various embodiments and components therein can be implemented, for example, using one or more well-known computer systems, such as, for example, user devices 104, network provider server devices 116, services provider server devices 172, privacy services server devices 120, content provider server devices 130, and profile consumer server devices 140. Computer system 900, as shown in FIG. 9, can be any well-known computer capable of performing the functions described herein.

[0214] Computer system 900 includes one or more processors (also called central

processing units, or CPUs), such as a processor 904. Processor 904 is connected to a communication infrastructure or bus 906.

[0215] One or more processors 904 may each be a graphics processing unit (GPU). In an embodiment, a GPU is a processor that is a specialized electronic circuit designed to process mathematically intensive applications. The GPU may have a parallel structure that is efficient for parallel processing of large blocks of data, such as mathematically intensive data common to computer graphics applications, images, videos, etc.

[0216] Computer system 900 also includes user input/output device(s) 903, such as

monitors, keyboards, pointing devices, etc., that communicate with communication infrastructure 906 through user input/output interface(s) 902.

[0217] Computer system 900 also includes a main or primary memory 908, such as

random access memory (RAM). Main memory 908 may include one or more levels of cache. Main memory 908 has stored therein control logic (i.e., computer software) and/or data.

[0218] Computer system 900 may also include one or more secondary storage devices or memory 910. Secondary memory 910 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 912 and/or a removable storage device or drive 914. Removable storage drive 914 may be a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, an optical storage device, tape backup device, and/or any other storage device/drive.

[0219] Removable storage drive 914 may interact with a removable storage unit 918.

Removable storage unit 918 includes a computer usable or readable storage device having stored thereon computer software (control logic) and/or data. Removable storage unit 918 may be a floppy disk, magnetic tape, compact disk, DVD, optical storage disk, and/ any other computer data storage device. Removable storage drive 914 reads from and/or writes to removable storage unit 918 in a well-known manner.

[0220] According to an exemplary embodiment, secondary memory 910 may include other means, instrumentalities or other approaches for allowing computer programs and/or other instructions and/or data to be accessed by computer system 900. Such means, instrumentalities or other approaches may include, for example, a removable storage unit 922 and an interface 920. Examples of the removable storage unit 922 and the interface 920 may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and associated socket, a memory stick and USB port, a memory card and associated memory card slot, and/or any other removable storage unit and associated interface.

[0221] Computer system 900 may further include a communication or network interface

924. Communication interface 924 enables computer system 900 to communicate and interact with any combination of remote devices, remote networks, remote entities, etc. (individually and collectively referenced by reference number 928). For example, communication interface 924 may allow computer system 900 to communicate with remote devices 928 over communications path 926, which may be wired and/or wireless, and which may include any combination of LANs, WANs, the Internet, etc. Control logic and/or data may be transmitted to and from computer system 900 via communication path 926.

[0222] In an embodiment, a tangible apparatus or article of manufacture comprising a tangible computer useable or readable medium having control logic (software) stored thereon is also referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. This includes, but is not limited to, computer system 900, main memory 908, secondary memory 920, and removable storage units 918 and 922, as well as tangible articles of manufacture embodying any combination of the foregoing. Such control logic, when executed by one or more data processing devices (such as computer system 900), causes such data processing devices to operate as described herein.

[0223] Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) how to make and use embodiments of the invention using data processing devices, computer systems and/or computer architectures other than that shown in FIG. 9. In particular, embodiments may operate with software, hardware, and/or operating system implementations other than those described herein.

CONCLUSION

[0224] It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the invention as contemplated by the inventors, and thus, are not intended to limit the invention or the appended claims in any way.

[0225] While the invention has been described herein with reference to exemplary

embodiments for exemplary fields and applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Other embodiments and modifications thereto are possible, and are within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, and without limiting the generality of this paragraph, embodiments are not limited to the software, hardware, firmware, and/or entities illustrated in the figures and/or described herein. Further, embodiments (whether or not explicitly described herein) have significant utility to fields and applications beyond the examples described herein.

[0226] Embodiments have been described herein with the aid of functional building

blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined as long as the specified functions and relationships (or equivalents thereof) are appropriately performed. Also, alternative embodiments may perform functional blocks, steps, operations, methods, etc. using orderings different than those described herein.

[0227] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example

embodiment," or similar phrases, indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it would be within the knowledge of persons skilled in the relevant art(s) to incorporate such feature, structure, or characteristic into other embodiments whether or not explicitly mentioned or described herein. Additionally, some embodiments may be described using the expression "coupled" and "connected" along with their derivatives. These terms are not necessarily intended as synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments may be described using the terms "connected" and/or "coupled" to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. The term "coupled," however, may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

The breadth and scope of the invention should not be limited by any of the above- described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.