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GoogleGranted patentSecurity & privacyInterest 6/10

Google patents data sharing where users control access keys

This patent describes a system where users store their personal data in a private, user-controlled store. When a third party requests data, the user approves the request, and the system sends a unique access key and a placeholder instead of the actual data. The third party must then use the key to retrieve the real data directly from the user's store.

Why it mattersThis approach could give individuals more direct control over who sees their personal information, reducing the need to trust third parties with their data.

In the filing’s own words

A method includes receiving, by a processing device, a request to provide an entity with access to data associated with a user. A reference to location of the data within a data store controlled by the user and an access key associated with the data store is generated. Upon receiving an indication of user approval of the request, a response package is sent to the entity. The response package includes the reference to the location of the data, an obscured version of the data, and the access key. The data is obtained from the data store using the reference to the data and the access key provided by the entity. The data is provided to the entity.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method comprising: receiving a request to provide an entity of a plurality of entities with access to data associated with a user; generating a reference to the data within a data store controlled by the user and an access key associated with the data store, wherein the reference to the data indicates a location of the data within the data store, wherein the reference to the data is generated for the entity and is different from references to the data that were generated for other entities of the plurality of entities; upon receiving an indication of user approval of the request, sending a response package to the entity, wherein the response package comprises the reference to the data, an obscured version of the data, and the access key, wherein the obscured version of the data is provided to the entity as a placeholder in lieu of providing the data to the entity; obtaining the data from the data store using the reference to the data and the access key provided by the entity; and causing the data from the data store to be provided to the entity.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Systems and methods for protecting data using a personal data store controlled by the data subject
Patent number
US12743546B2
Application number
18513002
Filed
Nov 17, 2023
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 21/6245 Physics & computingG06F 21/31 Physics & computingG06F 21/604 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.