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GoogleGranted patentSecurity & privacyInterest 6/10

Google patents encrypted database search that hides real queries from servers

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a method where a server processes encrypted search requests from a client without seeing the actual data. It groups similar encrypted queries together to speed up processing and distinguishes between real searches and dummy 'fake' queries sent to protect privacy. The server only returns encrypted results for the real queries, keeping the specific data hidden from the server itself.

Why it mattersIt offers a technical way to perform database searches while ensuring the server cannot read the specific information being looked up, which is useful for sensitive data protection.

In the filing’s own words

Encrypted information retrieval can include generating a database that is partitioned into shards each having a shard identifier, and database entries in each shard that are partitioned into buckets having a bucket identifier. A batch of client-encrypted queries are received. The batch of client-encrypted queries are processed using a set of server-encrypted data stored in a database. The processing includes grouping the client-encrypted queries according to shard identifiers of the client-encrypted queries, executing multiple queries in the group of client-encrypted queries for the shard together in a batch execution process, and generating multiple server-encrypted results to the multiple queries in the group of client-encrypted queries. The multiple server-encrypted results for each shard are transmitted to the client device.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method, comprising: generating a partitioned database in which a database is partitioned into shards each having a shard identifier that logically distinguishes each shard from other shards, and database entries in each shard are partitioned into buckets having a bucket identifier that logically distinguishes each bucket in the shard from other buckets in the shard; receiving, by a server including one or more processors and from a client device, a batch of client-encrypted queries; processing, by the server, the batch of client-encrypted queries using a set of server-encrypted data stored in a database to obtain a set of server-encrypted results to the batch of client-encrypted queries; determining, by the server, that the batch of client-encrypted queries includes fake queries and real queries; and transmitting, by the server and to the client device, server-encrypted results for the real queries rather than the fake queries.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Encrypted information retrieval
Patent number
US12748878B2
Application number
18896152
Filed
Sep 25, 2024
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Inventors
5
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 21/6218 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.