Microsoft patents privacy-safe group profiles for content delivery
Microsoft has patented a method for creating group profiles used to distribute digital content while protecting user data. The system applies multiple layers of data security techniques, adding random noise to the results to ensure individual identities remain hidden. Only when these noisy results meet specific safety thresholds are the terms added to a profile that matches content to users.
In the filing’s own words
Technologies for digital content distribution include creating a data set that includes a plurality of entity data records each comprising a plurality of attribute values. By applying a first data security technique to the data set, a first query term and a matching subset of the plurality of entity data records are determined. A second data security technique is applied to the matching subset. When output of the second data security technique satisfies a first noisy threshold, the first query term is added to a set of query terms. A third data security technique is applied to the matching subset. When output of the third data security technique satisfies a second noisy threshold, the set of query terms is expanded to include a second query term. The set of query terms is used to perform the digital content distribution.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method for digital content distribution comprising: creating a data set that includes a plurality of entity data records each comprising a plurality of attribute values; by applying a first data security technique to the data set, determining a first query term and a matching subset of the plurality of entity data records; applying a second data security technique different from the first data security technique to the matching subset; in response to output of the second data security technique satisfying a first noisy threshold, adding the first query term to a set of query terms, wherein satisfying the first noisy threshold comprises comparing (i) noisy output generated by adding first noise to function output of at least the matching subset to (ii) a noisy threshold generated by adding second noise to a threshold value; applying a third data security technique different than the first and second data security techniques to the matching subset; in response to output of the third data security technique satisfying a second noisy threshold, expanding the set of query terms to include a second query term; creating a group profile using the expanded set of query terms; and performing the digital content distribution by matching the group profile to a content item.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Building data-secure group profiles
- Patent number
- US12762279B2
- Application number
- 18793074
- Filed
- Aug 2, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 13, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 21/6254 Physics & computingG06F 21/6263 Physics & computingH04L 67/306 Electricity & electronicsMore from Microsoft in Security & privacy
- Microsoft patents system to call 911 for others during video calls Sep 22, 2026
- Microsoft patents system to block fake code suggested by AI Sep 15, 2026
- Microsoft patents one-way data flow to block network attacks Sep 10, 2026
- Microsoft patents voice coding that hides speaker identity for secure calls Sep 17, 2026
- Microsoft patents security checks for AI chats using user and model profiles Oct 1, 2026
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.