Apple patents layered encryption for sharing health records with hospitals
Apple describes a system that organizes health data into a multi-layered structure where each level is locked with a different digital key. When a hospital requests specific records, the system uses unique identifiers to find and unlock only the necessary data for viewing.
In the filing’s own words
Techniques for storing health data can include a multi-node data structure. A data node, a category node, and an institution node of a multi-node data structure can be generated in accordance with a configuration file. The data node can include health data and can be identified by a first unique data identifier and encrypted using a first cryptographic key. The category node can include the first unique data identifier and the first cryptographic key. The category node can be identified by a second unique data identifier and encrypted using a second cryptographic key. The institution node can include the second unique data identifier and the second cryptographic key. The institution node can be identified by a third unique data identifier and encrypted using a third cryptographic key. The data node, the category node, and the institution node can be shared with a service provider.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving an upload request from a mobile user device, the upload request comprising encrypted health record data and a set of unique data identifiers corresponding to the encrypted health record data; storing, in a secure storage, the encrypted health record data in accordance with the set of unique data identifiers; receiving a query from an electronic health record system associated with a health institution, the query comprising at least one unique data identifier of the set of unique data identifiers, wherein each unique identifier of the set of unique data identifiers corresponds to at least one node of a multi-node data structure; retrieving, from the secure storage using the at least one unique data identifier, the encrypted health record data; and sending the encrypted health record data for viewing by the electronic health record system of the health institution.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Secure storage and retrieval of sensitive information
- Patent number
- US12769874B2
- Application number
- 18818115
- Filed
- Aug 28, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 11
- Claims
- 17
Classified under
G06F 21/6245 Physics & computingG16H 10/60 Physics & computingH04L 9/0825 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/0866 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/14 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Health & body
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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.