# US 10,122,732 B1 · User-directed privacy control in a user-centric identity management system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,122,732 B1
- Document ID: US10122732B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/458,716
- Filed: 2017-03-14
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2008-05-27
- Assignees: Open Invention Network, LLC
- Applicants: Open Invention Network LLC
- Inventors: Gail-Joon Ahn
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122732B1

## CPC

- H04L 63/20: {for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227)}
- G06F 21/34: involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
- G06F 21/604: {Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems}
- G06F 21/6245: {Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes}
- G06F 21/6263: {during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies}
- H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)}
- H04L 63/0807: {using tickets, e.g. Kerberos (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213)}
- H04L 63/083: {using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226)}
- H04L 63/0853: {using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234)}
- H04L 63/0876: {based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint}
- H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources}
- H04L 63/102: {Entity profiles}
- H04L 63/105: {Multiple levels of security}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An identity management system incorporates privacy management processes that enable the user to exercise privacy controls over the disclosure of user identity information within the context of an authentication process. A combination includes an identity selector, a privacy engine, and a ruleset. The identity selector directs the release of a user identity in the form of a security token to satisfy the requirements dictated by a security policy. Prior to release of the user identity, the engine conducts a privacy enforcement process that examines the privacy policy of the service provider and determines if it is acceptable. The engine evaluates a ruleset against the privacy policy. A preference editor enables the user to construct, in advance, the ruleset, which embodies the user's privacy preferences regarding the disclosure of identity information. Based on the evaluation results, the user can either approve or disapprove the privacy policy, and so decide whether to proceed with disclosure of the user identity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
at least one hardware processor programmed to:
manage, by an identity manager, a plurality of user identities of a user, and select one or more of the user identities of the user that satisfy a set of identity requirements of a security policy obtained from an environment;
evaluate, by a privacy engine, at least one privacy preference of the one or more selected user identities against a privacy policy obtained from the environment; and
generate, by a policy editor, a reduced version of a privacy policy from the environment and supply the reduced version of the privacy policy as the privacy policy used by the privacy engine evaluation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of privacy preferences relative to at least one user identity of the plurality of user identities of the user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the privacy engine is programmed to: (1) receive an indication specifying at least one user identity that satisfies requirements of the security policy, (2) obtain the privacy preference for each specified user identity, and (3) use at least one obtained privacy preference in the evaluation operation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprises a privacy editor programmed to provide at least one categorized group of user identity attributes, and to determine a privacy preference for each category.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, further comprises:
the identity manager is programmed to receive from a service provider environment the security policy having requirements specifying required attributes; and
the privacy engine is programmed to identify at least one category referencing the required attributes, and for using the privacy preference of at least one identified category in the evaluation operation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprises the plurality of user identities includes at least one information card.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, further comprises:
the identity manager is programmed to receive from a service provider environment the security policy, and for determining whether any of the information cards satisfies the security policy requirements; and
the privacy engine is programmed to use, in the evaluation operation, the privacy preference of any information card determined to satisfy the security policy requirements.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the privacy engine is further programmed to present the evaluation of the selected user identities to the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the privacy engine is programmed to receive from the identity manager an indication of at least one user identity, and to conduct the evaluation using at least one privacy preference of any user identity specified in the indication.

### Claim 10

A method, comprising:
managing, by an identity manager, a plurality of user identities of a user, and select one or more of the user identities of the user that satisfy a set of identity requirements of a security policy obtained from an environment;
evaluating, by a privacy engine, at least one privacy preference of the one or more selected user identities against a privacy policy obtained from the environment; and
generating, by a policy editor, a reduced version of a privacy policy from the environment and supply the reduced version of the privacy policy as the privacy policy used by the privacy engine evaluation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprises:
receiving from the environment the security policy having requirements;
processing the security policy to determine whether any of the user identities satisfies the security policy requirements; and
the evaluating further includes using the privacy preference of any user identity determined to satisfy the security policy requirements.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprises:
providing at least one categorized group of user identity attributes; and
determining a privacy preference for each category.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprises:
receiving from the environment the security policy having requirements specifying required attributes;
identifying at least one category referencing the required attributes; and
the evaluating further includes using the privacy preference of at least one identified category in the evaluation operation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the providing further includes providing at least one information card.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprises:
receiving from the environment the security policy;
processing the security policy to determine whether any of the information cards satisfies the security policy requirements; and
the evaluating further includes using the privacy preference of any information card determined to satisfy the security policy requirements.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprises:
obtaining an indication of at least one user identity; and
the evaluating further includes using at least one privacy preference of any user identity specified in the indication.

### Claim 17

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:
manage a plurality of user identities of a user, and select one or more of the user identities of the user that satisfy a set of identity requirements of a security policy obtained from an environment;
evaluate at least one privacy preference of the one or more selected user identities against a privacy policy obtained from the environment; and
generate a reduced version of a privacy policy from the environment and supply the reduced version of the privacy policy as the privacy policy used by the privacy engine evaluation.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
receive from the environment a security policy having requirements;
process the security policy to determine whether any of the user identities satisfies the security policy requirements; and
cause the evaluation operation to use the privacy preference of any user identity determined to satisfy the security policy requirements.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
provide at least one categorized group of user identity attributes;
determine a privacy preference for each category;
receive from the environment a security policy having requirements specifying required attributes;
identify at least one category referencing the required attributes; and
cause the evaluation operation to use the privacy preference of at least one identified category.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
provide at least one information card;
receive from the environment a security policy having requirements;
process the security policy to determine whether any of the information cards satisfies the security policy requirements; and
cause the evaluation operation to use the privacy preference of any information card determined to satisfy the security policy requirements.