Using condensed bitmap representation for filtering of datasets

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor, the computer program instructions defining steps of:

• receiving a network request identifying a user;
• identifying a plurality of segments associated with the user;
• loading bitmaps associated with the plurality of segments, each bitmap representing a set of users who have provided responses within a corresponding segment;
• generating overlaps by comparing pairs of bitmaps selected from the bitmaps, each overlap identifying shared users appearing in both bitmaps of a bitmap pair;
• determining a difference in cardinality between overlapping segment pairs;
• generating anonymized segments by excluding, from the plurality of segments, at least one segment of an overlapping segment pair when the difference in cardinality is below a specified threshold, wherein the excluded segment is the segment having a greater number of members in the overlapping segment pair;
• and
• returning aggregated data associated with the anonymized segments in response to the network request, the aggregated data omitting data associated with the excluded segment.

A device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:
• logic, executed by the processor, for receiving a network request identifying a user;
• logic, executed by the processor, for identifying a plurality of segments associated with the user;
• logic, executed by the processor, for loading bitmaps associated with the plurality of segments, each bitmap representing a set of users who have provided responses within a corresponding segment;
• logic, executed by the processor, for generating overlaps by comparing pairs of bitmaps selected from the bitmaps, each overlap identifying shared users appearing in both bitmaps of a bitmap pair;
• logic, executed by the processor, for determining a difference in cardinality between overlapping segment pairs;
• logic, executed by the processor, for generating anonymized segments by excluding, from the plurality of segments, at least one segment of an overlapping segment pair when the difference in cardinality is below a specified threshold, wherein the excluded segment is the segment having a greater number of members in the overlapping segment pair;
• and
• logic, executed by the processor, for returning aggregated data associated with the anonymized segments in response to the network request, the aggregated data omitting data associated with the excluded segment.