US 7,584,223 B1Granted

Verifying information in a database

AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

InventorsBinyamin Pinkas, Stuart Haber

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Abstract

A first version of a database is accessed. The first version includes the identities of items of information included in the database. A second version of the database is generated. The second version includes changed identities created by applying a function to the identities of the first version. In response to a query that seeks to determine whether a particular item is in the first version, the function is applied to the particular item to generate a changed identity for the particular item. Verification information is provided to demonstrate that the changed identity for the particular item was determined using the same function used to create the changed identities in the second version. A determination is made whether or not the particular item is in the second version and hence in the first version of the database, without requiring a release of the identities in the first version.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method for verifying information in a database, said method comprising:

accessing, using a computer, a first version of said database comprising identities for items of information;
generating a second version of said database comprising changed identities created by applying a function to said identities, said second version representing a committed-to version of said first version;
applying said function to a particular item to generate a changed identity for said particular item;
providing verification information that demonstrates that said changed identity for said particular item was determined using the same function used to create said second version;
and
comparing said changed identity for said particular item to said changed identities in said second version, wherein a determination is made whether or not said particular item is represented in said committed-to version and therefore in said first version without requiring a release of said identities in said first version.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.