Method and system for secure information

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for providing advice and/or services to a consumer including the secure electronic storage of rich private personal data preferably held in trust for and on behalf of a natural person or nominated business or corporate entities. The system provides the applications, processes, controls and data management services to collect from various sources, transfer, store and selectively retrieve data necessary to perform a range of specified planning and decision support activities or events, for which specific applications have been integrated with the secure data store for these purposes. The invention provides for the data owner and authorised persons such as advice and service providers to gain authenticated access to accessible data to undertake permitted tasks. These tasks may include receiving data or record views, or undertaking planning or decision support strategies, or such other tasks as are prescribed. In an embodiment, the system limits access to applications to approved authorised persons and requires specific permissions from the owner in order to manage data privacy standards. The system allows the owner to provide and revoke access permissions to applications and tracks and records all access events.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing advice and/or services to a consumer the method including the steps of: 
 the consumer storing relevant personal data in a secure repository connected to a data communications network;    the consumer specifying items of personal data in the secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one authorised advice provider;    an authorised advice provider accessing the consumer's available items of personal data across the data communications network upon provision of necessary authentication;    the advice provider analysing the items of personal data to determine the advice for the consumer;    the advice provider depositing information into the consumer's secure repository across the data communications network, said information representing the advice provided to the consumer; and    the consumer accessing the information deposited into their secure repository to review the advice.    
     
     
         2 . A method for providing advice and/or services to a consumer the method including the steps of: 
 the consumer authorising a trusted entity to store the personal data of the consumer into a secure repository connected to a data communications network and to manage the release of that data;    the consumer and/or trusted entity specifying items of personal data in the secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one authorised advice provider;    an authorised advice provider accessing the consumers available items of personal data across the data communications network upon provision of necessary authentication and when executing computer instructions code for accessing the personal data that has been pre-approved by the trusted entity; and    the advice provider analysing the items of personal data to determine the advice for the consumer.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of the consumer specifying a plurality of advice providers that can access an item of personal data.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of advice providers accessing at least one item of personal data of a consumer by executing at least one segment of computer instruction code.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the segment of computer instruction code is pre-approved by a consumer for accessing a consumers secure repository of personal data.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the computer instruction code executes functions with respect to the items of personal data in a consumer's secure repository, the computer instruction code providing results of the executed function to advice providers.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to either  claim 1  wherein advice providers access information relating to advice previously deposited by the adviser in a consumer's secure repository.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of the consumer specifying which deposited information in their secure repository may be accessed by advice providers.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to either  claim 1  wherein the personal data includes data representing the values and/or attitudes of the consumer.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to either  claim 1  wherein the personal data includes an expression of at least one of the consumer's personal goals that they intend to achieve over a specified period of time.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the consumer's goals are prioritised by the consumer.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to either  claim 1  wherein the personal data includes an expression of the consumer's preferred outcomes over a specified period of time.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the preferred outcomes are prioritised by the consumer.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein advice providers access personal data relating to at least one of the consumer's values, attitudes, personal goals and/or preferred outcomes in order to provide advice taking into account these particular aspects of the consumer's personal data.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  including the step of: 
 the consumer authorising an advice provider, as a principal adviser, to act on the consumer's behalf in relation to specifying items of personal data in the consumer's secure repository that are to be made accessible to at least one other authorised advice provider.  
 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  including the step of: 
 the principal adviser storing relevant personal data pertaining to the consumer in the relevant secure repository.  
 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15  including the step of: 
 the principal adviser authorising at least one class of adviser to access a consumer's personal items of data.  
 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15  including the step of: 
 the principal adviser authorising at least one other advice provider to act for and on behalf of the consumer.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the principal adviser authorises a plurality of advice providers to access relevant personal data of the consumer to enable the plurality of advice providers to provide relevant advice to the consumer having regard to at least one of the consumer's values, attitudes, personal goals and/or preferred outcomes.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the principal adviser reviews the deposited information in the consumer's secure repository, said deposited information representing the advice provided to the consumer, and conducting an assessment of said advice for and on behalf of the consumer.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20  wherein the principal adviser communicates with at least one of the plurality of the advice providers to resolve any inconsistency considered by the principal adviser with respect to the advice provided by an advice provider considering at least one of the consumer's values, attitudes, personal goals and/or preferred outcomes.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the principal adviser retains the consumer's items of personal data in trust, for and on behalf of the consumer.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 15  when dependent from  claim 2  wherein the principal adviser has authority to access consumer's personal data retained by a trusted entity.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the execution of the computer instruction code provides a result to an advice provider without revealing underlying personal items of data.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to either  claim 1  wherein the authorisation of an advice provider to access a consumer's available items of personal data is effected by a template having at least one pre-defined list of personal data items that are accessible to an authorised advice provider.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 25  wherein the pre-defined list of a template is amended by a consumer to re-define the items of personal data that are to be accessible to an authorised advice provider.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to either  claim 1  wherein consumers specify items of personal data in their secure repository that are to be accessible to authorised advice providers by specifying those items in a filter, said filter establishing conditions that must be satisfied by the advice provider in order for same to be provided access to the specified items of personal data.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein the consumer authorises the principal adviser to amend and re-define the items of personal data that are to be accessible to an authorised advice provider.  
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein the consumer authorise the principal adviser to specify items of personal data in the filter.  
     
     
         30 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of: 
 recording all instances of access to a consumer's personal items of data in their secure repository.  
 
     
     
         31 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of: 
 recording all instances of the depositing of information into a consumer's secure repository.  
 
     
     
         32 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of: 
 recording all instances of changes to a consumer's personal items of data in their secure repository.  
 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 30  including the step of: 
 requesting a report of at least one instance of any one or more of the following events: 
 an instance of accessing a consumer's personal items of data;  
 an instance of depositing information into a consumer's secure repository; or  
 an instance of a change to a consumer's stored personal items of data.  
 
 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 30  when dependent from  claim 2  wherein the recording and/or reporting of instances is effected by the trusted authority.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of: 
 the consumer specifying items of personal data in their secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one other consumer.  
 
     
     
         36 . A method according to either  claim 1  including the step of: 
 the consumer specifying items of personal data in their secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one class of other consumers.  
 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein the template is operable to perform functions on personal data to provide an adviser with information derived from one or more of the underlying items of personal data.  
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 26  wherein the template devolves personal data into information that is presented to an adviser in a pre-defined form.  
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the trusted entity maintains the store of personal data and controls access to the personal data in accordance with regulatory requirements pertaining to the protection of consumers personal items of data.  
     
     
         40 . A system for providing advice and/or services to a consumer, the system including: 
 a secure repository connected to a data communications network for the storage of personal items of data of a consumer;    a means enabling the consumer to specify those items of personal data in the secure repository which are to be made accessible to an authorised advice provider;    means enabling the consumer to identify the advice provider or the class of advice provides to whom access will be provided for those specified items of personal data;    means for authenticating the identity of an advice provider; and    means for enabling authenticated authorised advice providers to access the specified items of personal data of the consumer for which the advice provider has been identified as having permission to access and a means enabling an advice provider to execute computer instruction code that obtains items of personal data from the consumer's secure repository and analysis the items of personal data to generate information that represents advice for the consumer, the computer instruction code also enabling the advice provider to deposit said information into the consumer's secure repository for subsequent access by the consumer.    
     
     
         41 . A system for providing advice and/or services to a consumer, the system including: 
 a secure repository connected to a data communications network controlled by a trusted entity to store personal items of data for consumers:    a means enabling consumers to specify those items of personal data in the secure repository that are to be made accessible to an authorised advice provider:    means enabling the consumers to identify the advice provider or a class of advice providers to whom access will be provided for those specified items for persona data:    means for authenticating the identity of an advice provider; and    means for enabling authenticated authorised advice providers to access the specified items of personal data of consumers for which the advice provider has been identified as having permission to access.    
     
     
         42 . A system according to  claim 41  including a computing means enabling an advice provider to execute computer instruction code that obtains items of personal data from the consumer's secure repository and analyses the items of personal data to generate information that represents advice for the consumer.  
     
     
         43 . A system according to  claim 42  wherein the computer instruction code also enables the advice provider to deposit said information into the consumer's secure repository before subsequent access by the consumer.  
     
     
         44 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the secure repository includes a database operable to store and retrieve data in accordance with secure read/write access protocols.  
     
     
         45 . A system according to  claim 44  wherein the personal items of data belonging to consumers are stored in fields in the secure database.  
     
     
         46 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the means enabling a consumer to specify those items of personal data in the secure repository that are to be made accessible to an authorised advice provider includes a personal computing device executing computer instruction code that causes the items of personal data of the consumer to be displayed and provides a selection means for the consumer to select items of personal data that are stored in the secure repository, the personal computing device being operably connected to a data communications network.  
     
     
         47 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the means enabling a consumer to identify an advice provider or a class of advice providers to whom access will be granted for those specified items of personal data includes a personal computing device executing computer instruction code that causes available advice providers to be displayed to the consumer and provides a selection means for the consumer to select from the list of available advice providers for the purpose of granting access, the personal computing device being operably connected to a data communications network.  
     
     
         48 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the means for authenticating the identity of an advice provider includes a personal computing device operably connected to the secure repository that receives authentication information from an advice provider across the data communications network and determines the identity of the advice provider.  
     
     
         49 . A system according to  claim 48  wherein the authentication information is a digital security key.  
     
     
         50 . A system according to  claim 48  wherein the authentication information is a password.  
     
     
         51 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the means for enabling authenticated authorised advice providers to access specified items of personal data of consumers includes a personal computing device executing computer instruction code that identifies the specific items of personal data of a consumer in the secure repository that have been nominated for access by the advice provider, the personal computing device being operably connected to a data communications network.  
     
     
         52 . A system according to  claim 40  wherein the means enabling an advice provider to execute computer instruction code that obtains items of personal data from the consumers secure repository includes a personal computing device operable to execute computer instruction code that transfers available items of personal data from the secure repository to the personal computing device enabling the advice provider to analyse the items of personal data and generate information that represents advice for the consumer.  
     
     
         53 . A system according to  claim 52  wherein the items of personal data are transferred to the volatile memory of the personal computing device for a sufficient time to enable the advice provider to complete their analysis of the personal data and generate the information required by a consumer, the information being transferred to the secure repository without the data being stored in the non volatile memory of the personal computing device.  
     
     
         54 . A system according to  claim 46  wherein the personal computing device executes computer instruction code including a web browser thus enabling the personal computing devices to communicate with each other and the secure repository across the data communications network in accordance with world wide web protocols.  
     
     
         55 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the secure repository includes items of personal data relating to any one or more of the following: 
 accounting records;  
 financial records;  
 health records;  
 insurance records;  
 estate records;  
 values and/or attitudes of the consumer;  
 personal goals of the consumer; or  
 preferred outcomes of the consumer.  
 
     
     
         56 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the secure repository includes a computing device operable to execute computer instruction code to operate a database function, the computing device including additional computer instruction code operable to perform functions on items of personal data belonging to consumers wherein the functions provide results that are transmitted to advice providers.  
     
     
         57 . A system according to  claim 56  wherein the additional computer instruction code is transferred from an advice provider to the computing device to perform functions relevant to the advice provider.  
     
     
         58 . A system according to  claim 56  wherein the functions results are provided to an advice provider without revealing details of the personal items of data.  
     
     
         59 . A system according to either  claim 40  wherein the data communications network is the Internet.  
     
     
         60 . A method for providing advice and/or services to a consumer the method including the steps of: 
 the consumer transferring and storing relevant personal data in a secure repository using a consumer personal computing device connected to a data communications network;    the consumer specifying items of their personal data in the secure repository using the personal computing device thus granting access to those items to at least one authorised advice provider;    an authorised advice provider accessing the consumer's available items of personal data using a provider personal computing device connected to the data communications network, the provider gaining access after transferring the necessary provider authentication across the network;    the advice provider analysing the items of personal data on the provider personal computing device which includes computer instruction code operable to analyse the consumers items of personal data, the provider thus determining the advice for the consumer;    the advice provider operating the provider personal computing device to deposit information into the consumer's secure repository by transferring that information across the data communications network, said information representing the advice provided to the consumer; and    the consumer using the consumer personal computing device to access the information deposited into their secure repository to review the advice.    
     
     
         61 . A method for providing advice and/or services to a consumer the method including the steps of: 
 the consumer operating a personal computing device to authorise a trusted entity to store personal data of the consumer into a secure repository connected to a data communications network and to manage the release of that data;    the consumer and/or trusted entity operating a computing device to specify items of personal data in the secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one authorised advice provider;    an authorised advice provider operating a provider personal computing device to access the consumers available items of personal data across the data communications network upon provision of the necessary provider authentication and when executing computer instructions code for accessing the personal data that has been pre-approved by the trusted entity; and    the advice provider operating the provider personal computing device to analyse the items of personal data to determine the advice for the consumer.    
     
     
         62 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of the consumer operating the consumer personal computing device to specify a plurality of advice providers that can access an item of personal data.  
     
     
         63 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of advice providers operating provider personal computing devices including computer instruction code operable to access at least one item of personal data of a consumer.  
     
     
         64 . A method according to  claim 63  wherein the computer instruction code is pre-approved by a consumer for accessing a consumers secure repository of personal data.  
     
     
         65 . A method according to  claim 63  wherein the computer instruction code executes functions with respect to the items of personal data in a consumer's secure repository, the computer instruction code providing results of the executed function to advice providers.  
     
     
         66 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein advice providers operate provider personal computing devices to access information relating to advice previously deposited by the advisers in a consumer's secure repository.  
     
     
         67 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of the consumer operating a consumer personal computing device to specify which deposited information in their secure repository may be accessed by advice providers.  
     
     
         68 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the personal data includes data representing the values and/or attitudes of the consumer.  
     
     
         69 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the personal data includes an expression of at least one of the consumer's personal goals that they intend to achieve over a specified period of time.  
     
     
         70 . A method according to  claim 69  wherein the consumer's goals are prioritised by the consumer.  
     
     
         71 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the personal data includes an expression of the consumer's preferred outcomes over a specified period of time.  
     
     
         72 . A method according to  claim 71  wherein the preferred outcomes are prioritised by the consumer.  
     
     
         73 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein advice providers access personal data relating to at least one of the consumer's values, attitudes, personal goals and/or preferred outcomes and provide advice taking into account one or more of these particular aspects of the consumer's personal data.  
     
     
         74 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 the consumer authorising an advice provider, as a principal adviser, to act on the consumer's behalf in relation to specifying items of personal data in the consumer's secure repository for which access will be granted to at least one other authorised advice provider.  
 
     
     
         75 . A method according to  claim 74  including the step of: 
 the principal adviser operating a personal computing device to transfer and store relevant personal data pertaining to the consumer in the relevant secure repository.  
 
     
     
         76 . A method according to  claim 74  including the step of: 
 the principal adviser operating the personal computing device to authorise at least one class of adviser to access a consumer's personal items of data.  
 
     
     
         77 . A method according to  claim 74  including the step of: 
 the principal adviser authorising at least one other advice provider to act for and on behalf of the consumer.  
 
     
     
         78 . A method according to  claim 74  wherein the principal adviser authorises a plurality of advice providers to access relevant personal data of the consumer to enable the plurality of advice providers to provide relevant advice to the consumer having regard to at least one of the consumer's values, attitudes, personal goals and/or preferred outcomes.  
     
     
         79 . A method according to  claim 78  wherein the principal adviser operates a personal computing device to review the deposited information in the consumer's secure repository, said deposited information representing the advice provided to the consumer, and conducting an assessment of said advice for and on behalf of the consumer.  
     
     
         80 . A method according to  claim 79  wherein the principal adviser operates the personal computing device to communicate with at least one of the plurality of the advice providers to resolve any inconsistency considered by the principal adviser with respect to the advice provided by an advice provider considering at least one of the consumer's values, attitudes, personal goals and/or preferred outcomes.  
     
     
         81 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the principal adviser retains the consumer's items of personal data in trust, for and on behalf of the consumer.  
     
     
         82 . A method according to either  claim 60  when dependent from  claim 62  wherein the principal adviser has authority to access consumer's personal data retained by a trusted entity.  
     
     
         83 . A method according to  claim 64  wherein the execution of the computer instruction code provides a result to an advice provider without revealing underlying personal items of data.  
     
     
         84 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the authorisation of an advice provider to access a consumer's available items of personal data is effected by computing device including computer instruction code operable to generate a template having at least one pre-defined list of personal data items that are to be made accessible to an authorised advice provider.  
     
     
         85 . A method according to  claim 84  wherein the pre-defined list of a template is amended by a consumer operating a personal computing device to re-define the items of personal data that are to be accessible to an authorised advice provider.  
     
     
         86 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein consumers operate a consumer personal computing device to specify items of personal data in their secure repository that are to be accessible to authorised advice providers by specifying those items in a filter, said filter establishing conditions that must be satisfied by the advice provider in order for same to be provided access to the specified items of personal data.  
     
     
         87 . A method according to  claim 86  wherein the consumer authorises the principal adviser to amend and re-define the items of personal data that are to be accessible to an authorised advice provider.  
     
     
         88 . A method according to  claim 87  wherein the consumer authorises the principal adviser to specify items of personal data in the filter.  
     
     
         89 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 recording all instances of access to a consumer's personal items of data in their secure repository.  
 
     
     
         90 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 recording all instances of the depositing of information into a consumer's secure repository.  
 
     
     
         91 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 recording all instances of changes to a consumer's personal items of data in their secure repository.  
 
     
     
         92 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 requesting a report of at least one instance of any one or more of the following events: 
 an instance of accessing a consumer's personal items of data;  
 an instance of depositing information into a consumer's secure repository; or  
 an instance of a change to a consumer's stored personal items of data.  
 
 
     
     
         93 . A method according to  claim 89  wherein the recording and/or reporting of instances is effected by the trusted authority.  
     
     
         94 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 the consumer specifying items of personal data in their secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one other consumer.  
 
     
     
         95 . A method according to either  claim 60  including the step of: 
 the consumer specifying items of personal data in their secure repository that are to be accessible to at least one class of other consumers.  
 
     
     
         96 . A method according to  claim 85  wherein the template is operable to perform functions on personal data to provide an adviser with information derived from one or more of the underlying items of personal data.  
     
     
         97 . A method according to  claim 85  wherein the template devolves personal data into information that is presented to an adviser in a pre-defined form.  
     
     
         98 . A method according to  claim 61  wherein the trusted entity maintains the store of personal data and controls access to the personal data in accordance with regulatory requirements pertaining to the protection of consumers personal items of data.  
     
     
         99 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the data communications network is the Internet.  
     
     
         100 . A method according to either  claim 60  wherein the secure repository includes items of personal data relating to any one or more of the following: 
 accounting records;  
 financial records;  
 health records;  
 insurance records;  
 estate records;  
 values and/or attitudes of the consumer;  
 personal goals of the consumer; or  
 preferred outcomes of the consumer.