System for and method of de-identifying data

Abstract

A method of de-identifying data, wherein the data to be de-identified is stored in a transaction table containing transactions and a personal information table containing identifiable information. The method includes the steps of generating a de-identification pointer associated with an individual in the personal information table, wherein the individual is associated with at least one transaction in the transaction table; creating a non-protected transaction table, wherein the non-protected transaction table includes a non-protected transaction reference and non-protected information associated with a transaction from the transactional table; and creating an index table including the identification and the non protected transaction reference. According to a preferred embodiment, the identification is advantageously unique and may also lack context to the individual. According to a further feature, the identification may be random or pseudo-random.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A method of retrieving de-identified data from a non-protected transaction table, executed in a data processing system, comprising: 
 generating a de-identification pointer that substitutes data identifying an individual;    creating the non-protected transaction table, wherein the non-protected transaction table includes de-identified transactional data corresponding to the individual, the de-identified transactional data not being capable of identifying the individual;    creating an index table including the de-identification pointer and at least a portion of the non-protected transaction table associated with the individual;    receiving search parameters, wherein the search parameters are used to locate de-identified data in the non protected transaction table;    locating at least one record that matches the search parameters; and    transmitting the located records to a user.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein locating at least one record comprises searching the non-protected transactional table for the at least one record.  
   
   
       9 . A data processing system for de-identifying data comprising: 
 an identifiable database containing protected personal identifiable information, wherein the personal identifiable information does identify an individual;    a de-identified database containing non-protected transaction information and a de-identification pointer, wherein the de-identification pointer and the non-protected transaction information do not identify an individual;    a transaction database containing transactions, wherein the transactions do identify an individual;    an index table comprising the de-identification pointer and at least a portion of the de-identified database associated with the individual; and    a de-identification computer, wherein the de-identification computer creates the de-identification pointer in the de-identified database based on information in the identifiable database and the transaction database.    
   
   
       10 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , further comprising means for securing the transaction database by implementing a database view to control access to the transaction database.  
   
   
       11 - 17 . (canceled)