Privacy preserving method and system for limiting communications to targeted recipients using behavior-based categorizing of recipients

Abstract

In a data-handling machine system which has data originating and replicating units (e.g., smartphones) configured to allow users to create or replicate and transmit voluminous amounts of data (e.g., emails) on a recipients-targeting basis to large numbers of recipients, a communications constraining mechanism is provided which intercepts emails (or other forms of recipients-targeting communications), classifies the communications, categorizes the targeted recipients and then based on the classifications and categorizations, generates recommendations on whether to block or let through as is the intercepted communications to their intended recipients.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A machine-implemented method of preserving privacy, the method comprising:
 determining an identification of a first individual;   obtaining detailed data about behaviors and about non-behavioral categorizations of the identified first individual and/or about behaviors of automated devices or automated services that routinely service the identified first individual;   storing the obtained detailed data about the first individual and/or about the devices/services that routinely service the first individual in a database in association with the determined identification of the first individual;   automatically repeatedly comparing the stored detailed data for the first individual with corresponding and already obtained and stored detailed data for other individuals so as to thereby automatically determine if at least some of the detailed data for the first individual forms a distinguishing cluster in a respective parameter space with corresponding and already stored detailed data for at least some of the other individuals, the distinguishing cluster having a commonalty of attributes for its members but being distinguishable from corresponding attributes of data for nonmembers populating the respective parameter space;   in response to determining presence of the distinguishing cluster, categorizing the distinguishing cluster and recording in the database an association between the first individual and the categorized cluster;   receiving from a requesting device, the identification of the first individual and a request for information about the first individual;   in response to the received request, automatically determining if the request for information can be satisfied with an anonymizing reference to the categorized cluster, where the anonymizing reference is one that cannot by itself be used to readily identify the first individual or to determine the stored detailed data for the first individual; and   in response to determining that the request for information can be satisfied with the anonymizing reference, automatically transmitting the anonymizing reference to the requesting device so as to thereby satisfactorily reply to the request but not reveal the stored detailed data for the first individual and to thereby preserve privacy of the first individual with respect to the stored detailed data for the first individual.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein:
 the automatic transmitting of the anonymizing reference to the requesting device is preceded by determining if the requesting device is authorized to receive the anonymizing reference and the automatic transmitting does not occur if the requesting device is not authorized. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the non-behavioral categorizations of the identified first individual include at least one of:
 a title the first individual has a respective organization the first individual belongs to; 
 a job undertaken by the first individual; 
 a current project or task of the first individual; 
 normal work hours of the first individual; 
 normal work locations of the first individual; 
 average rate of use of collaborative communication tools by the first individual; 
 a group the first individual belongs to; and 
 a friendship relation the first individual has with one or more other individuals. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes commonality as to one or more of the non-behavioral categorizations. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes commonality as to one or more non-behavioral categorizations. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein types of behaviors of the identified first individual for which detailed data is obtained include at least one of:
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not discard received content having a predetermined first classification without reading a main body portion of the received content; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not forward to others received content having the predetermined first or another classification; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not forward to unauthorized others received content having a predetermined classification that calls for authorization to access the received content; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not express a dislike for a utilized format of received content having the predetermined first or another classification and optionally if so, whether the first individual routinely defines an alternate format that the first individual prefers; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not communicate with a further individual perceived to be a source of received content having the predetermined first or another classification after receiving the received content; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not perform research corresponding to a topic of received content having the predetermined first or another classification after receiving the received content; and 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not express a degree of like or dislike for received content having the predetermined first or another classification after receiving the received content. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes having routinely all performed one or more of the types of behaviors for a same one or more classifications of received content. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes being routinely associated with a predetermined classification of received content. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes routinely expressing a same degree of like or dislike for received content having the predetermined classification. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the predetermined classification for the received content includes at least one of:
 a subject area associated with the received content; 
 a type of sender associated with the received content; 
 types of other individuals to whom the received content was sent; and 
 a heuristically determined classification derived from use of an expert knowledge base system. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21  wherein:
 the respective parameter space has two or more orthogonal parameter axes where at least one of the orthogonal parameter axes indicates a degree of urgency routinely associated for responding to received content having a predetermined first classification; a level of difficulty associated with the received content; and a level of education required for dealing with the received content. 
 
     
     
         32 . An automated machine system having one or more processors and configured to automatically carry out a method comprised of:
 determining an identification of a first individual;   obtaining detailed data about behaviors and about non-behavioral categorizations of the identified first individual and/or about behaviors of automated devices or automated services that routinely service the identified first individual;   storing the obtained detailed data about the first individual and/or about the devices/services that routinely service the first individual in a database in association with the determined identification of the first individual;   automatically repeatedly comparing the stored detailed data for the first individual with corresponding and already obtained and stored detailed data for other individuals so as to thereby automatically determine if at least some of the detailed data for the first individual forms a distinguishing cluster in a respective parameter space with corresponding and already stored detailed data for at least some of the other individuals, the distinguishing cluster having a commonalty of attributes for its members but being distinguishable from corresponding attributes of data for nonmembers populating the respective parameter space;   in response to determining presence of the distinguishing cluster, categorizing the distinguishing cluster and recording in the database an association between the first individual and the categorized cluster;   receiving from a requesting device, the identification of the first individual and a request for information about the first individual;   in response to the received request, automatically determining if the request for information can be satisfied with an anonymizing reference to the categorized cluster, where the anonymizing reference is one that cannot by itself be used to readily identify the first individual or to determine the stored detailed data for the first individual; and   in response to determining that the request for information can be satisfied with the anonymizing reference, automatically transmitting the anonymizing reference to the requesting device so as to thereby satisfactorily reply to the request but not reveal the stored detailed data for the first individual and to thereby preserve privacy of the first individual with respect to the stored detailed data for the first individual.   
     
     
         33 . The machine system of  claim 32  wherein:
 in said automatically carried out method, the automatic transmitting of the anonymizing reference to the requesting device is preceded by determining if the requesting device is authorized to receive the anonymizing reference and the automatic transmitting does not occur if the requesting device is not authorized. 
 
     
     
         34 . The machine system of  claim 32  wherein the non-behavioral categorizations of the identified first individual include at least one of:
 a title the first individual has a respective organization the first individual belongs to; 
 a job undertaken by the first individual; 
 a current project or task of the first individual; 
 normal work hours of the first individual; 
 normal work locations of the first individual; 
 average rate of use of collaborative communication tools by the first individual; 
 a group the first individual belongs to; and 
 a friendship relation the first individual has with one or more other individuals. 
 
     
     
         35 . The machine system of  claim 34  wherein commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes commonality as to one or more of the non-behavioral categorizations. 
     
     
         36 . The machine system of  claim 32  wherein:
 in said automatically carried out method, commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes commonality as to one or more non-behavioral categorizations. 
 
     
     
         37 . The machine system of  claim 32  wherein:
 in said automatically carried out method, types of behaviors of the identified first individual for which detailed data is obtained include at least one of:
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not discard received content having a predetermined first classification without reading a main body portion of the received content; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not forward to others received content having the predetermined first or another classification; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not forward to unauthorized others received content having a predetermined classification that calls for authorization to access the received content; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not express a dislike for a utilized format of received content having the predetermined first or another classification and optionally if so, whether the first individual routinely defines an alternate format that the first individual prefers; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not communicate with a further individual perceived to be a source of received content having the predetermined first or another classification after receiving the received content; 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not perform research corresponding to a topic of received content having the predetermined first or another classification after receiving the received content; and 
 whether the first individual routinely does or does not express a degree of like or dislike for received content having the predetermined first or another classification after receiving the received content. 
 
 
     
     
         38 . The machine system of  claim 37  wherein the commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes having routinely all performed one or more of the types of behaviors for a same one or more classifications of received content. 
     
     
         39 . The machine system of  claim 32  wherein:
 in said automatically carried out method, the commonalty of attributes for members of a distinguishing cluster includes being routinely associated with a predetermined classification of received content. 
 
     
     
         40 . The machine system of  claim 32  wherein:
 in said automatically carried out method, the respective parameter space has two or more orthogonal parameter axes where at least one of the orthogonal parameter axes indicates a degree of urgency routinely associated for responding to received content having a predetermined first classification; a level of difficulty associated with the received content; and a level of education required for dealing with the received content.