APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DEPERSONALIZING INFORMATION

摘要

A computer implemented method allows an owner or provider of data that contains personal identifiers (data provider) to distribute that data to a data user (118) in a depersonalized form (120) i.e., without revealing the identiTy of the individuals associated with the data (113). The data provider (112) first separates the personal information from the other data to create two data sets (113). The personal identifying information is then provided to a Trusted Third Party (TTP) (116). The TTP associates a unique identifier with the identifying information. The TTP may also collect and store the personal identifying information so that it can process identifying information that it acquires in the future to determine if the unique identifiers generated by the data provider or by the TTP refer to the same individual.