Methods and systems for facilitating personal data propagation

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating the propagation of personal data include a Personal Data Propagation Environment (“PDP environment”), which facilitates the propagation of personal data items between secure personal data stores and various consumers of the personal data items. One PDP environment includes a personal data manager and a personal data subscriber. The personal data manager manages personal data items on a secure data store associated with a user computing device. The personal data manager provides access to personal data items stored on the secure data store in accordance with a personal data subscription associated with the personal data subscriber.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A personal data propagation service computing system configured to facilitate propagation of personal data, comprising:
 a memory;   a data propagation service module stored on the memory and configured, when executed, to:
 associate a personal data subscriber module with a personal data subscription data structure including indicators of a plurality of data items and entitling the personal data subscriber module to access a plurality of personal data items stored on a secure data store communicatively coupled to a personal data manager module; 
 provide the personal data subscriber module to a first computing system, the personal data subscriber module configured, when executed, to:
 obtain, from a personal data manager module, personal data in accordance with the personal data subscription data structure associated with the personal data subscriber module; and 
 initiate an electronic transaction based on the received personal data; and 
 
 provide the personal data manager module to a second computing system, the personal data manager module configured, when executed, to:
 transmit personal data to the personal data subscriber module in accordance, as determined in cooperation with the personal data propagation service module, with the personal data subscription data structure associated with the personal data subscriber module, 
 
   wherein the second computing system is a personal computing device of a user and the requested personal data represents personal information about the user, and   wherein the personal data propagation service computing system, the first computing system, and the second computing system are distinct and remote from one another.   
     
     
         9 . The personal data propagation service computing system of  claim 8  wherein the data propagation service module is further configured, when executed, to provide authentication services to personal data subscriber modules and personal data manager modules, wherein the personal data subscriber module is further configured, when executed, to interact with the data propagation service module to authenticate a personal data manager module, and wherein the personal data manager module is further configured, when executed, to interact with the data propagation service module to authenticate a personal data subscriber module. 
     
     
         10 . The personal data propagation service computing system of  claim 8  further comprising a Web service that includes the data propagation service module. 
     
     
         11 . The personal data propagation service computing system of  claim 8  wherein the data propagation service module is further configured, when executed, to initiate distribution of the secure data store to the user of the personal computing device, the secure data store configured to securely store personal data items. 
     
     
         12 . The personal data propagation service computing system of  claim 8  wherein the data propagation service module is further configured, when executed, to indicate to the personal data manager module whether the personal data subscriber module is entitled to access a personal data item managed by the personal data manager module, by transmitting to the personal data manager module an indication that the personal data item is one of the plurality of personal data items to which the personal data subscription data structure entitles access, the personal data propagation service having stored an association of an identifier of the personal data subscriber module with the personal data subscription data structure. 
     
     
         13 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage medium whose contents include instructions that, when executed, cause a computing system to facilitate propagation of personal data, by performing a method comprising:
 associating a personal data subscriber module with a personal data subscription data structure that includes indicators of a plurality of personal data items and that entitles the personal data subscriber module access to the plurality of personal data items stored on a secure data store communicatively coupled to a personal data manager module;   when the personal data subscriber module requests from the personal data manager module a personal data item that is one of the plurality of personal data items and that is stored on the secure data store, causing the personal data manager module to transmit the requested personal data item to the personal data subscriber module; and   when the personal data subscriber module requests from the personal data manager module a personal data item that is not one of the plurality of personal data items and that is stored on the secure data store, causing the personal data manager module to not transmit the requested personal data item to the personal data subscriber module,   wherein the personal data manager modules executes on a personal computing device of a user and the requested personal data represents personal information about the user, and   wherein the computing system, the personal computing device, and the personal data subscriber module are distinct and remote from one another.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises authenticating the personal data subscriber module and the personal data manager module to one another. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18  wherein authenticating the personal data subscriber module and the personal data manager module to one another includes providing a first secret to the personal data subscriber module and providing a second secret to the personal data manager module. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein causing the personal data manager module to transmit one of the personal data items stored on the secure data store to the personal data subscriber module includes informing the personal data manager module that the personal data subscription data structure entitles the personal data subscriber module to access the one personal data item. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20  wherein informing the personal data manager module that the personal data subscription data structure entitles the personal data subscriber module to access the one personal data item includes receiving a request from the personal data manager module, the request including an indication of the personal data manager module and an indication of the one personal data item. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein causing the personal data manager module to not transmit one of the personal data items stored on the secure data store to the personal data subscriber module includes informing the personal data manager module that the personal data subscription data structure does not entitle the personal data subscriber module to access the one personal data item. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises:
 when one of the plurality of personal data items stored on the secure data stored has been modified, causing the personal data manager module to transmit the modified personal data item stored on the secure data store to the personal data subscriber module. 
 
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 23  wherein the modified personal data item includes at least one of contact information for a user of the personal data manager module, financial information associated with a user of the personal data manager module, or transaction information associated with a user of the personal data manager module. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises:
 when a data item stored on a data store associated with the personal data subscriber module has been modified, causing the personal data subscriber module to transmit the modified data item to the personal data manager module, thereby causing the personal data manager module to store the modified data item as a personal data item in the secure personal data store. 
 
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 25  wherein the modified data item includes at least one of account information associated with a user of the personal data manager module, contact information for an entity associated with the personal data subscriber module, marketing information for an entity associated with the personal data subscriber module, or terms and conditions associated with use of the personal data subscriber module. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein associating the personal data subscriber module with the personal data subscription data structure includes receiving payment from the personal data subscriber module in exchange for use of the personal data subscription data structure. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the personal data subscription data structure includes access rights corresponding to the plurality of personal data items and/or data type descriptions associated with the plurality of personal data items. 
     
     
         29 . A computer-implemented method for facilitating propagation of personal data, the method comprising:
 electronically providing to a personal data manager computing device of a user a personal data manager module that is configured, when executed by the personal data manager computing device, to:
 receive from a personal data subscriber computing system a request for one or more personal data items stored in a secure data store communicatively coupled to the personal data manager module; 
 determine whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with a personal data subscription data structure associated with the personal data subscriber computing system, the personal data subscription data structure including indicators of a plurality of personal data items and entitling the personal data subscriber computing system to access the plurality of personal data items from the secure data store; and 
 when the request for one or more personal data items is determined to be in accord with the personal data subscription data structure, cause the personal data subscriber computing system to initiate an electronic transaction by initiating transmission of the one or more requested personal data items to the personal data subscriber computing system, 
   wherein the requested personal data items represent personal information about the user, and   wherein the personal data manager computing device and the personal data subscriber computing system are distinct and remote from one another.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the method is performed by a personal data propagation service computing system. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the personal data manager module is further configured, when executed, to:
 transmit to the personal data propagation service computing system an indication of the request for one or more personal data items; and 
 receive from the personal data propagation service computing system an indication of whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with the personal data subscription data structure. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the personal data manager module is further configured, when executed, to:
 automatically synchronize personal data items between the secure data store and a data store associated with the personal data subscriber computing system. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the personal data manager module is further configured to automatically synchronize personal data items by transmitting a modified personal data item stored on secure data store to the personal data subscriber computing system. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the personal data manager module is further configured to automatically synchronize personal data items by receiving from the personal data subscriber computing system a modified personal data item stored on the data store associated with the personal data subscriber computing system. 
     
     
         35 . A computer-implemented method for facilitating propagation of personal data, the method comprising:
 electronically providing to a personal data subscriber computing system a personal data subscriber module that is configured, when executed by the personal data subscriber computing system, to:
 become associated with a personal data subscription data structure that includes indications of a plurality of personal data items and that entitles the personal data subscriber computing system to access the plurality of personal data items stored on a secure data store communicatively coupled to a personal data manager computing device; 
 cause a personal data manager computing device to determine whether access by the personal data subscriber computing system to at least one of the plurality of personal data items stored on the secure data store is in accord with the personal data subscription data structure; and 
 when access by the personal data subscriber computing system to the at least one personal data item is determined to be in accord with the personal data subscription data structure,
 receive from the personal data manager computing device the at least one personal data item; and 
 initiate an electronic transaction based on the received personal data item, 
 
   wherein the plurality of personal data items represent personal information about a user of the personal data manager computing device, and   wherein the personal data manager computing device and the personal data subscriber computing system are distinct and remote from one another.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the method is performed by a personal data propagation service computing system. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the personal data subscriber module is further configured, when executed, to:
 transmit to the personal data propagation service computing system a request to become associated with the personal data subscription data structure. 
 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the personal data subscriber module is further configured, when executed, to:
 automatically synchronize personal data items between the secure data store and a data store associated with the personal data subscriber module. 
 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the personal data subscriber module is further configured to automatically synchronize personal data items by transmitting a modified personal data item stored on the data store associated with the personal data subscriber module to the personal data manager computing device. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the personal data subscriber module is further configured to automatically synchronize personal data items by receiving from the personal data manager computing device a modified personal data item stored on the secure data store. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the personal data manager module determines whether the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with the personal data subscription data structure based on an indication that associates the personal data subscriber computing system with the personal data subscription data structure, the indication being previously received from a personal data propagation service computing system and stored by the personal data manager module. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the indication that associates the personal data subscriber computing system with the personal data subscription data structure is out of date with respect to the personal data subscription data structure as currently stored by the personal data propagation service computing system, and wherein the personal data manager module further determines the request for one or more personal data items is in accord with the personal data subscription data structure based on a user-specified indication that the personal data manager module may share the one personal data item even when the indication that associates the personal data subscriber computing system with the personal data subscription data structure is out of date. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the personal data manager module is configured to receive from a user a specification of one or more personal data items that may be shared based on a cached determination of whether a personal data subscriber computing system is entitled to access the specified one or more personal data items. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  wherein the personal data manager module is configured to receive from a user a specification of a maximum amount of time during which local determinations may be made before current subscription information should be obtained from the personal data propagation service computing system. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the personal data manager module is configured to receive from a user a specification of one or more sensitive personal data items that may be shared only responsive to an indication currently received from the personal data propagation service computing system.