Systems and methods of managing data rights and selective data sharing

Abstract

A method includes receiving an access request at a first computing device from a second computing device, the access request specifying a data structure, the data structure including first data stored in a first portion of the data structure and second data stored in a second portion of the data structure. The method also includes extracting a first key from the access request and identifying a data rights definition that is associated with the data structure and that is associated with a second key, the data rights definition indicating that the first data but not the second data is shared with an entity associated with the second computing device. The method further includes comparing the first key to the second key, and, based on the comparison, determining whether to grant the second computing device access to the first data but not the second data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving an access request at a first computing device from a second computing device, the access request specifying a data structure, the data structure including first data stored in a first portion of the data structure and second data stored in a second portion of the data structure;   extracting a first key from the access request;   identifying a data rights definition that is associated with the data structure and that is associated with a second key, the data rights definition indicating that the first data but not the second data is shared with an entity associated with the second computing device;   comparing the first key to the second key; and   based on the comparison, determining whether to grant the second computing device access to the first data but not the second data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure is stored at the first computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure is stored remote to the first computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure comprises a database table. 
     
     
         5 . The method  claim 1 , wherein the data structure comprises a bitmap index. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bitmap index includes a plurality of bit strings, wherein a value stored in a particular location in each of the bit strings indicates whether a corresponding signal associated with a signal source has been received. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the signal source corresponds to a user, an electronic device associated with the user, or an internet of things (IoT) device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bitmap index stores data associated with at least one demographic attribute, at least one behavior, at least one brand affinity, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , the bitmap index stores data associated with at least one patient, medical staff, medical equipment, at least one medical location, at least one medicine, at least one healthcare event, at least one medical attribute, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bitmap index stores data associated with at least one investor, at least one financial advisor, at least one financial product, at least one account, at least one investment, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bitmap index stores data associated with at least one internet of things (IoT) device, at least one sensor reading, at least one communication by the IoT device, at least one status of the IoT device, at least one event observed by the IoT device, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bitmap index stores data associated with at least one customer, at least one product in inventory, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data rights definition is stored in a repository that stores a plurality of data rights definitions associated with a plurality of data structures and a plurality of entities. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the data rights definition is stored in the data structure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data rights definition further indicates:
 whether the entity associated with the second computing device has read-only access to the first data or read-write access to the first data,   that the first data is shared with the entity associated with the second computing device for a particular time period,   whether personally identifiable information associated with the first data is shared with the entity associated with the second computing device, or   any combination thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein granting access to the first data comprises sending a copy of the first data to the second computing device for storage in a second data structure at the second computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving a write operation with respect to the first data; and   causing the write operation to be replicated at the copy of the first data in the second data structure.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the write operation is replicated responsive to a push synchronization operation initiated by the first computing device or responsive to a pull synchronization operation initiated by the second computing device or by another computing device associated with the entity. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an access request at a first computing device from a second computing device, the access request specifying a data structure, the data structure including first data stored in a first portion of the data structure and second data stored in a second portion of the data structure; 
 extracting a first key from the access request; 
 identifying a data rights definition that is associated with the data structure and that is associated with a second key, the data rights definition indicating that the first data but not the second data is shared with an entity associated with the second computing device; 
 comparing the first key to the second key; and 
 based on the comparison, determining whether to grant the second computing device access to the first data but not the second data. 
   
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an access request at a first computing device from a second computing device, the access request specifying a data structure, the data structure including first data stored in a first portion of the data structure and second data stored in a second portion of the data structure;   extracting a first key from the access request;   identifying a data rights definition that is associated with the data structure and that is associated with a second key, the data rights definition indicating that the first data but not the second data is shared with an entity associated with the second computing device;   comparing the first key to the second key; and   based on the comparison, determining whether to grant the second computing device access to the first data but not the second data.