Learning an entity's trust model and risk tolerance to calculate its risk-taking score

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for learning an entity’s trust model and risk tolerance. An entity’s trust score may be calculated based on data from a variety of data sources, and this data may be combined according to a set of weights which reflect an entity’s trust model and risk tolerance. For example, an entity may weight data of a certain type more heavily for certain types of transactions and another type of data more heavily for other transactions. By gathering data about the entity, a system may predict the entity’s trust model and risk tolerance and adjust the set of weights accordingly for calculating trust scores. Furthermore, by monitoring how entities adjust weights for different transaction types, default weighting profiles may be created that are customized for specific transaction types. As another example, an entity’s trust score, as reported to a requesting entity, may be adjusted based on that requesting entity’s own trust model, or how “trusting” the requesting entity is.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for adjusting, for a requesting entity, a trust score for a second entity, the method comprising:
 determining, using processing circuitry, a baseline trust score for the second entity;   receiving data about the requesting entity from a first remote source;   calculating a trusting adjustment score for the requesting entity based on the received data from the first remote source;   determining an adjusted trust score for the second entity by combining the trusting adjustment score and the baseline trust score for the second entity; and   transmitting to the requesting entity an indication of the adjusted trust score.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein combining the trusting adjustment score and the baseline trust score for the second entity comprises multiplying the baseline trust score for the second entity by the trusting adjustment score. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein combining the trusting adjustment score and the baseline trust score for the second entity comprises combining the baseline trust score for the second entity and the trusting adjustment score according, to a weighted sum. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the weighted sum is based on a user-assigned weight. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the received data comprises a user indication of how trusting the user believes the requesting entity to be, wherein the user is associated with a third entity that is different from the requesting entity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising;
 storing the trusting adjustment score for the requesting entity; and 
 using the stored trusting adjustment score to determine an adjusted trust score for a third entity by combining the stored trusting adjustment score and a baseline trust score for the third entity. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving second data about the requesting entity from a second remote source; and 
 updating the stored trusting adjustment score based on the received second data from the second remote source. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving an indication of an activity to be performed together by the requesting entity and the second entity; and 
 updating the trusting adjustment score based on the indication of the activity. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second entity is associated with a second node in a network community, and a fourth entity is associated with a first node in a network community, and wherein determining a baseline trust score for the second entity comprises 
 identifying paths to the second node from the first node within the network community; and 
 determining the baseline trust score for the second entity based on the identified paths. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the identified paths each comprise one or more links, wherein each link is assigned a user connectivity value, and wherein determining the baseline trust score for the second entity based on the identified paths comprises:
 combining the user connectivity values to determine the baseline trust score for the second entity based on the identified paths. 
 
     
     
         11 . A system for adjusting, for a requesting entity, a trust score for a second entity, the system comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to: 
 determine a baseline trust score for the second entity; 
 receive data about the requesting entity from a first remote source; 
 calculate a trusting adjustment score for the requesting entity based on the received data from the first remote source; 
 determine an adjusted trust score for the second entity by combining the trusting adjustment score and the baseline trust score for the second entity, and 
 transmit to the requesting entity an indication of the adjusted trust score. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the processing circuitry is configured to combine the trusting adjustment score and the baseline trust score for the second entity by multiplying the baseline trust score for the second entity by the trusting adjustment score. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the processing circuitry is configured to combine the trusting adjustment score and the baseline trust score for the second entity by combining the baseline trust score for the second entity and the trusting adjustment score according to a weighted sum. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the weighted sum is based on a user-assigned weight. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the received data comprises a user indication of how trusting the user believes the requesting entity to be, wherein the user is associated with a third entity that is different from the requesting entity. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , the processing circuitry further configured to:
 store the trusting adjustment score for the requesting entity and   use the stored trusting adjustment score to determine an adjusted trust score for a third entity by combining the stored trusting adjustment score and a baseline trust score for the third entity.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , the processing circuitry further configured to:
 receive second data about the requesting entity from a second remote source; and   update the stored trusting adjustment score based on the received second data from the second remote source.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , the processing circuitry further configured to:
 receive an indication of an activity to be performed together by the requesting entity and the second entity; and   update the trusting adjustment score based on the indication of the activity.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the second entity is associated with a second node in a network community, and a fourth entity is associated with a first node in a network community, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a baseline trust score for the second entity by: 
 identifying paths to the second node from the first node within the network community; and 
 determining the baseline trust score for the second entity based on the identified paths. 
 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the identified paths each comprise one or more links, wherein each link is assigned a user connectivity value, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the baseline trust score for the second entity based on the identified paths by:
 combining the user connectivity values to determine the baseline trust score for the second entity based on the identified paths.