US6915435B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for managing information retention
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
•
Filing: 2000-02-09
•
Granted: 2005-07-05
•
Expires: 2020-02-09
Abstract
Abstract An improved information retention management mechanism is disclosed wherein an information set may be purged from an information system without having to delete the information set from the system. Whenever an information set enters an information system, a key is associated with the information set. The information set is encrypted using the associated key, and the encrypted form of the information set is stored in the information system. The unencrypted form of the information set is not stored. To render the information set to a user, the encrypted form of the information set is accessed along with the associated key, and then decrypted using the associated key to derive the original information set. Once derived, the information set is rendered to the user. So long as the associated key remains in the system, this process may be carried out to render the information set to a user. At some point, in accordance with an information retention policy, the information set is selected for purging. To purge the information set, all that needs to be done is to delete the associated key. By deleting the associated key, all copies of the encrypted information set stored within the information system are made unrenderable; as a result, the information set is effectively “purged” from the system. This purging is achieved without having to delete the encrypted information set from the system.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Merriam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 00:05
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/10; G06F16/16; G06F16/162; G06F16/11; G06F16/122; G06F16/125; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1446; G06F11/1448; G06F2216/00; G06F2216/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for managing information retention in a system, comprising: receiving a set of information into a system; associating one or more keys with said set of information; encrypting said set of information using said one or more keys; storing said set of information in encrypted form into one or more repositories, wherein only the encrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system and no unencrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system; purging said set of information from the system so that said set of information is not available to a user from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable; prior to deletion of said one or more keys, receiving a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user accessing the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; accessing said one or more keys; providing the encrypted form of said set of information and said one or more keys to the information sink to enable the information sink to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information; and using said one or more keys to render said set of information to the user, wherein the information sink comprises sufficient logic to prevent it from persistently storing said one or more keys received from an information manager.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
241 words
A method for managing information retention in a system, comprising: receiving a set of information into a system; associating one or more keys with said set of information; encrypting said set of information using said one or more keys; storing said set of information in encrypted form into one or more repositories, wherein only the encrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system and no unencrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system; purging said set of information from the system so that said set of information is not available to a user from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable; prior to deletion of said one or more keys, receiving a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user accessing the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; accessing said one or more keys; providing the encrypted form of said set of information and said one or more keys to the information sink to enable the information sink to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information; and using said one or more keys to render said set of information to the user, wherein the information sink comprises sufficient logic to prevent it from persistently storing said one or more keys received from an information manager.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said set of information is purged from the system without requiring that the encrypted form of said set of information be deleted from the one or more repositories.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said one or more keys comprises a symmetrically paired set of keys.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: prior to deletion of said one or more keys, receiving a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; accessing the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; decrypting the encrypted form of said set of information using said one or more keys to derive said set of information; and providing said set of information to the information sink to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form, and wherein the encrypted form of said set of information is decrypted only when it is necessary to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form, and wherein the encrypted form of said set of information is decrypted only when it is necessary to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein purging comprises: determining, based upon an information retention policy, whether said set of information should be purged from the system; and in response to a determination that said set of information should be purged from the system, purging said set of information from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said information retention policy is time-based such that said set of information is purged after a certain period of time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said information retention policy is condition-based such that said set of information is purged when one or more conditions are satisfied.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for managing information retention in a system, comprising: a mechanism for receiving a set of information into a system; a mechanism for associating one or more keys with said set of information; a mechanism for encrypting said set of information using said one or more keys; a mechanism for storing said set of information in encrypted form into one or more repositories, wherein only the encrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system and no unencrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system; a mechanism for purging said set of information from the system so that said set of information is not available to a user from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable; a mechanism for receiving prior to deletion of said one or more keys, a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; a mechanism for accessing the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; a mechanism for accessing said one or more keys; a mechanism for providing the encrypted form of said set of information and said one or more keys to the information sink to enable the information sink to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information; and using said one or more keys to render said set of information to the user, wherein the information sink comprises sufficient logic to prevent it from persistently storing said one or more keys received from an information manager.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for managing information retention in a system, comprising: a mechanism for receiving a set of information into a system; a mechanism for associating one or more keys with said set of information; a mechanism for encrypting said set of information using said one or more keys; a mechanism for storing said set of information in encrypted form into one or more repositories, wherein only the encrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system and no unencrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system; a mechanism for purging said set of information from the system so that said set of information is not available to a user from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable; a mechanism for receiving prior to deletion of said one or more keys, a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; a mechanism for accessing the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; a mechanism for accessing said one or more keys; a mechanism for providing the encrypted form of said set of information and said one or more keys to the information sink to enable the information sink to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information; and using said one or more keys to render said set of information to the user, wherein the information sink comprises sufficient logic to prevent it from persistently storing said one or more keys received from an information manager.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said set of information is purged from the system without requiring that the encrypted form of said set of information be deleted from the one or more repositories.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said one or more keys comprises a symmetrically paired set of keys.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
105 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising: a mechanism for receiving, prior to deletion of said one or more keys, a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; a mechanism for accessing the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; a mechanism for decrypting the encrypted form of said set of information using said one or more keys to derive said set of information; and a mechanism for providing said set of information to the information sink to enable the information sink to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form, and wherein the encrypted form of said set of information is decrypted only when it is necessary to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form, and wherein the encrypted form of said set of information is decrypted by the information sink only when it is necessary to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the mechanism for purging comprises: a mechanism for determining, based upon an information retention policy, whether said set of information should be purged from the system; and a mechanism for deleting, in response to a determination that said set of information should be purged from the system, said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said information retention policy is time-based such that said set of information is purged after a certain period of time.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 18 , herein said information retention policy is condition-based such that said set of information is purged when one or more conditions are satisfied.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
335 words
A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage information retention in a system, comprising: instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a set of information into a system; instructions for causing one or more processors to associate one or more keys with said set of information; instructions for causing one or more processors to encrypt said set of information using said one or more keys; instructions for causing one or more processors to store said set of information in encrypted form into one or more repositories; wherein only the encrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system and no unencrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system, instructions for causing one or more processors to purge said set of information from the system so that said set of information is not available to a user from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable; instructions for causing one or more processors to receive, prior to deletion of said one or more keys, a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; instructions for causing one or more processors to access the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; instructions for causing one or more processors to access said one or more keys; instructions for causing one or more processors to provide the encrypted form of said set of information and said one or more keys to the information sink to enable the information sink to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information; and instructions for using said one or more keys to render said set of information to the user, wherein the information sink comprises sufficient logic to prevent it from persistently storing said one or more keys received from an information manager.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
335 words
A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to manage information retention in a system, comprising: instructions for causing one or more processors to receive a set of information into a system; instructions for causing one or more processors to associate one or more keys with said set of information; instructions for causing one or more processors to encrypt said set of information using said one or more keys; instructions for causing one or more processors to store said set of information in encrypted form into one or more repositories; wherein only the encrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system and no unencrypted form of the set of information is persistently stored within the information system, instructions for causing one or more processors to purge said set of information from the system so that said set of information is not available to a user from the system by deleting said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable; instructions for causing one or more processors to receive, prior to deletion of said one or more keys, a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; instructions for causing one or more processors to access the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; instructions for causing one or more processors to access said one or more keys; instructions for causing one or more processors to provide the encrypted form of said set of information and said one or more keys to the information sink to enable the information sink to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information; and instructions for using said one or more keys to render said set of information to the user, wherein the information sink comprises sufficient logic to prevent it from persistently storing said one or more keys received from an information manager.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said set of information is purged from the system without requiring that the encrypted form of said set of information be deleted from the one or more repositories.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said one or more keys comprises a symmetrically paired set of keys.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
127 words
The computer readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising: instructions for causing one or more processors to receive, prior to deletion of said one or more keys, a request from an information sink to render said set of information to a user; instructions for causing one or more processors to access the encrypted form of said set of information from the one or more repositories; instructions for causing one or more processors to decrypt the encrypted form of said set of information using said one or more keys to derive said set of information; and instructions for causing one or more processors to provide said set of information to the information sink to enable the information sink to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
The computer readable medium of claim 25 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form, and wherein the encrypted form of said set of information is decrypted only when it is necessary to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said set of information is stored in the one or more repositories only in encrypted form, and wherein the encrypted form of said set of information is decrypted by the information sink only when it is necessary to render said set of information to the user.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
91 words
The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions for causing one or more processors to purge said set of information from the system comprises: instructions for causing one or more processors to determine, based upon an information retention policy, whether said set of information should be purged from the system; and instructions for causing one or more processors to delete, in response to a determination that said set of information should be purged from the system, said one or more keys, thereby making said set of information unrenderable.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer readable medium of claim 28 , wherein said information retention policy is time-based such that said set of information is purged after a certain period of time.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer readable medium of claim 28 , wherein said information retention policy is condition-based such that said set of information is purged when one or more conditions are satisfied.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-07-04 | 2009-01-03 | 2009-07-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-07-04 | 2013-01-03 | 2013-07-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-07-04 | 2017-01-03 | 2017-07-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |