Patents by Inventor Khaled El Emam

Khaled El Emam has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9773124
    Abstract: A system and method of performing date shifting with randomized intervals for the de-identification of a dataset from a source database containing information identifiable to individuals is provided. The de-identified dataset is retrieved comprising a plurality of entries or records containing personal identifying information. Date quasi-identifiers in the dataset for the entries can be identified within the data set which may be used potentially identifiable for a patient. Date events are consolidated in the date quasi-identifiers and connected dates in the dataset. The date events are moved relative to an anchor date in a longitudinal sequence of the date events. De-identification of the entries in the dataset including the date quasi-identifiers is performed to meet a risk metric defining risk of re-identified patients associated with the records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: PRIVACY ANALYTICS INC.
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Luk Arbuckle, Ben Eze, Geoffrey Green
  • Publication number: 20170177907
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method to reduce re-identification risk of a data set. The method includes the steps of retrieving, via a database-facing communication channel, a data set from a database communicatively coupled to the processor, the data set selected to include patient medical records that meet a predetermined criteria; identifying, by a processor coupled to a memory, direct identifiers in the data set; identifying, by the processor, quasi-identifiers in the data set; calculating, by the processor, a first probability of re-identification from the direct identifiers; calculating, by the processor, a second probability of re-identification from the quasi-direct identifiers; perturbing, by the processor, the data set if one of the first probability or second probability exceeds a respective predetermined threshold, to produce a perturbed data set; and providing, via a user-facing communication channel, the perturbed data set to the requestor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Martin Scaiano, Grant Middleton, Varada Kolhatkar, Khaled El Emam
  • Publication number: 20170083719
    Abstract: System and method to produce an anonymized cohort, members of the cohort having less than a predetermined risk of re-identification. The system includes a user-facing communication interface to receive an anonymized cohort request comprising traits to include in members of the cohort; a data source-facing communication channel to query a data source, to find anonymized records that possess at least some of the requested traits; and a processor programmed to carry out the instructions of: forming a dataset from at least some of the anonymized records; calculating a risk of re-identification of the anonymized records in the dataset based upon the data query; perturbing anonymized records in the dataset that exceed a predetermined risk of re-identification, until the risk of re-identification is not greater than the pre-determined threshold, to produce the anonymized cohort; and providing, via a user-facing communication channel, the anonymized cohort.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Martin Scaiano, Andrew Baker, Stephen Korte, Khaled El Emam
  • Patent number: 9503432
    Abstract: A secure linkage between databases allows records of an individual in a first database to be linked to records of the same individual in a second database without disclosing or providing personal information outside of either database or system responsible for controlling access to the respective databases. As such, records of individuals may be securely linked together without compromising privacy or security of the databases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: PRIVACY ANALYTICS INC.
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Aleksander Essex, Ben Eze, Matthew Tucciarone
  • Publication number: 20160155061
    Abstract: A system, method and computer readable memory for determining journalist risk of a dataset using population equivalence class distribution estimation. The dataset may be a cross-sectional data set or a longitudinal dataset. The determine risk of identification can be determined and used in de-identification process of the dataset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen Korte, Luk Arbuckle, Andrew Baker, Khaled El Emam, Sean Rose
  • Publication number: 20160154978
    Abstract: In longitudinal datasets, it is usually unrealistic that an adversary would know the value of every quasi-identifier. De-identifying a dataset under this assumption results in high levels of generalization and suppression as every patient is unique. Adversary power gives an upper bound on the number of values an adversary knows about a patient. Considering all subsets of quasi-identifiers with the size of the adversary power is computationally infeasible. A method is provided to assess re-identification risk by determining a representative risk which can be used as a proxy for the overall risk measurement and enable suppression of identifiable quasi-identifiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Andrew Baker, Luk Arbuckle, Khaled El Emam, Ben Eze, Stephen Korte, Sean Rose, Cristina Ilie
  • Publication number: 20150339496
    Abstract: A system and method of performing date shifting with randomized intervals for the de-identification of a dataset from a source database containing information identifiable to individuals is provided. The de-identified dataset is retrieved comprising a plurality of entries or records containing personal identifying information. Date quasi-identifiers in the dataset for the entries can be identified within the data set which may be used potentially identifiable for a patient. Date events are consolidated in the date quasi-identifiers and connected dates in the dataset. The date events are moved relative to an anchor date in a longitudinal sequence of the date events. De-identification of the entries in the dataset including the date quasi-identifiers is performed to meet a risk metric defining risk of re-identified patients associated with the records.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Khaled EL EMAM, Luk ARBUCKLE, Ben EZE, Geoffrey GREEN
  • Publication number: 20150288665
    Abstract: A secure linkage between databases allows records of an individual in a first database to be linked to records of the same individual in a second database without disclosing or providing personal information outside of either database or system responsible for controlling access to the respective databases. As such, records of individuals may be securely linked together without compromising privacy or security of the databases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Aleksander Essex, Ben Eze, Matthew Tucciarone
  • Patent number: 8326849
    Abstract: A method, system and computer memory for optimally de-identifying a dataset is provided. The dataset from a storage device. The equivalence classes within the dataset is determined. A lattice is determined defining anonymization strategies. A solution set for the lattice is generated. Optimal node from the solution set is determined. The dataset is then de-identified using the generalization defined by the optimal node and can then be stored on the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: University of Ottawa
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Romeo Issa, Fida Dankar
  • Patent number: 8316054
    Abstract: A system and method of performing risk assessment of a dataset de-identified from a source database containing information identifiable to individuals is provided. The de-identified dataset is retrieved comprising a plurality of records from a storage device. A selection of variables from a user is received, the selection made from a plurality of variables present in the dataset, wherein the variables are potential identifiers of personal information. A selection of a risk threshold acceptable for the dataset from a user is received. A selection of a sampling fraction wherein the sampling fraction define a relative size of their dataset to an entire population is received. A number of records from the plurality of records for each equivalence class in the identification dataset for each of the selected variables. A re-identification risk using the selected sampling fraction is calculated. The re-identification risk meets the selected risk threshold is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: University of Ottawa
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Fida Dankar
  • Publication number: 20110258206
    Abstract: Disclosures of databases for secondary purposes is increasing rapidly and any identification of personal data may from a dataset of database can be detrimental. A re-identification risk metric is determined for the scenario where an intruder wishes to re-identify as many records as possible in a disclosed database, known as a marketer risk. The dataset can be analyzed to determine equivalence classes for variables in the dataset and one or more equivalence class sizes. The re-identification risk metric associated with the dataset can be determined using a modified log-linear model by measuring a goodness of fit measure generalized for each of the one or more equivalence class sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: University of Ottawa
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Fida Dankar
  • Publication number: 20100332537
    Abstract: A method, system and computer memory for optimally de-identifying a dataset is provided. The dataset from a storage device. The equivalence classes within the dataset is determined. A lattice is determined defining anonymization strategies. A solution set for the lattice is generated. Optimal node from the solution set is determined. The dataset is then de-identified using the generalization defined by the optimal node and can then be stored on the storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Khaled EL EMAM, Romeo ISSA, Fida DANKAR
  • Publication number: 20100077006
    Abstract: A system and method of performing risk assessment of a dataset de-identified from a source database containing information identifiable to individuals is provided. The de-identified dataset is retrieved comprising a plurality of records from a storage device. A selection of variables from a user is received, the selection made from a plurality of variables present in the dataset, wherein the variables are potential identifiers of personal information. A selection of a risk threshold acceptable for the dataset from a user is received. A selection of a sampling fraction wherein the sampling fraction define a relative size of their dataset to an entire population is received. A number of records from the plurality of records for each equivalence class in the identification dataset for each of the selected variables. A re-identification risk using the selected sampling fraction is calculated. The re-identification risk meets the selected risk threshold is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Fida Dankar
  • Publication number: 20070050701
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for medical form creation are disclosed. The computer program product has a computer readable medium storing medical form software that provides a user interface. The medical form software includes computer executable instructions for creating at least partially non-completed medical forms. Each of the medical forms is defined at least in part by a plurality of operands. A number of the operands are modifiable upon form completion by a form completing entity. The medical form software also includes computer executable instructions for building, within the user interface, conditional responses to potential future events occurring in relation to the medical forms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Khaled El Emam, Jonathan Fortye Bermingham Barker, Nadil Punjani, Hua Li, Ian Stefanison, Suleiman Jabbouri