Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ZERO-TRUST ALGORITHM
DEPLOYMENT AND OPERATION ON A PROTECTED DATASET
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates in general to the field of zero-trust
computing, and
more specifically to methods, computer programs and systems for providing
processing
of protected information using algorithms in a zero-trust environment. Such
systems and
methods are particularly useful in situations where algorithm developers wish
to maintain
secrecy of their algorithms, and the data being processed is highly sensitive,
such a
protected health information.
[0002] Within certain fields, there is a distinguishment between the
developers of
algorithms (often machine learning of artificial intelligence algorithms), and
the stewards
of the data that said algorithms are intended to operate with and be trained
by. On its
surface this seems to be an easily solved problem of merely sharing either the
algorithm
or the data that it is intended to operate with. However, in reality, there is
often a strong
need to keep the data and the algorithm secret. For example, the companies
developing
their algorithms may have the bulk of their intellectual property tied into
the software
comprising the algorithm. For many of these companies, their entire value may
be
centered in their proprietary algorithms. Sharing such sensitive data is a
real risk to these
companies, as the leakage of the software base code could eliminate their
competitive
advantage overnight.
[0003] One could imagine that instead, the data could be provided to the
algorithm
developer for running their proprietary algorithms and generation of the
attendant reports.
However, the problem with this methodology is two-fold. Firstly, often the
datasets for
processing and extremely large, requiring significant time to transfer the
data from the
data steward to the algorithm developer. Indeed, sometimes the datasets
involved
consume petabytes of data. The fastest fiber optics intern& speed in the US is
2,000
MB/second. At this speed, transferring a petabyte of data can take nearly
seven days to
complete. It should be noted that most commercial intern& speeds are a
fraction of this
maximum fiber optic speed.
[0004] The second reason that the datasets are not readily shared with the
algorithm
developers is that the data itself may be secret in some manner. For example,
the data
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could also be proprietary, being of a significant asset value. Moreover, the
data may be
subject to some control or regulation. This is particularly true in the case
of medical
information. Protected health information, or PHI, for example, is subject to
a myriad of
laws, such as HIPAA, that include strict requirements on the sharing of PHI,
and are
subject to significant fines if such requirements are not adhered to.
[0005] Healthcare related information is of particular focus of this
application. Of all the
global stored data, about 30% resides in healthcare. This data provides a
treasure trove of
information for algorithm developers to train their specific algorithm models
(Al or
otherwise), and allows for the identification of correlations and associations
within
datasets. Such data processing allows advancements in the identification of
individual
pathologies, public health trends, treatment success metrics, and the like.
Such output
data from the running of these algorithms may be invaluable to individual
clinicians,
healthcare institutions, and private companies (such as pharmaceutical and
biotechnology
companies). At the same time, the adoption of clinical Al has been slow. More
than
12,000 life-science papers described Al and ML in 2019 alone. Yet the U.S.
Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved only slightly more than 30 AI/ML-
based
medical technologies to date. Data access is a major barrier to clinical
approval. The
FDA requires proof that a model works across the entire population. However,
privacy
protections make it challenging to access enough diverse data to accomplish
this goal.
Given that there is great value in the operation of secret algorithms on data
that also must
remain secret, there is a significant need for systems and methods that allow
for such
zero-trust operations. Such systems and methods enable sensitive data to be
analyzed in a
secure environment, providing the needed outputs, while maintaining secrecy of
both the
algorithms involved, as well as the data itself
SUMMARY
[0006] The present systems and methods relate to the processing of secret data
by secret
algorithms in a secure and zero-trust environment. Such systems and methods
enable
improvements in the ability to identify associations in data that
traditionally require some
sort of risk to the algorithm developer, the data steward, or both parties. An
example of
how such a system can benefit patients is that using a model, for example, a
clinical
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decision support tool can be developed, intended to assist providers in
targeting patients
with diabetic retinopathy to benefit from treatment.
[0007] In some embodiments, an algorithm is encrypted by an algorithm
developer within
a zero-trust computing node, using a public key 390 which is sent to the
sequestered
computing node via the core management system. This generates a payload that
is
transferred to a core management system which in turn distributes the payload
to one or
more sequestered computing nodes located within the infrastructure of one or
more data
stewards. The sequestered computing nodes are designed to preserve privacy of
data
assets and the algorithm.
[0008] Next the payloads are decrypted, using a private key, within the
sequestered
computing nodes. This yields the algorithm that can be run against the data
assets of the
data steward. A report is generated that can be shared with the appropriate
parties.
[0009] In some embodiments, the entire algorithm is encrypted to generate an
entirely
encrypted payload. In other embodiments, only sensitive layers of the
algorithm are
encrypted, thereby allowing the unencrypted portions of the payload to be
modified at
either the core management system or at the data steward. In yet another set
of
embodiments, the sensitive portions of the algorithm may be logically
separated from the
non-sensitive portions, and only the sensitive portions are encrypted. Again,
this enables
the modification of the non-sensitive portions.
[0010] Additionally, in some embodiments, the core management system may
operate as
a key management system that allows lower powered, licensed and localized
devices to
run algorithms on their local datasets.
[0011] Note that the various features of the present invention described above
may be
practiced alone or in combination. These and other features of the present
invention will
be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention
and in
conjunction with the following figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] In order that the present invention may be more clearly ascertained,
some
embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
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[0013] Figure 1A and 1B are example block diagrams of a system for zero trust
computing of data by an algorithm, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0014] Figure 2 is an example block diagram showing the core management
system, in
accordance with some embodiment;
[0015] Figure 3 is an example block diagram showing a first model for the zero-
trust data
flow, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0016] Figure 4 is an example block diagram showing a second model for the
zero-trust
data flow, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0017] Figure 5 is an example block diagram showing a third model for the zero-
trust
data flow, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0018] Figure 6 is a flowchart for an example process for the operation of the
zero-trust
data processing system, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0019] Figure 7A a flowchart for an example process of acquiring and curating
data, in
accordance with some embodiment;
[0020] Figure 7B a flowchart for an example process of onboarding a new host
data
steward, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0021] Figure 8 is a flowchart for an example process of encapsulating the
algorithm and
data, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0022] Figure 9 is a flowchart for an example process of a first model of
algorithm
encryption and handling, in accordance with some embodiment;
[0023] Figure 10 is a flowchart for an example process of a second model of
algorithm
encryption and handling, in accordance with some embodiments;
[0024] Figure 11 is a flowchart for an example process of a third model of
algorithm
encryption and handling, in accordance with some embodiments;
[0025] Figure 12 is an example block diagram showing the training of the model
within a
zero-trust environment, in accordance with some embodiments;
[0026] Figure 13 is a flowchart for an example process of training of the
model within a
zero-trust environment, in accordance with some embodiments;
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[0027] Figure 14 is an example block diagram showing the key management for
the
running of an algorithm on a computing capsule within a semi-trust
environment, in
accordance with some embodiments;
[0028] Figure 15 is a flowchart for an example process of key management for
the
running of an algorithm on a computing capsule within a semi-trust
environment, in
accordance with some embodiments; and
[0029] Figures 16A and 16B are illustrations of computer systems capable of
implementing the zero-trust computing, in accordance with some embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
several
embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the
following
description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough
understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent,
however, to
one skilled in the art, that embodiments may be practiced without some or all
of these
specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or
structures have not
been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present
invention. The
features and advantages of embodiments may be better understood with reference
to the
drawings and discussions that follow.
[0031] Aspects, features and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the
present
invention will become better understood with regard to the following
description in
connection with the accompanying drawing(s). It should be apparent to those
skilled in
the art that the described embodiments of the present invention provided
herein are
illustrative only and not limiting, having been presented by way of example
only. All
features disclosed in this description may be replaced by alternative features
serving the
same or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Therefore,
numerous other
embodiments of the modifications thereof are contemplated as falling within
the scope of
the present invention as defined herein and equivalents thereto. Hence, use of
absolute
and/or sequential terms, such as, for example, "always," "will," "will not,"
"shall," "shall
not," "must," "must not," "first," "initially," "next," "subsequently,"
"before," "after,"
"lastly," and "finally," are not meant to limit the scope of the present
invention as the
embodiments disclosed herein are merely exemplary.
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[0032] The present invention relates to systems and methods for the zero-trust
application
on one or more algorithms processing sensitive datasets. Such systems and
methods may
be applied to any given dataset, but may have particular utility within the
healthcare
setting, where the data is extremely sensitive. As such, the following
descriptions will
center on healthcare use cases. This particular focus, however, should not
artificially
limit the scope of the invention. For example, the information processed may
include
sensitive industry information, payroll or other personally identifiable
information, or the
like. As such, while much of the disclosure will refer to protected health
information
(PHI) it should be understood that this may actually refer to any sensitive
type of data.
Likewise, while the data stewards are generally thought to be a hospital or
other
healthcare entity, these data stewards may in reality be any entity that has
and wishes to
process their data within a zero-trust environment.
[0033] In some embodiments, the following disclosure will focus upon the term
"algorithm". It should be understood that an algorithm may include machine
learning
(ML) models, neural network models, or other artificial intelligence (Al)
models.
However, algorithms may also apply to more mundane model types, such as linear
models, least mean squares, or any other mathematical functions that convert
one or more
input values, and results in one or more output models.
[0034] Also, in some embodiments of the disclosure, the terms "node",
"infrastructure"
and "enclave" may be utilized. These terms are intended to be used
interchangeably and
indicate a computing architecture that is logically distinct (and often
physically isolated).
In no way does the utilization of one such term limit the scope of the
disclosure, and these
terms should be read interchangeably. To facilitate discussions, Figure 1A is
an example
of a zero-trust infrastructure, shown generally at 100a. This infrastructure
includes one or
more algorithm developers 120a-x which generate one or more algorithms for
processing
of data, which in this case is held by one or more data stewards 160a-y. The
algorithm
developers are generally companies that specialize in data analysis, and are
often highly
specialized in the types of data that are applicable to their given
models/algorithms.
However, sometimes the algorithm developers may be individuals, universities,
government agencies, or the like. By uncovering powerful insights in vast
amounts of
information, Al and machine learning (ML) can improve care, increase
efficiency, and
reduce costs. For example Al analysis of chest x-rays predicted the
progression of critical
illness in COVID-19. In another example, an image-based deep learning model
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developed at MIT can predict breast cancer up to five years in advance. And
yet another
example is an algorithm developed at University of California San Francisco,
which can
detect pneumothorax (collapsed lung) from CT scans, helping prioritize and
treat patients
with this life-threatening condition¨the first algorithm embedded in a medical
device to
achieve FDA approval.
[0035] . Likewise, the data stewards may include public and private hospitals,
companies, universities, governmental agencies, or the like. Indeed, virtually
any entity
with access to sensitive data that is to be analyzed may be a data steward.
[0036] The generated algorithms are encrypted at the algorithm developer in
whole, or in
part, before transmitting to the data stewards, in this example ecosystem. The
algorithms
are transferred via a core management system 140, which may supplement or
transform
the data using a localized datastore 150. The core management system also
handles
routing and deployment of the algorithms. The datastore may also be leveraged
for key
management in some embodiments that will be discussed in greater detail below.
[0037] Each of the algorithm developer 120a-x, and the data stewards 160a-y
and the
core management system 140 may be coupled together by a network 130. In most
cases
the network is comprised of a cellular network and/or the internet. However,
it is
envisioned that the network includes any wide area network (WAN) architecture,
including private WAN's, or private local area networks (LANs) in conjunction
with
private or public WANs.
[0038] In this particular system, the data stewards maintain sequestered
computing nodes
110a-y which function to actually perform the computation of the algorithm on
the
dataset. The sequestered computing nodes, or "enclaves", may be physically
separate
computer server systems, or may encompass virtual machines operating within a
greater
network of the data steward's systems. The sequestered computing nodes should
be
thought of as a vault. The encrypted algorithm and encrypted datasets are
supplied to the
vault, which is then sealed. Encryption keys 390 unique to the vault are then
provided,
which allows the decryption of the data and models to occur. No party has
access to the
vault at this time, and the algorithm is able to securely operate on the data.
The data and
algorithms may then be destroyed, or maintained as encrypted, when the vault
is
"opened" in order to access the report/output derived from the application of
the
algorithm on the dataset. Due to the specific sequestered computing node being
required
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to decrypt the given algorithm(s) and data, there is no way they can be
intercepted and
decrypted. This system relies upon public-private key techniques, where the
algorithm
developer utilizes the public key 390 for encryption of the algorithm, and the
sequestered
computing node includes the private key in order to perform the decryption. In
some
embodiments, the private key may be hardware (in the case of Azure, for
example) or
software linked (in the case of AWS, for example).
[0039] In some particular embodiments, the system sends algorithm models via
an Azure
Confidential Computing environment to two data steward environments. Upon
verification, the model and the data entered the Intel SGX sequestered enclave
where the
model is able to be validated against the PHI data sets. Throughout the
process, the
algorithm owner cannot see the data, the data steward cannot see the algorithm
model,
and the management core can see neither the data nor the model.
[0040] The data steward uploads encrypted data to their cloud environment
using an
encrypted connection that terminates inside an Intel SGX-sequestered enclave.
Then, the
algorithm developer submits an encrypted, containerized Al model which also
terminates
into an Intel SGX-sequestered enclave. A key management system in the
management
core enables the containers to authenticate and then run the model on the data
within the
enclave. The data steward never sees the algorithm inside the container and
the data is
never visible to the algorithm developer. Neither component leaves the
enclave. After
the model runs, the developer receives a performance report on the values of
the
algorithm's performance along with a summary of the data characteristics.
Finally, the
algorithm owner may request that an encrypted artifact containing information
about
validation results is stored for regulatory compliance purposes and the data
and the
algorithm are wiped from the system.
[0041] Figure 1B provides a similar ecosystem 100b. This ecosystem also
includes one
or more algorithm developers 120a-x, which generate, encrypt and output their
models.
The core management system 140 receives these encrypted payloads, and in some
embodiments, transforms or augments unencrypted portions of the payloads. The
major
difference between this substantiation and the prior figure, is that the
sequestered
computing node(s) 110a-y are present within a third party host 170a-y. An
example of a
third-party host may include an offsite server such as Amazon Web Service
(AWS) or
similar cloud infrastructure. In such situations, the data steward encrypts
their dataset(s)
and provides them, via the network, to the third party hosted sequestered
computing
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node(s) 110a-y. The output of the algorithm running on the dataset is then
transferred
from the sequestered computing node in the third-party, back via the network
to the data
steward (or potentially some other recipient).
[0042] In some specific embodiments, the system relies on a unique combination
of
software and hardware available through Azure Confidential Computing. The
solution uses
virtual machines (VMs) running on specialized Intel processors with Intel
Software Guard
Extension (SGX), in this embodiment, running in the third party system. Intel
SGX creates
sequestered portions of the hardware's processor and memory known as
"enclaves"
making it impossible to view data or code inside the enclave. Software within
the
management core handles encryption, key management, and workflows.
[0043] In some embodiments, the system may be some hybrid between Figures 1A
and
1B. For example, some datasets may be processed at local sequestered computing
nodes,
especially extremely large datasets, and others may be processed at third
parties. Such
systems provide flexibility based upon computational infrastructure, while
still ensuring
all data and algorithms remain sequestered and not visible except to their
respective
owners.
[0044] Turning now to Figure 2, greater detail is provided regarding the core
management system 140. The core management system 140 may include a data
science
development module 210, a data harmonizer workflow creation module 250, a
software
deployment module 230, a federated master algorithm training module 220, a
system
monitoring module 240, and a data store comprising global join data 240.
[0045] The data science development module 210 may be configured to receive
input
data requirements from the one or more algorithm developers for the
optimization and/or
validation of the one or more models. The input data requirements define the
objective
for data curation, data transformation, and data harmonization workflows. The
input data
requirements also provide constraints for identifying data assets acceptable
for use with
the one or more models. The data harmonizer workflow creation module 250 may
be
configured to manage transformation, harmonization, and annotation protocol
development and deployment. The software deployment module 230 may be
configured
along with the data science development module 210 and the data harmonizer
workflow
creation module 250 to assess data assets for use with one or more models.
This process
can be automated or can be an interactive search/query process. The software
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deployment module 230 may be further configured along with the data science
development module 210 to integrate the models into a sequestered capsule
computing
framework, along with required libraries and resources.
[0046] In some embodiments, it is desired to develop a robust, superior
algorithm/model
that has learned from multiple disjoint private data sets (e.g., clinical and
health data)
collected by data hosts from sources (e.g., patients). The federated master
algorithm
training module may be configured to aggregate the learning from the disjoint
data sets
into a single master algorithm. In different embodiments, the algorithmic
methodology
for the federated training may be different. For example, sharing of model
parameters,
ensemble learning, parent-teacher learning on shared data and many other
methods may
be developed to allow for federated training. The privacy and security
requirements,
along with commercial considerations such as the determination of how much
each data
system might be paid for access to data, may determine which federated
training
methodology is used.
[0047] The system monitoring module 240 monitors activity in sequestered
computing
nodes. Monitored activity can range from operational tracking such as
computing
workload, error state, and connection status as examples to data science
monitoring such
as amount of data processed, algorithm convergence status, variations in data
characteristics, data errors, algorithm/model performance metrics, and a host
of additional
metrics, as required by each use case and embodiment.
[0048] In some instances, it is desirable to augment private data sets with
additional data
located at the core management system (join data 150). For example,
geolocation air
quality data could be joined with geolocation data of patients to ascertain
environmental
exposures. In certain instances, join data may be transmitted to sequestered
computing
nodes to be joined with their proprietary datasets during data harmonization
or
computation.
[0049] The sequestered computing nodes may include a harmonizer workflow
module,
harmonized data, a runtime server, a system monitoring module, and a data
management
module (not shown). The transformation, harmonization, and annotation
workflows
managed by the data harmonizer workflow creation module may be deployed by and
performed in the environment by harmonizer workflow module using
transformations and
harmonized data. In some instances, the join data may be transmitted to the
harmonizer
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workflow module to be joined with data during data harmonization. The runtime
server
may be configured to run the private data sets through the algorithm/model.
[0050] The system monitoring module monitors activity in the sequestered
computing
node. Monitored activity may include operational tracking such as
algorithm/model
intake, workflow configuration, and data host onboarding, as required by each
use case
and embodiment. The data management module may be configured to import data
assets
such as private data sets while maintaining the data assets within the pre-
exiting
infrastructure of the data stewards.
[0051] Turning now to Figure 3, a first model of the flow of algorithms and
data are
provided, generally at 300. The Zero-Trust Encryption System 320 manages the
encryption, by an encryption server 323, of all the algorithm developer's 120
software
assets 321 in such a way as to prevent exposure of intellectual property
(including source
or object code) to any outside party, including the entity running the core
management
system 140 and any affiliates, during storage, transmission and runtime of
said encrypted
algorithms 325. In this embodiment, the algorithm developer is responsible for
encrypting the entire payload 325 of the software using its own encryption
keys.
Decryption is only ever allowed at runtime in a sequestered capsule computing
environment 110.
[0052] The core management system 140 receives the encrypted computing assets
(algorithms) 325 from the algorithm developer 120. Decryption keys to these
assets are
not made available to the core management system 140 so that sensitive
materials are
never visible to it. The core management system 140 distributes these assets
325 to a
multitude of data steward nodes 160 where they can be processed further, in
combination
with private datasets, such as protected health information (PHI) 350.
[0053] Each Data Steward Node 160 maintains a sequestered computing node 110
that is
responsible for allowing the algorithm developer's encrypted software assets
325 to
compute on a local private dataset 350 that is initially encrypted. Within
data steward
node 160, one or more local private datasets (not illustrated) is harmonized,
transformed,
and/or annotated and then this dataset is encrypted by the data steward, into
a local
dataset 350, for use inside the sequestered computing node 110.
[0054] The sequestered computing node 110 receives the encrypted software
assets 325
and encrypted data steward dataset(s) 350 and manages their decryption in a
way that
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prevents visibility to any data or code at runtime at the runtime server 330.
In different
embodiments this can be performed using a variety of secure computing enclave
technologies, including but not limited to hardware-based and software-based
isolation.
[0055] In this present embodiment, the entire algorithm developer software
asset payload
325 is encrypted in a way that it can only be decrypted in an approved
sequestered
computing enclave/node 110. This approach works for sequestered enclave
technologies
that do not require modification of source code or runtime environments in
order to
secure the computing space (e.g., software-based secure computing enclaves).
[0056] Turning to Figure 4, the general environment is maintained, as seen
generally at
400, however in this embodiment, the encryption server 323 takes the algorithm
asset
321, and only encrypts a specific sensitive layer 425 (generally comprising
the algorithm
weights), while leaving remaining non-sensitive algorithm elements 420 (such
as the
container and base model minus weights) unencrypted. This embodiment has the
advantage of allowing the unencrypted portion 420 of the payload to be
transformed, or
otherwise altered, by either the core management system 140, or by the data
steward 160.
An example would be the conversion of specific library dependencies from the
original
operating system to Enclave OS, a special operating system that runs code in
an Intel
SGX sequestered computing enclave.
[0057] In a similar manner, Figure 5 provides an example embodiment of a
system
whereby the sensitive and non-sensitive portions of the developer assets 321
are treated
differently, seen generally at 500. In this example, however, rather than only
encrypting a
specific layer of the ultimate payload, the assets are separated into two
portions: the
sensitive elements 525 and the non-sensitive elements 520. The non-sensitive
elements
520, are then transferred in the clear, while the sensitive elements 525 are
encrypted
before leaving the zero trust encryption system 320. As with the embodiment
found in
Figure 4, this methodology of splitting the payload into two entirely separate
elements
allows the unencrypted non-sensitive payload 520 to be modified.
[0058] Turning to Figure 6, one embodiment of the process for deployment and
running
of algorithms within the sequestered computing nodes is illustrated, at 600.
Initially the
algorithm developer provides the algorithm to the system. The at least one
algorithm/model is generated by the algorithm developer using their own
development
environment, tools, and seed data sets (e.g., training/testing data sets). In
some
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embodiments, the algorithms may be trained on external datasets instead, as
will be
discussed further below. The algorithm developer provides constraints (at 610)
for the
optimization and/or validation of the algorithm(s). Constraints may include
any of the
following: (i) training constraints, (ii) data preparation constraints, and
(iii) validation
constraints. These constraints define objectives for the optimization and/or
validation of
the algorithm(s) including data preparation (e.g., data curation, data
transformation, data
harmonization, and data annotation), model training, model validation, and
reporting.
[0059] In some embodiments, the training constraints may include, but are not
limited to,
at least one of the following: hyperparameters, regularization criteria,
convergence
criteria, algorithm termination criteria, training/validation/test data splits
defined for use
in algorithm(s), and training/testing report requirements. A model hyper
parameter is a
configuration that is external to the model, and which value cannot be
estimated from
data. The hyperparameters are settings that may be tuned or optimized to
control the
behavior of a ML or AT algorithm and help estimate or learn model parameters.
[0060] Regularization constrains the coefficient estimates towards zero. This
discourages
the learning of a more complex model in order to avoid the risk of
overfitting.
Regularization, significantly reduces the variance of the model, without a
substantial
increase in its bias. The convergence criterion is used to verify the
convergence of a
sequence (e.g., the convergence of one or more weights after a number of
iterations). The
algorithm termination criteria define parameters to determine whether a model
has
achieved sufficient training. Because algorithm training is an iterative
optimization
process, the training algorithm may perform the following steps multiple
times. In
general, termination criteria may include performance objectives for the
algorithm,
typically defined as a minimum amount of performance improvement per iteration
or set
of iterations.
[0061] The training/testing report may include criteria that the algorithm
developer has an
interest in observing from the training, optimization, and/or testing of the
one or more
models. In some instances, the constraints for the metrics and criteria are
selected to
illustrate the performance of the models. For example, the metrics and
criteria such as
mean percentage error may provide information on bias, variance, and other
errors that
may occur when finalizing a model such as vanishing or exploding gradients.
Bias is an
error in the learning algorithm. When there is high bias, the learning
algorithm is unable
to learn relevant details in the data. Variance is an error in the learning
algorithm, when
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the learning algorithm tries to over-learn from the dataset or tries to fit
the training data as
closely as possible. Further, common error metrics such as mean percentage
error and R2
score are not always indicative of accuracy of a model, and thus the algorithm
developer
may want to define additional metrics and criteria for a more in depth look at
accuracy of
the model.
[0062] Next, data assets that will be subjected to the algorithm(s) are
identified, acquired,
and curated (at 620). Figure 7A provides greater detail of this acquisition
and curation of
the data. Often, the data may include healthcare related data (PHI).
Initially, there is a
query if data is present (at 710). The identification process may be performed
automatically by the platform running the queries for data assets (e.g.,
running queries on
the provisioned data stores using the data indices) using the input data
requirements as the
search terms and/or filters. Alternatively, this process may be performed
using an
interactive process, for example, the algorithm developer may provide search
terms
and/or filters to the platform. The platform may formulate questions to obtain
additional
information, the algorithm developer may provide the additional information,
and the
platform may run queries for the data assets (e.g., running queries on
databases of the one
or more data hosts or web crawling to identify data hosts that may have data
assets) using
the search terms, filters, and/or additional information. In either instance,
the identifying
is performed using differential privacy for sharing information within the
data assets by
describing patterns of groups within the data assets while withholding private
information
about individuals in the data assets.
[0063] If the assets are not available, the process generates a new data
steward node (at
720). The data query and onboarding activity (surrounded by a dotted line) is
illustrated
in this process flow of acquiring the data; however, it should be realized
that these steps
may be performed anytime prior to model and data encapsulation (step 650 in
Figure 6).
Onboarding/creation of a new data steward node is shown in greater detail in
relation to
Figure 7B. In this example process a data host compute and storage
infrastructure (e.g., a
sequestered computing node as described with respect to Figures 1A-5) is
provisioned (at
715) within the infrastructure of the data steward. In some instances, the
provisioning
includes deployment of encapsulated algorithms in the infrastructure,
deployment of a
physical computing device with appropriately provisioned hardware and software
in the
infrastructure, deployment of storage (physical data stores or cloud-based
storage), or
deployment on public or private cloud infrastructure accessible via the
infrastructure, etc.
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[0064] Next, governance and compliance requirements are performed (at 725). In
some
instances, the governance and compliance requirements includes getting
clearance from
an institutional review board, and/or review and approval of compliance of any
project
being performed by the platform and/or the platform itself under governing law
such as
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Subsequently,
the data
assets that the data steward desires to be made available for optimization
and/or
validation of algorithm(s) are retrieved (at 735). In some instances, the data
assets may be
transferred from existing storage locations and formats to provisioned storage
(physical
data stores or cloud-based storage) for use by the sequestered computing node
(curated
into one or more data stores). The data assets may then be obfuscated (at
745). Data
obfuscation is a process that includes data encryption or tokenization, as
discussed in
much greater detail below. Lastly, the data assets may be indexed (at 755).
Data
indexing allows queries to retrieve data from a database in an efficient
manner. The
indexes may be related to specific tables and may be comprised of one or more
keys or
values to be looked up in the index (e.g., the keys may be based on a data
table's columns
or rows).
[0065] Returning to Figure 7A, after the creation of the new data steward, the
project may
be configured (at 730). In some instances, the data steward computer and
storage
infrastructure is configured to handle a new project with the identified data
assets. In
some instances, the configuration is performed similarly to the process
described of
Figure 7B. Next, regulatory approvals (e.g., IRB and other data governance
processes)
are completed and documented (at 740). Lastly, the new data is provisioned (at
750). In
some instances, the data storage provisioning includes identification and
provisioning of a
new logical data storage location, along with creation of an appropriate data
storage and
query structure.
[0066] Returning now to Figure 6, after the data is acquired and configured, a
query is
performed if there is a need for data annotation (at 630). If so, the data is
initially
harmonized (at 633) and then annotated (at 635). Data harmonization is the
process of
collecting data sets of differing file formats, naming conventions, and
columns, and
transforming it into a cohesive data set. The annotation is performed by the
data steward
in the sequestered computing node. A key principle to the transformation and
annotation
processes is that the platform facilitates a variety of processes to apply and
refine data
cleaning and transformation algorithms, while preserving the privacy of the
data assets,
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all without requiring data to be moved outside of the technical purview of the
data
steward.
[0067] After annotation, or if annotation was not required, another query
determines if
additional data harmonization is needed (at 640). If so, then there is another
harmonization step (at 645) that occurs in a manner similar to that disclosed
above. After
harmonization, or if harmonization isn't needed, the models and data are
encapsulated (at
650). Data and model encapsulation is described in greater detail in relation
to Figure 8.
In the encapsulation process the protected data, and the algorithm are each
encrypted (at
810 and 830 respectively). In some embodiments, the data is encrypted either
using
traditional encryption algorithms (e.g., RSA) or homomorphic encryption.
[0068] Next the encrypted data and encrypted algorithm are provided to the
sequestered
computing node (at 820 and 840 respectively). There processes of encryption
and
providing the encrypted payloads to the sequestered computing nodes may be
performed
asynchronously, or in parallel. Subsequently, the sequestered computing node
may phone
home to the core management node (at 850) requesting the keys needed. These
keys are
then also supplied to the sequestered computing node (at 860), thereby
allowing the
decryption of the assets.
[0069] Returning again to Figure 6, once the assets are all within the
sequestered
computing node, they may be decrypted and the algorithm may run against the
dataset (at
660). The results from such runtime may be outputted as a report (at 670) for
downstream consumption.
[0070] Turning now to Figure 9, a first embodiment of the system for zero-
trust
processing of the data assets by the algorithm is provided, at 900. In this
example
process, the algorithm is initially generated by the algorithm developer (at
910) in a
manner similar to that described previously. The entire algorithm, including
its container,
is then encrypted (at 920), using a public key, by the encryption server
within the zero-
trust system of the algorithm developer's infrastructure. The entire encrypted
payload is
provided to the core management system (at 930). The core management system
then
distributes the encrypted payload to the sequestered computing enclaves (at
940).
[0071] Likewise, the data steward collects the data assets desired for
processing by the
algorithm. This data is also provided to the sequestered computing node. In
some
embodiments, this data may also be encrypted. The sequestered computing node
then
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contacts the core management system for the keys. The system relies upon
public-private
key methodologies for the decryption of the algorithm, and possibly the data
(at 950).
[0072] After decryption within the sequestered computing node, the
algorithm(s) are run
(at 960) against the protected health information (or other sensitive
information based
upon the given use case). The results are then output (at 970) to the
appropriate
downstream audience (generally the data steward, but may include public health
agencies
or other interested parties).
[0073] Figure 10, on the other hand, provides another methodology of zero-
trust
computation that has the advantage of allowing some transformation of the
algorithm data
by either the core management system or the data steward themselves, shown
generally at
1000. As with the prior embodiment, the algorithm is initially generated by
the algorithm
developer (at 1010). However, at this point the two methodologies diverge.
Rather than
encrypt the entire algorithm payload, it differentiates between the sensitive
portions of the
algorithm (generally the algorithm weights), and non-sensitive portions of the
algorithm
(including the container, for example). The process then encrypts only layers
of the
payload that have been flagged as sensitive (at 1020).
[0074] The partially encrypted payload is then transferred to the core
management system
(at 1030). At this stage a determination is made whether a modification is
desired to the
non-sensitive, non-encrypted portion of the payload (at 1040). If a
modification is
desired, then it may be performed in a similar manner as discussed previously
(at 1045).
[0075] If no modification is desired, or after the modification is performed,
the payload
may be transferred (at 1050) to the sequestered computing node located within
the data
steward infrastructure (or a third party). Although not illustrated, there is
again an
opportunity at this stage to modify any non-encrypted portions of the payload
when the
algorithm payload is in the data steward's possession.
[0076] Next, the keys unique to the sequestered computing node are employed to
decrypt
the sensitive layer of the payload (at 1060), and the algorithms are run
against the locally
available protected health information (at 1070). In the use case where a
third party is
hosting the sequestered computing node, the protected health information may
be
encrypted at the data steward before being transferred to the sequestered
computing node
at said third party. Regardless of sequestered computing node location, after
runtime, the
resulting report is outputted to the data steward and/or other interested
party (at 1080).
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[0077] Figure 11, as seen at 1100, is similar to the prior two figures in many
regards. The
algorithm is similarly generated at the algorithm developer (at 1110);
however, rather
than being subject to an encryption step immediately, the algorithm payload
may be
logically separated into a sensitive portion and a non-sensitive portion (at
1120). To
ensure that the algorithm runs properly when it is ultimately decrypted in the
(sequestered) sequestered computing enclave, instructions about the order in
which
computation steps are carried out may be added to the unencrypted portion of
the
payload.
[0078] Subsequently, the sensitive portion is encrypted at the zero-trust
encryption
system (at 1130), leaving the non-sensitive portion in the clear. Both the
encrypted
portion and the non-encrypted portion of the payload are transferred to the
core
management system (at 1140). This transfer may be performed as a single
payload, or
may be done asynchronously. Again, there is an opportunity at the core
management
system to perform a modification of the non-sensitive portion of the payload.
A query is
made if such a modification is desired (at 1150), and if so it is performed
(at 1155).
Transformations may be similar to those detailed above.
[0079] Subsequently, the payload is provided to the sequestered computing
node(s) by
the core management system (at 1160). Again, as the payload enters the data
steward
node(s), it is possible to perform modifications to the non-encrypted
portion(s). Once in
the sequestered computing node, the sensitive portion is decrypted (at 1170),
the entire
algorithm payload is run (at 1180) against the data that has been provided to
the
sequestered computing node (either locally or supplied as an encrypted data
package).
Lastly, the resulting report is outputted to the relevant entities (at 1190).
[0080] Any of the above modalities of operation provide the instant zero-trust
architecture with the ability to process a data source with an algorithm
without the ability
for the algorithm developer to have access to the data being processed, the
data steward
being unable to view the algorithm being used, or the core management system
from
having access to either the data or the algorithm. This uniquely provides each
party the
peace of mind that their respective valuable assets are not at risk, and
facilitates the ability
to easily, and securely, process datasets.
[0081] Turning now to Figure 12, a system for zero-trust training of
algorithms is
presented, generally at 1200. Traditionally, algorithm developers require
training data to
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develop and refine their algorithms. Such data is generally not readily
available to the
algorithm developer due to the nature of how such data is collected, and due
to regulatory
hurdles. As such, the algorithm developers often need to rely upon other
parties (data
stewards) to train their algorithms. As with running an algorithm, training
the algorithm
introduces the potential to expose the algorithm and/or the datasets being
used to train it.
[0082] In this example system, the nascent algorithm is provided to the
sequestered
computing node 110 in the data steward node 160. This new, untrained algorithm
may be
prepared by the algorithm developer (not shown) and provided in the clear to
the
sequestered computing node 110 as it does not yet contain any sensitive data.
The
sequestered computing node leverages the locally available protected health
information
350, using a training server 1230, to train the algorithm. This generates a
sensitive
portion of the algorithm 1225 (generally the weights and coefficients of the
algorithm),
and a non-sensitive portion of the algorithm 1220. As the training is
performed within the
sequestered computing node 110, the data steward 160 does not have access to
the
algorithm that is being trained. Once the algorithm is trained, the sensitive
portion 1225
of the algorithm is encrypted prior to being released from the sequestered
computing
enclave 110. This partially encrypted payload is then transferred to the data
management
core 140, and distributed to a sequestered capsule computing service 1250,
operating
within an enclave development node 1210. The enclave development node is
generally
hosted by one or more data stewards.
[0083] The sequestered capsule computing node 1250 operates in a similar
manner as the
sequestered computing node 110 in that once it is "locked" there is no
visibility into the
inner workings of the sequestered capsule computing node 1250. As such, once
the
algorithm payload is received, the sequestered capsule computing node 1250 may
decrypt
the sensitive portion of the algorithm 1225 using a public-private key
methodology. The
sequestered capsule computing node 1250 also has access to validation data
1255. The
algorithm is run against the validation data, and the output is compared
against a set of
expected results. If the results substantially match, it indicates that the
algorithm is
properly trained, if the results do not match, then additional training may be
required.
[0084] Figure 13 provides the process flow, at 1300, for this training
methodology. In
the sequestered computing node, the algorithm is initially trained (at 1310).
The training
assets (sensitive portions of the algorithm) are encrypted within the
sequestered
computing node (at 1320). Subsequently the feature representations for the
training data
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are profiled (at 1330). One example of a profiling methodology would be to
take the
activations of the certain AT model layers for samples in both the training
and test set, and
see if another model can be trained to recognize which activations came from
which
dataset. These feature representations are non-sensitive, and are thus not
encrypted. The
profile and the encrypted data assets are then output to the core management
system (at
1340) and are distributed to one or more sequestered capsule computing
enclaves (at
1350). At the sequestered capsule computing node, the training assets are
decrypted and
validated (at 1360). After validation the training assets from more than one
data steward
node are combined into a single featured training model (at 1370). This is
known as
federated training.
[0085] Turning now to Figure 14, a semi-trust computing architecture is
provided, shown
generally at 1300. Unlike a zero-trust system, in this example the core
management
system 140 operates not only as the distributer of the algorithm payloads, but
also acts as
a key management system. Thus, theoretically, the core management system 140
could
decrypt the algorithm as it is provided. Thus, a certain level of trust is
required between
the algorithm developer 120 and the core management system 140. As such, it
may be
advantageous, in some particular embodiments, to have the core management
system be
hosted by the algorithm developer, or have the algorithm developer act as the
key
management system directly.
[0086] Regardless, in the instant embodiment, the algorithm developer's
algorithm 321 is
provided to the encryption server 323 to generate an encrypted payload 320.
Here the
entire payload is encrypted, however, as previously discussed, in alternate
embodiments
only a certain layer of the payload needs to be encrypted, or the payload may
be separated
into sensitive and non-sensitive portions and only specific portions are
therefore
encrypted. Regardless of method employed, the payload is provided to the core
management system 140, which distributes the payload to licensed computing
nodes
1410. These local nodes may include low processing powered devices that
contain only
local data sets. Examples of these local computing nodes may include devices
such as
EKG machines, dialysis machines, and other peripheral medical devices. Outside
of the
medical field, devices may include ATMs, smart home appliances, autonomous
vehicles,
or any other networked device that includes local datasets that need
processing.
[0087] In addition to receiving the encrypted packet, the core management
system
includes a key management server 1430, which provides a key to the licensed
computing
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node 1410 to decrypt the algorithm 320 and process local data 1420. In some
embodiments, certain devices may be pre-provisioned with a key, thereby
allowing the
algorithm payload to be distributed without the need for a key management
server by the
core management system 140. This allows for deployment of the payload even
when the
core management system 140 cannot be contacted directly to obtain decryption
keys or to
confirm license validity, for example if the local environment does not have a
reliable
Internet connection. In some embodiments, license data may be stored on the
blockchain
to allow additional computing models.
[0088] Figure 15, in turn, provides an example process for deploying and
running
algorithms on licensed computing nodes, shown generally at 1500. In this
example
process, the trained algorithm is first received/generated by the algorithm
developer (at
1510). This algorithm is encrypted in whole or in part (at 1520) in the zero-
trust
encryption node. The payload is provided to the core management system (at
1530),
which then distributes it to one or more licensed computing nodes (at 1540).
The key
management server within the core management system provides the necessary
keys to
the appropriate licensed computing node(s) (at 1550). The licensed computing
node(s)
leverage the keys to decrypt the payload (at 1560), and run the algorithm on
locally
available data (at 1570).
[0089] Now that the systems and methods for zero-trust computing have been
provided,
attention shall now be focused upon apparatuses capable of executing the above
functions
in real-time. To facilitate this discussion, Figures 16A and 16B illustrate a
Computer
System 1600, which is suitable for implementing embodiments of the present
invention.
Figure 16A shows one possible physical form of the Computer System 1600. Of
course,
the Computer System 1600 may have many physical forms ranging from a printed
circuit
board, an integrated circuit, and a small handheld device up to a huge super
computer.
Computer system 1600 may include a Monitor 1602, a Display 1604, a Housing
1606,
server blades including one or more storage Drives 1608, a Keyboard 1610, and
a Mouse
1612. Medium 1614 is a computer-readable medium used to transfer data to and
from
Computer System 1600.
[0090] Figure 16B is an example of a block diagram for Computer System 1600.
Attached to System Bus 1620 are a wide variety of subsystems. Processor(s)
1622 (also
referred to as central processing units, or CPUs) are coupled to storage
devices, including
Memory 1624. Memory 1624 includes random access memory (RAM) and read-only
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memory (ROM). As is well known in the art, ROM acts to transfer data and
instructions
uni-directionally to the CPU and RAM is used typically to transfer data and
instructions
in a bi-directional manner. Both of these types of memories may include any
suitable
form of the computer-readable media described below. A Fixed Medium 1626 may
also
be coupled bi-directionally to the Processor 1622; it provides additional data
storage
capacity and may also include any of the computer-readable media described
below.
Fixed Medium 1626 may be used to store programs, data, and the like and is
typically a
secondary storage medium (such as a hard disk) that is slower than primary
storage. It
will be appreciated that the information retained within Fixed Medium 1626
may, in
appropriate cases, be incorporated in standard fashion as virtual memory in
Memory
1624. Removable Medium 1614 may take the form of any of the computer-readable
media described below.
[0091] Processor 1622 is also coupled to a variety of input/output devices,
such as
Display 1604, Keyboard 1610, Mouse 1612 and Speakers 1630. In general, an
input/output device may be any of: video displays, track balls, mice,
keyboards,
microphones, touch-sensitive displays, transducer card readers, magnetic or
paper tape
readers, tablets, styluses, voice or handwriting recognizers, biometrics
readers, motion
sensors, brain wave readers, or other computers. Processor 1622 optionally may
be
coupled to another computer or telecommunications network using Network
Interface
1640. With such a Network Interface 1640, it is contemplated that the
Processor 1622
might receive information from the network, or might output information to the
network
in the course of performing the above-described zero-trust computing.
Furthermore,
method embodiments of the present invention may execute solely upon Processor
1622 or
may execute over a network such as the Internet in conjunction with a remote
CPU that
shares a portion of the processing.
[0092] Software is typically stored in the non-volatile memory and/or the
drive unit.
Indeed, for large programs, it may not even be possible to store the entire
program in the
memory. Nevertheless, it should be understood that for software to run, if
necessary, it is
moved to a computer readable location appropriate for processing, and for
illustrative
purposes, that location is referred to as the memory in this disclosure. Even
when
software is moved to the memory for execution, the processor will typically
make use of
hardware registers to store values associated with the software, and local
cache that,
ideally, serves to speed up execution. As used herein, a software program is
assumed to
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be stored at any known or convenient location (from non-volatile storage to
hardware
registers) when the software program is referred to as "implemented in a
computer-
readable medium." A processor is considered to be "configured to execute a
program"
when at least one value associated with the program is stored in a register
readable by the
processor.
[0093] In operation, the computer system 1600 can be controlled by operating
system
software that includes a file management system, such as a medium operating
system.
One example of operating system software with associated file management
system
software is the family of operating systems known as Windows from Microsoft
Corporation of Redmond, Washington, and their associated file management
systems.
Another example of operating system software with its associated file
management
system software is the Linux operating system and its associated file
management system.
The file management system is typically stored in the non-volatile memory
and/or drive
unit and causes the processor to execute the various acts required by the
operating system
to input and output data and to store data in the memory, including storing
files on the
non-volatile memory and/or drive unit.
[0094] Some portions of the detailed description may be presented in terms of
algorithms
and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer
memory.
These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those
skilled in
the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their
work to others
skilled in the art. An algorithm is, here and generally, conceived to be a
self-consistent
sequence of operations leading to a desired result. The operations are those
requiring
physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not
necessarily, these
quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being
stored,
transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven
convenient at
times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as
bits, values,
elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
[0095] The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related
to any
particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may be
used
with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove
convenient to
construct more specialized apparatus to perform the methods of some
embodiments. The
required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the
description below.
In addition, the techniques are not described with reference to any particular
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programming language, and various embodiments may, thus, be implemented using
a
variety of programming languages.
[0096] In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device
or may
be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment,
the
machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a
client-server
network environment or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)
network
environment.
[0097] The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal
computer
(PC), a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital
assistant
(PDA), a cellular telephone, an iPhone, a Blackberry, Glasses with a
processor,
Headphones with a processor, Virtual Reality devices, a processor, distributed
processors
working together, a telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or
bridge, or any
machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise)
that specify
actions to be taken by that machine.
[0098] While the machine-readable medium or machine-readable storage medium is
shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term "machine-
readable
medium" and "machine-readable storage medium" should be taken to include a
single
medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or
associated
caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term
"machine-
readable medium" and "machine-readable storage medium" shall also be taken to
include
any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of
instructions for
execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more
of the
methodologies of the presently disclosed technique and innovation.
[0099] In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the
disclosure
may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application,
component,
program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as "computer
programs."
The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions set at
various times
in various memory and storage devices in a computer (or distributed across
computers),
and when read and executed by one or more processing units or processors in a
computer
(or across computers), cause the computer(s) to perform operations to execute
elements
involving the various aspects of the disclosure.
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[00100] Moreover, while embodiments have been described in the context of
fully
functioning computers and computer systems, those skilled in the art will
appreciate that
the various embodiments are capable of being distributed as a program product
in a
variety of forms, and that the disclosure applies equally regardless of the
particular type
of machine or computer-readable media used to actually effect the distribution
[00101] While this invention has been described in terms of several
embodiments,
there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute
equivalents, which fall
within the scope of this invention. Although sub-section titles have been
provided to aid
in the description of the invention, these titles are merely illustrative and
are not intended
to limit the scope of the present invention. It should also be noted that
there are many
alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present
invention.
It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as
including all
such alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents as
fall within the
true spirit and scope of the present invention.
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