Patent ID: 8024572

Claim:
A method for data storage and removal comprising: providing databases, wherein each database is assigned a database time period; providing encryption keys, wherein each encryption key is assigned an encryption time period; receiving data items, wherein each data item is associated with a particular time; selecting, using at least one computer processor, one or more encryption keys that are assigned an encryption time period that encompasses the particular times associated with the received data items; encrypting, using the at least one computer processor, each data item using the selected one or more encryption keys that are assigned an encryption time period that encompasses the particular times associated with the received data items; selecting, for storing the encrypted data items, one or more of the databases based on the database time period and the particular times associated with the received data items; storing each encrypted data item in the one or more selected databases; deactivating each encryption key at a predetermined time after the assigned encryption time period ends; and making each database irretrievable upon a determination that all of the encryption keys associated with the data items stored in that database have been deactivated.