Patent ID: 8566352

Claim:
A method for associating a data handling method with a data item, comprising: managing a multidimensional data structure for storing a plurality of data handling methods, each data handling method stored within the multidimensional data structure according to a set of data handling method coordinate values of a matrix in the multidimensional data structure, wherein the set of data handling method coordinate values are determined using responses to a plurality of data handling questions, wherein each data handling method is a set of data handling requirements including at least one of a group consisting of: authenticating user access, encrypting data prior to transmission, and regulating data download, and wherein a number of the dimensions of the matrix is at least three and is determined by any combination from the set of data handling requirements; determining a set of data item coordinate values using responses to a plurality of data item questions posed with respect to the data item; appending the set of data item coordinate values to a descriptor of a data item field for storing the data item; using the set of data item coordinate values to identify an address in the multidimensional data structure, wherein the data handling method comprises a set of data handling requirements, each set of data handling requirements defining instructions for managing access to the data item; and associating the data item with the data handling method.