Patent ID: 7289971

Claim:
A computer-implemented system for securely exchanging and controlling personal information objects over a distributed, electronic network, comprising: a plurality of personal information agent software objects capable of being sent over the distributed, electronic network and interacting with one another, each of the personal information agent objects being composed of a set of methods and variables and each of the personal information agent objects securely encapsulating in an encrypted format one or more personal information objects of an owner of the personal information agent object and one or more rule objects containing privilege rules governing the processing of the personal information objects, each of the personal information objects and rule objects being composed of a respective set of methods and variables, the rule objects being bound to and moving across the network with the personal information objects; and at least one server connected to the network executing an electronic broker computer program for providing trusted processing of interactions between the personal information agent objects, the electronic broker computer program including: means for maintaining the privacy and integrity of the personal information objects and rule objects encapsulated within the personal information agent objects during the processing of the interactions, and means for allowing only a trusted process to securely access each interacting personal information agent object's personal information and rule objects to ensure that the privilege rules are satisfied before permitting any exchange of personal information objects between the interacting personal information agent objects.