System and method for cryptographic choice mechanisms
The present invention provides an improved system and method for using cryptography to secure computer-implemented choice mechanisms. In several preferred embodiments, a process is provided for securing participants' submissions while simultaneously providing the capability of validating their submissions. This is referred to as a random permutation. In several other preferred embodiments, a process is provided for securing participants' advance instructions while simultaneously providing the capability of validating their advance instructions. This is referred to as a secure advance instruction. Applications include voting mechanisms, school choice mechanisms, and auction mechanisms.
1. A computer system for securely submitting choices to a choice mechanism, said computer system comprising at least one computer, said choice mechanism using submissions that express choices selected from a plurality of possible choices, comprising:
receiving means of said computer system for receiving a submission to said choice mechanism, wherein said submission expresses one or more choices selected from a plurality of possible choices; and
encrypting means of said computer system for transforming said submission into an encrypted submission, said encrypted submission enabling validation of one or more constraints on the one or more choices expressed within said submission without revealing said one or more choices.
2. A computer system for securely submitting choices to a choice mechanism, said computer system comprising at least one computer, said choice mechanism using submissions that express choices selected from a plurality of possible choices, comprising:
receiving means of said computer system for receiving a submission to said choice mechanism, wherein said submission expresses one or more choices selected from a plurality of possible choices;
encrypting means of said computer system for encrypting said submission in a form that enables validation of one or more constraints on the one or more choices expressed within said submission while said submission remains encrypted; and
sending means of said computer system for sending the encrypted submission to another computer.
3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the encrypting means transforms the submission into an encrypted submission by a process of random permutation.
4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the encrypting means transforms the submission into an encrypted submission by a process of secure advance instructions.
5. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a ranking of elements of said set.
6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a selection of at least one element of said set.
7. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a quantity of at least one element of said set.
8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a price associated with at least one element of said set.
9. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said encrypted submission enables validation of whether the one or more choices expressed within said submission comply with a rule of said choice mechanism without revealing said one or more choices.
10. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the choice mechanism is a voting mechanism and wherein the one or more choices expressed within said submission are votes.
11. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the choice mechanism is a school choice mechanism and wherein the one or more choices expressed within said submission are rankings of schools.
12. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the choice mechanism is an auction mechanism and wherein the one or more choices expressed within said submission are bids.
13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the encrypted submission enables validation of whether said bids comply with an activity rule of said auction mechanism without revealing said bids.
14. The computer system of claim 3 wherein the choice mechanism is a voting mechanism and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission is a ranked-choice vote.
15. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the choice mechanism is an auction mechanism and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission is a proxy bid.
16. A method for securely submitting choices to a choice mechanism, said method implemented on a computer system comprising at least one computer, said choice mechanism using submissions that express choices selected from a plurality of possible choices, said method comprising:
receiving a submission to said choice mechanism on said computer system, wherein said submission expresses one or more choices selected from a plurality of possible choices; and
transforming said submission into an encrypted submission on said computer system, said encrypted submission enabling validation of one or more constraints on the one or more choices expressed within said submission without revealing said one or more choices.
17. A method for securely submitting choices to a choice mechanism, said method implemented on a computer system comprising at least one computer, said choice mechanism using submissions that express choices selected from a plurality of possible choices, said method comprising:
receiving a submission to said choice mechanism on said computer system, wherein said submission expresses one or more choices selected from a plurality of possible choices;
encrypting said submission on said computer system in a form that enables validation of one or more constraints on the one or more choices expressed within said submission while said submission remains encrypted; and
sending the encrypted submission from said computer system to another computer.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the computer system transforms said submission into an encrypted submission by a process of random permutation.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein the computer system transforms said submission into an encrypted submission by a process of secure advance instructions.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein said submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a ranking of elements of said set.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein said submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a selection of at least one element of said set.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein said submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a quantity of at least one element of said set.
23. The method of claim 16 wherein the submission relates to a set and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission indicates a price associated with at least one element of said set.
24. The method of claim 16 wherein said encrypted submission enables validation of whether the one or more choices expressed within said submission comply with a rule of said choice mechanism without revealing said one or more choices.
25. The method of claim 16 wherein the choice mechanism is a voting mechanism and wherein the one or more choices expressed within said submission are votes.
26. The method of claim 16 wherein the choice mechanism is a school choice mechanism and wherein the one or more choices expressed within said submission are rankings of schools.
27. The method of claim 16 wherein the choice mechanism is an auction mechanism and wherein the one or more choices expressed within said submission are bids.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein the encrypted submission enables validation of whether said bids comply with an activity rule of said auction mechanism without revealing said bids.
29. The method of claim 18 wherein the choice mechanism is a voting mechanism and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission is a ranked-choice vote.
30. The method of claim 19 wherein the choice mechanism is an auction mechanism and wherein at least one choice of the one or more choices expressed within said submission is a proxy bid.