IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,579,305
Granted Patent B2
US 12,579,305 · App. 18/417,201 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Data security for machine learning systems

Inventors: Thomas Henry Alphin, III (Kirkland, WA); Christophe Alain Berthoud (Seattle, WA); Agueda Sanchez (Seattle, WA); Vaheeshta Shereen Mehrshahi (Redmond, WA); Charlie Lertlumprasert (Redmond, WA)
Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
G06F21/6245G06F21/604
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,579,305
App. No.
18/417,201
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The technology described herein provides a system and method for securely managing information provided to a machine-learning system. In particular, the machine-learning system may determine that additional user data will improve the accuracy of a task being performed for a user. Security is improved by only requesting access to additional user data after determining that already available data may produce a task response that does not meet quality criteria. Further, the technology determines and requests a limited amount of user data and/or access needed to complete a task successfully. Several methods of determining whether additional user information will improve the task response are contemplated.

Claims (53)

1 . A computer system, comprising:

a plurality of processors; and

computer memory having computer-readable instructions embodied thereon, that, when executed by the plurality of processors, perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a machine-learning system, an initiation request for a task associated with a user;

determining, by the machine-learning system, that additional user data has above a threshold probability of improving a response to the task, wherein the response is to be generated by the machine-learning system;

determining that the additional user data satisfies a sensitivity criteria, wherein the sensitivity criteria is defined in a sensitivity policy and applies to a subset of user data;

outputting, to the user, a request to access the additional user data;

receiving, from the user, permission to access the additional user data;

accessing the additional user data; and

generating, by the machine-learning system, the response to the task using the additional user data.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining, by the machine-learning system, that the additional user data has above the threshold probability of improving the response to the task comprises determining that a quality measure associated with an initial task response generated by the machine-learning system is outside of a threshold range.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining, by the machine-learning system, that the additional user data has above the threshold probability of improving the response to the task comprises:

automatically generating a prompt asking whether additional user data would improve the response to the task;

communicating the prompt to the machine-learning system; and

receiving an answer to the prompt indicating that additional user data would improve the response to the task.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining, by the machine-learning system, that the additional user data has above the threshold probability of improving the response to the task comprises:

communicating the request to a second machine-learning model trained to determine whether additional user data improves task responses; and

receiving a second response from the second machine-learning model indicating that the additional user data would improve the response to the task.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-learning system is able to access the additional user data without receiving the permission.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the task is a query.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-learning system comprises a large language model.

8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, at a machine-learning system, an initiation request for a task associated with a user, wherein the task is to be completed by the machine-learning system;

generating, by the machine-learning system, an initial response to the task using a first plurality of data;

assigning, by the machine-learning system, a quality measure to the initial response;

determining, by the machine-learning system, that the quality measure assigned to the initial response generated by the machine-learning system is below a threshold quality;

identifying, by the machine-learning system, a second plurality of data that is relevant to the initiation request, wherein the second plurality of data is identified by:

automatically generating a prompt asking whether additional user data would improve the response to the task;

communicating the prompt to the machine-learning system; and

receiving an answer to the prompt indicating the second plurality of data would improve the response to the task;

outputting, to the user, a request to access the second plurality of data;

receiving, from the user, permission to access the second plurality of data;

accessing, by the machine-learning system, the second plurality of data; and

generating, by the machine-learning system, a final response to the task using the second plurality of data.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the task uses content from an application that is not associated with the machine-learning system as input.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the machine-learning system is associated with an operating system on which the application is running.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the initiation request is a prompt for the machine-learning system.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the quality measure is generated by a machine-classifier.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the task is a sentiment analysis of electronic communications.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the machine-learning system comprises a large language model.

15 . Computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause computing operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

receiving, at a machine-learning system, an initiation request for a task associated with a user, wherein the task uses content from an application that is not accessible by the machine-learning system as input, and wherein the task is to be completed by the machine-learning system;

outputting, to the user, a request to access the content from the application wherein the request identifies the content as additional user data and the additional user data will improve a response to the task;

receiving, from the user, permission to access the content;

accessing the content; and

generating, at the machine-learning system, the response to the task using the content.

16 . The computer storage media of claim 15 , wherein the machine-learning system is associated with an operating system on which the application is running.

17 . The computer storage media of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

automatically generating a prompt asking whether the additional user data would improve the response to the task;

communicating the prompt to the machine-learning system; and

receiving an answer to the prompt indicating that the additional user data would improve the response to the task.

18 . The computer storage media of claim 17 , wherein the machine-learning system comprises a large language model.

19 . The computer storage media of claim 17 , wherein the task is a query.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2024
From: LERTLUMPRASERT, CHARLIE
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 067627/0308 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2024
From: ALPHIN, THOMAS HENRY, III
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 066672/0377 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2024
From: SANCHEZ, AGUEDA; BERTHOUD, CHRISTOPHE ALAIN; MEHRSHAHI, VAHEESHTA SHEREEN
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC,
Reel/Frame 066185/0514 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63522390 · Jun 21, 2023
Related Publication 20240427928A1 · Dec 26, 2024
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