Apparatus, method and computer program product for privacy protection

1. A method, comprising:

receiving encrypted data from a child participating node of a participant chain, which comprises a plurality of participating nodes, and where the encrypted data comprises local encrypted data from sensory data from at least the child participating node;

combining the encrypted data with corresponding local encrypted data from sensory data, wherein each sensory data is associated with a unique random identification, and wherein each sensory data is associated with an encryption key; and

sending the combined encrypted data toward a parent participating node of the participant chain;

receiving, from the parent participating node, incentive information including an encrypted deserved incentive and an associated unique random identification for each of at least one sensory data, wherein each deserved incentive is encrypted with a task initiating node's private key and the encryption key;

extracting a local encrypted deserved incentive and a corresponding local unique random identification from the incentive information; and

sending the rest of the incentive information to the child participating node.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

dividing a first vector into first part and second part with an invertible matrix, wherein the first vector is related to sensory data that can be obtained by a representative participating node;

sending the second part to a candidate node;

receiving a third part of a second vector from the candidate node, wherein the second vector is related to sensory data that can be obtained by the candidate node;

calculating a first intermediate value of data utility based on the first part and the third part; and

sending the first intermediate value to the task initiating node.

3. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

receive encrypted data from a child participating node of a participant chain, which comprises a plurality of participating nodes, and where the encrypted data comprises local encrypted data from sensory data from at least the child participating node;

combine the encrypted data with corresponding local encrypted data from sensory data, wherein each sensory data is associated with a unique random identification, and wherein each sensory data is associated with an encryption key; and

send the combined encrypted data toward a parent participating node of the participant chain;

receive, from the parent participating node, incentive information including an encrypted deserved incentive and an associated unique random identification for each of at least one sensory data, wherein each deserved incentive is encrypted with a task initiating node's private key and the encryption key;

extract a local encrypted deserved incentive and a corresponding local unique random identification from the incentive information; and

send the rest of the incentive information to the child participating node.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

divide a first vector into first part and second part with an invertible matrix, wherein the first vector is related to sensory data that can be obtained by a representative participating node;

send the second part to a candidate node; receive a third part of a second vector from the candidate node, wherein the second vector is related to sensory data that can be obtained by the candidate node;

calculate first intermediate value of data utility based on the first part and the third part; and

send the first intermediate value to the task initiating node.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein each sensory data is associated with a desired incentive.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

send information about reception of the encrypted deserved incentive to the task initiating node;

receive a public key corresponding to the private key from the task initiating node; and

decrypt the local encrypted deserved incentive with the public key and a decryption key corresponding to its associated encryption key.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each sensory data is associated with a desired incentive.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein method further comprises:

send information about reception of the encrypted deserved incentive to the task initiating node;

receive a public key corresponding to the private key from the task initiating node; and

decrypt the local encrypted deserved incentive with the public key and a decryption key corresponding to its associated encryption key.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

receive encrypted data from a child participating node of a participant chain, which comprises a plurality of participating nodes, and where the encrypted data comprises local encrypted data from sensory data from at least the child participating node;

combine the encrypted data with corresponding local encrypted data from sensory data, wherein each sensory data is associated with a unique random identification, and wherein each sensory data is associated with an encryption key; and

send the combined encrypted data toward a parent participating node of the participant chain;

receive, from the parent participating node, incentive information including an encrypted deserved incentive and an associated unique random identification for each of at least one sensory data, wherein each deserved incentive is encrypted with a task initiating node's private key and the encryption key;

extract a local encrypted deserved incentive and a corresponding local unique random identification from the incentive information; and

send the rest of the incentive information to the child participating node.